SEBI cracks down on unregistered finfluencers, but loopholes remain

Modenik Lifestyle ups ad spends by 25 percent; to double revenue growth in three years

Warner Bros. Discovery threatens legal action against NBA over media rights

Meta ordered to delete AI-generated photographs of public individuals

Esports industry divided over forming anti-poaching body

Representational image via Unsplash

Relief for advertisers as MIB restricts SDC for ads to food and health sectors only

Why are Indian brands advertising in NYC's Times Square?

What Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick teaches us about leadership

Advertising is in the position where tobacco was: IPG's Arun Kumar 

Biz Moves: Interactive Avenues, Verve Media, Foxymoron and Grapes

There is an opportunity for building a better agency, not just a different one: Manja's Prajato Guha

Paris Olympics to garner 150 million viewership on Digital, 120 million on Linear TV

Publicis Groupe to acquire Influential for $500 million

Google has a new competitor - SearchGPT by OpenAI

News influencers to be called 'digital news broadcasters', proposes new draft of Broadcasting Bill

Piyush Pandey

SC directs MIB to file affidavit within three weeks with recommendations on SDC | Ampverse shuts 7Sea Esports

Sachin Tendulkar, Adar Poonawalla-backed JetSynthesys to exit from Skyesports?: Exclusive

Quick-commerce players' ad revenue stream grows; a key investment focus for advertisers

FSSAI cancels licences of 111 spice producers due to high levels of ethylene oxide found in samples

The CRED Point: Relying on advertising virality without product virality?

Time to 'Share The Spotlight': Storyboard18's one-of-a-kind initiative to bring together women sparking change

Nobody’s Perfect Retro Porsche Ad

In Conversation With Raja Rajamannar, Mastercard

Shahid Kapoor And Varun Ganjoo Speaks On PokerBaazi's Campaign

In conversation with IHCL’s Puneet Chhatwal & GroupM’s Kate Scott-Dawkins

Why are brands including e-sports in their sports marketing itinerary?

Storyboard18 x The English Nut: How to pronounce these 10 brand names

Experts' Take On Reinvention Of Ad Campaigns Through Technology

Experts Speak On Key Emerging Trends In Cannes Lions Entries

Leaders of the future have to be outstanding human beings: Nestle MD

In conversation with VMLY&R’s Hari Ramanathan

Google is planning to keep third-party cookies in its Chrome browser, after years of pledging to phase out the tiny packets of code meant to track users on the internet, as per reports.

The major reversal follows concerns from advertisers - the company's biggest source of income - saying the loss of cookies in the world's most popular browser will limit their ability to collect information for personalizing ads, making them dependent on Google's user databases, as per reports.

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority had also scrutinized Google's plan over concerns it would impede competition in digital advertising.

"Instead of deprecating third-party cookies, we would introduce a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing, and they'd be able to adjust that choice at any time," Anthony Chavez, vice president of the Google-backed Privacy Sandbox initiative, said in a blog post.

Since 2019, the Alphabet unit has been working on the Privacy Sandbox initiative aimed at enhancing online privacy while supporting digital businesses, with a key goal being the phase-out of third-party cookies.

Cookies are packets of information that allow websites and advertisers to identify individual web surfers and track their browsing habits, but they can also be used for unwanted surveillance.

In the European Union, the use of cookies is governed by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which stipulates that publishers secure explicit consent from users to store their cookies. Major browsers also give the option to delete cookies on command.

Chavez said Google was working with regulators such as the UK's CMA and Information Commissioner's Office as well as publishers and privacy groups on the new approach, while continuing to invest in the Privacy Sandbox program.

"Advertising stakeholders will no longer have to prepare to quit third-party cookies cold turkey," eMarketer analyst Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf said in a statement.

Lena Cohen, staff technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said cookies can lead to consumer harm, for instance predatory ads that target vulnerable groups. "Google's decision to continue allowing third-party cookies, despite other major browsers blocking them for years, is a direct consequence of their advertising-driven business model," Cohen said in a statement.



Google to keep third-party cookies in its Chrome browser

Avi Kumar, chief marketing officer, FNP, feels that burnout and stress is caused by a lack of contentment and happiness with one’s work.

 
He explained, “We all need to prioritise our mental, physical as well as spiritual health. My advice will be that we prioritise self-care in every aspect of life. Not just at work, but on the personal front as well.”

 
He also believes that one must be a student for life if one is to be on top of the game.


 
Edited excerpts from his conversation with Storyboard18

 

The creator economy has taken the world by storm. Which influencers and trends are you following? 


At FNP, we have an always-on influencer strategy. We emphasise on authenticity, and our first priority is organic collaboration. It is how we can make moments special for the collaborator / influencer.

 

Our recent partnership with influencers like Sara Tendulkar and Janhvi Kapoor have been impactful as we also help them make their special days more special.

 
We also leverage AI to analyse the overlapping audiences to ensure that our collaborations resonate with both the influencer’s followers and our audiences.

 
What marketing related content do you consume in your free time?

 
I read industry blogs and watch webinars. I have been listening to the Marketing Over Coffee podcast for some time, followed by the CMO podcast by Jim Stengel.


Additionally, I think the Harvard Business Review (HBR) helps one stay abreast of the broader business landscape, and follow some of the innovative practices.

 
There's a lot of talk about burnout, workplace toxicity, and hustle culture. What steps have you taken to avoid the adverse impact of the always-on culture on yourself and your colleagues? What advice would you give to peers, colleagues, and next-gen marketers?

 
We all need to prioritise our mental, physical, as well as spiritual health. My take is that if you enjoy your job, you will make light work of it, and there will be no burnout or stress.

 
The burnout or stress happens when you do not find joy in work. My advice will be that we prioritise self-care in every aspect of life, not just at work, but on the personal front as well.


What does your weekend look like?

 
Weekends are as busy as weekdays. I try to steal as much time as possible with the family, and not just time, but quality time, because that's what matters. 

 
I have just recently shifted to Gurgaon. Hence, I am exploring new places within Gurgaon and checking out cafes. And I try to catch up more on reading and listening to audibles.

 
I also spend some time over the weekend to reflect, plan the week ahead, and think of what really happened through the week gone by. Since that's the time when you can really cut the clutter, the noise, and focus on what your priority is really. 

 
Is there any sport or fitness routine you practice?

 
I practice vipassana. I also gym, swim, and play squash on alternate days. On weekends, I have this unwinding session with my son, who is 8 years old. I take him for a swim followed by breakfast. It also helps us bond with each other.


Please share one work and one life hack you swear by

 
In terms of work hack, I think what you prioritise gets done. Hence, you need to block your time and prioritise the work that you want to do, and manage and schedule tasks much more efficiently. 

 
This has helped me improve productivity and ensure focus. If you break your day down in terms of what you think is important and spend time on that, it helps get the work done. Otherwise, time just flows. That's the work hack. 

 
In life, we need to have a positive outlook and continue learning and striving, while reducing stress.

 
Every morning, I write down three things that I was grateful for in the day that went by. It is a very simple habit. But I think it is incredibly powerful to start the day on a positive note and keep that momentum going. 

 
What are you watching or streaming this weekend?

 
I don't watch too much OTT now. I was the head of marketing for Zee5 and watched a lot of content across platforms, both for work as well as entertainment. 

 
There's a new show on Apple TV called `New Look.’ It's the story of Christian Dior and his contemporaries, including Coco Chanel, etc, how they navigated challenges during World War II, and what launched the modern fashion industry that is there today. All these brands still exist and are market leaders. 

 
What are you reading? Any recommendations?

 
My recommendation is that the more you read, the better it is. So keep reading. Currently, I am reading Team of Teams, a book on leadership and organisation dynamics. It talks about navigating complex environments and how one can have better teamwork, adapt teams to situations, etc.

 
A piece of wisdom you would like to share? 

 
At whatever stage of life we are in, we have to be curious and open to learning. We are evolving fast, and so is the market and trends. 

 
One has to adapt very quickly, and I think that's the key to success. We have to embrace change and not be afraid to experiment and innovate. The more you prioritise customer centricity and understand how the customer is changing along with their behaviour and trends, the more we will be able to be successful in whatever we are doing. I think that God is in the details. So, small things make a big difference. 

 
Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/dont-get-into-any-sort-of-competition-says-rahul-karthikeyan-scaler-academy-18355.htm">Don't get into any sort of competition, says Rahul Karthikeyan, Scaler</a>

Lack of joy at work leads to burnout and stress: Avi Kumar, CMO, FNP

Sports For All (SFA) has appointed Kumar Darpan as Chief Revenue Officer and Rohan Vyavaharkar as Global Head of Partnerships and Strategic Communications. Speaking on the expansion of the leadership team, founder Rishikesh Joshi said, “We are delighted to have Rohan and Darpan join the SFA Leadership team. We believe this will truly boost SFA’s strength & capabilities as a business, propelling our journey to become the strongest sports platform".

Darpan will be the first CRO of the SFA, founded in 2015. Darpan has nearly two decades of expertise in media and entertainment across diverse regions specialising in monetising TV and OTT platforms for companies ranging from Disney Star to Warner Brothers Discovery to Odisha Television Network. Known for his digital marketing, content creation, and AI in media, Darpan has delivered top-tier products and solutions tailored to consumer and client needs.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/pepsico-elevates-adam-warner-to-vice-president-global-sports-entertainment-partnerships-37244.htm">PepsiCo elevates Adam Warner to Vice President - Global Sports & Entertainment Partnerships</a>

"I'm thrilled to be a part of Sports For All's mission to revolutionize sports in India. By creating opportunities for brands to build, own, and benefit from the growing list of participative sporting platforms at SFA, we can collectively have a transformative impact on sports in India. With its experience of nearly a decade, SFA is in a unique position to partner with brands to create unique consumer experiences for athletes, families, parents, and other key stakeholders," Darpan said.

On the other hand, Vyavaharkar has a varied marketing, communications, and sports management background. He was involved in creating content, and campaigns for brands like Red Bull, X India (Formerly Twitter India), Stepathlon, and Omidyar Network India. Vyavaharkar said, “Sports For All is on a mission to change the landscape of Indian sport. We want to build a nation that is healthier, fitter, and with strong values that can be best learned through playing sports. At SFA, we want to build deeper partnerships with all players, from academies to leagues to content platforms, because we believe that the only way to achieve our goals as a company and as a nation is by building a collaborative ecosystem".

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/gcpl-looks-at-gaming-and-esports-ips-for-advertising-opportunities-exclusive-36964.htm">GCPL looks at gaming and esports IPs for advertising opportunities</a>

Separately, SFA has also kicked off its registrations for the SFA School Championships 2024-25 which will take place in 10 locations - Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Mumbai, Pune, Uttarakhand featuring up to 31 sports ranging from football and archery to speedcubing and fencing.

SFA runs a tech-enabled multi-sport school championships platform. The SFA Championships showcase competition across 31 sports in sporting venues, empowering athletes and schools to discover and nurture new talent.

Sports For All appoints Kumar Darpan as its first Chief Revenue Officer

Loco, a gaming-focused streaming platform, is encountering significant challenges with its monetization model. Sources have indicated that over the past month and a half, the platform has seen a drastic decline in its Daily Active Users (DAUs) and a reduced number of streamers. Storyboard18 has learnt that Loco is aiming to recover from this situation in the coming months, the platform’s team is currently reassessing its monetization strategies as their Advertising Video On Demand (AVOD) model failed drastically. 

Anirudh Pandita and Ashwin Suresh, founders of Pocket Aces, acquired Loco in 2018 which was earlier known as the Showtime App, originally a live trivia game show app. In 2020, Loco transitioned into a game streaming platform. The platform has raised a total of $51 million in funding, including a $42 million Series A round in 2022 led by Hashed, with participation from Makers Fund, Catamaran Ventures, and Korea Investment Partners. Investors from the company’s seed round, such as Krafton, Lumikai, and Hiro Capital, also participated in this funding round.

In November 2023, Loco laid off 40 employees out of its 110-member team. A senior gaming and esports stakeholder, speaking anonymously, remarked, “This marked a critical juncture for Loco. The absence of a robust monetization model led to substantial expenditures on established YouTube streamers, whose audiences did not migrate permanently to Loco's platform as anticipated.”

He further added, “Their AVOD strategy failed and they struggled to establish a sustainable revenue model. Despite heavy investments in user acquisition, Loco currently finds itself with only a handful of streamers, predominantly broadcasting games like BGMI and GTA V to an audience of 30-40 viewers.”

Players from top esports teams in India, such as S8UL, Godlike, XO, Revenant Esports, Global Esports, 7Sea esports, Skylightz Gaming, Hyderabad Hydras, and Orangutan Gaming, have streamed on Loco. The platform has also hosted major tournaments in collaboration with global publishers like Krafton, Activision, Ubisoft, and Riot Games. Today, the platform does not have any popular streamer. 

Another gaming industry source commented, “It's a straightforward calculation—Loco invested heavily in streaming rights for major tournaments but failed to see corresponding financial returns. They struggled with user retention and competing with established players like Twitch or Kick requires huge investments.”

However, a source familiar with Loco's operations told Storyboard18 that the platform plans to bounce back in the near future, emphasizing a reassessment of their monetization approach.

The source within Loco stated, “We don't view our investment in acquiring streamers from the gaming community as a failure. While our AVOD model failed, our subscription-based offerings received positive response. Furthermore, there is low traffic and handful of streamers on the platform currently as we are also testing new features which cannot be done when the app or website is in its full potential.”

When questioned about potential shutdown plans, the source clarified, “Currently, we are experiencing a slowdown, but there are no plans to cease operations.”

RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group-owned music label Saregama had recently acquired a majority stake in digital entertainment company Pocket Aces Pictures Pvt Ltd, parent company of Loco. Saregama acquired 51.8 percent shares for Rs 174 crore and will look forward to acquire another 41 percent stake in the next 15 months. It was an all-cash deal. 
However, the source close to the development has said that Loco is a complete different entity and this acquisition does not impact Loco’s structuring. 

Storyboard18 attempted to contact Anirudh Pandita, Founder of Loco, for comments on potential fundraising efforts to sustain the platform or the current state of affairs at Loco. As of now, there has been no official response from Loco. The story will be updated if Loco issues an official statement.


Loco’s AVOD model fails, will it bounce back?

The gig economy has transformed the traditional employment landscape in the country with the entry of short-term contracts, freelance work, and flexible job opportunities over permanent full-time positions. According to TeamLease EdTech's titled "Gig Economy Skills: Equipping Youth for Freelance and Flexible Work" report, roughly 76% of the employers said that for gig workers technical and communication skills are critical for their career. Proficiency in these areas is crucial for navigating digital tools and meeting clients' expectations.
 
TeamLease report cited a study that said that India's gig economy has the potential to serve up to 90 million in non-farm sectors, adding around 1.25% to India's GDP. Platforms like Uber, Ola, and Swiggy are notable contributors to the gig economy trend.

The report which surveyed 837 employers across various sectors, mentioned that roles that require moderate experience are commonly outsourced to gig workers. As many as 67.86% of employers prefer gig workers with 1-5 years of experience. At the same time, a small portion (10.71%) of employers are open to hiring gig workers with no work experience.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/ola-uber-and-dunzo-among-worst-platforms-for-gig-workers-bigbasket-tops-fair-work-norms-list-16648.htm">Ola, Uber and Dunzo among worst platforms for gig workers, bigbasket tops fair work norms list</a>

Most employers (78.5%) said that gig workers meet expectations but over 90% of respondents emphasized the significance of digital proficiency. 

The common skill gaps in gig workers include industry-specific knowledge and soft skills, the respondents said. 

On upskilling gig workers, the report highlighted that on-job training and online courses are preferred methods for gig workers to upskill. According to 53.57% of employers, AI and automation skills are projected to be most critical for gig workers, followed by advanced technical skills and sustainability practices.
<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/as-ott-platforms-expand-and-woo-talent-new-job-roles-open-up-36131.htm">As OTT platforms expand and woo talent, new job roles open up</a>

"AI and automation skills (53.57%) will be the most critical for gig workers in the next five years, followed by advanced technical skills (21.43%) and sustainability practices (14.29%)," TeamLease EdTech report added.

"The gig economy is not just the future of work but our present. With 78.57% of gig workers meeting or exceeding expectations, we spot a real potential. However, the emphasis on both technical and soft skills highlights the complex demands of this new work paradigm. With over half of the employers prioritizing AI and automation skills, it's clear that continuous upskilling is not just beneficial, it's essential," Shantanu Rooj, Founder and CEO of TeamLease EdTech said.

78% of employers are optimistic about gig workers;  Over 67% of recruiters prefer moderate work experience: Report

After having thoroughly discussed and observed significant challenges and concerns raised by the advertising industry stakeholders, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is fostering a more organised and transparent 'self-declaration' mechanism, setting a precedent for other regulatory processes, so to speak.

In its continuous efforts to centralise the mechanism, the Ministry requested the Supreme Court on July 9 to permit only a single portal for uploading a 'self-declaration certificate' for ads in all formats. In its affidavit, it highlighted how doing so can reducing the burden and simplify the bureaucratic process for advertisers and agencies involved.

Read more: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/breaking-sc-directs-mib-to-file-affidavit-within-three-weeks-with-recommendations-on-sdc-36568.htm">BREAKING: SC directs MIB to file affidavit within three weeks with recommendations on SDC</a>

Following the SC's directive, the Ministry last month had introduced features on the Broadcast Seva Portal (BSP) for TV and radio advertisements and on the Press Council of India’s (PCI) portal for print and digital/internet ads to submit the certificate signed by an authorised representative of the advertiser/advertising agency. No ads are permitted to run on television, print media, or the internet without a valid SDC.

As of today, PCI has over 76,000 SDCs on its portal and BSP has over 9,000 SDCs.

In its affidavit, the Ministry said, "It is respectfully submitted that Court's order of May 7 for creation of two separate portals, one for print and internet and another for TV, has been been duly implemented. However, for administrative prudence and improving consumer/user experience, it is humbly requested that a single portal for uploading SDC for all media including print, electronic, internet kindly be permitted by the Court."

"This will ensure that all SDCs are readily available at a single portal for public/stakeholder viewing and avoid duplication without diluting the purpose of filing such SDCs," it added in its affidavit.

In another significant move on July 4, the Ministry restricted the SDC mechanism for ads to food and health sectors only, while making it an annual mandate.

Read more: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/breaking-food-and-health-sectors-advised-to-upload-annual-self-declaration-certificate-by-mib-36111.htm">BREAKING: MIB advisory on SDC; Only Food & Health sectors to upload self-declaration certificate for ads</a>


Sujata Gupta, Secretary General, DNPA, told Storyboard18 that the proactive engagement of the government and judiciary in addressing industry concerns demonstrates a strong commitment to fostering a supportive environment for stakeholders. 

"This collaborative approach is essential for achieving a balanced and effective regulatory framework," she said.

Implementing a single portal for the SDCs will significantly reduce administrative tasks and eliminate duplication, said experts.

"This streamlined process ensures that advertisers and agencies can focus more on their creative and strategic efforts rather than being bogged down by repetitive administrative procedures. It will also provide a centralised database, making it easier to verify compliance and maintain records," said Ambika Sharma, Founder and MD, Pulp Strategy.

Read more: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/relief-for-advertisers-as-mib-restricts-sdc-for-ads-to-food-and-health-sectors-only-36128.htm">Relief for advertisers as MIB restricts SDC for ads to food and health sectors only</a>

Further, reducing the mechanism to only food and health sectors will lead to a better adherence to regulatory standards.

However, according to her, one potential anomaly is the lack of clear guidelines on how to handle advertisements that straddle multiple sectors.

For instance, wellness products often fall under both health and lifestyle categories.

Overall, the ad land believes the MIB is demonstrating its commitment to enhancing the ease of doing business in the advertising sector.

"A centralised portal can ensure uniformity, improve tracking, and provide a user-friendly interface, making compliance easier for stakeholders. If approved, this move could set a precedent for other regulatory processes, fostering a more organised and transparent system," noted Yasin Hamidani, Director, Media Care Brand Solutions.

Ultimately, the single portal simplifies the process for advertisers, offering unified guidelines, metrics, and analytics, he noted.

Read more:<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/breaking-food-and-health-sectors-advised-to-upload-annual-self-declaration-certificate-by-mib-36111.htm"> BREAKING: MIB advisory on SDC; Only Food & Health sectors to upload self-declaration certificate for ads</a>

With this, MIB can also implement advanced tools for better ad tracking, compliance, and feedback, ensuring transparency and efficiency. 

This focused approach not only optimises advertisers' efforts but also enhances the quality and relevance of content for the audience.

Key representations

With respect to the compliance of the SC order of May 7, the Ministry in its affidavit to the SC highlighted actions taken with regard to stakeholders' awareness, stakeholders' consultation and the creation of BSP and PCI portals.

Read more: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/advertisers-fear-unviable-ad-self-declaration-mechanism-will-hurt-innovation-creativity-ask-for-practical-solutions-33682.htm">Advertisers fear 'unviable' ad self-declaration mechanism will hurt innovation, creativity; Ask for practical solutions</a>

The Ministry further presented key concerns raised by various industry bodies and stakeholders.

- Google representative pointed out complexity of the digital advertising landscape, emphasising the challenges in dynamically created ads and compliance due to the sheer volume and variability.

- Nestle representative suggested that until a comprehensive system is in place, the regulation should be self-regulation and non-mandatory, allowing the industry to adjust and develop compliance strategies. 

Read more: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/isa-urges-mib-to-postpone-implementation-of-self-declaration-certificate-mechanism-34174.htm">ISA urges MIB to postpone implementation of 'Self-Declaration Certificate' mechanism</a>

- In its representation submitted to the MIB, Advertising Agency Association of India (AAI) highlighted that SDC for each ad is cumbersome due to the high volume of ads. It requested the postponement of the implementation date to address logistical challenges, which was not acceded by the Ministry.

- Indian Newspaper Society (INS) argued that SDC requirement disproportionately affected the newspaper industry especially small and medium-sized agencies and added that the timeline didn't consider the industry input and requested delay until SC's vacation for a fair resolution.

Read more: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/ibdf-requests-mib-to-extend-compliance-period-by-45-days-for-self-declaration-certificate-33831.htm">IBDF requests MIB to extend compliance period by 45 days for 'self-declaration certificate'</a>

- Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) representative emphasised challenges related to scale and complexity in compliance especially in digital advertising. Further, it emphasised about the challenges in compliance w.r.t. dynamic nature of digital ads.

- Digital News Publishers Associations (DNPA) pointed out the difficulty of regulating international advertisers, who operate beyond direct control and compliance with domestic regulations.

- Broadband India Forum (BIF) raised concerns about the burden of managing SDC for every ad and regulatory overlaps with the existing laws, leading to confusion and delays.

- Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) expressed concerns about the ambiguity of scope of advertisements and practical difficulties with the implementation.

- National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) suggested focusing on curbing unethical advertising practices without overburdening the industry with SDC. It was proposed manageable compliance like SDC as part of the annual or bi-annual statement.

- Association of Radio Operators of India (AROI) representative highlighted that many radio advertisers are small businesses without any digital capabilities and placing an additional burden on radio stations to comply with the SDC requirement is harmful for the radio industry. 

- Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) representative pointed out the practical challenges of implementing individual SDC for ads created in, multiple languages and versions, advocating for a more efficient compliance approach.

Read more:<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/why-digital-advertisers-find-self-declaration-certificate-for-ads-impractical-33684.htm"> Why digital advertisers find Self-Declaration Certificate for ads impractical</a>


The affidavit also included other major concerns raised, such as:

- Local advertisers: FM radio stations in tier-2,3 cities rely on local advertisers who may lack the resources including digital capability for uploading SDC, risking significant revenue loss.

- Volume of ads: The high volume of daily ad creatives makes verifying each SDC within the required timeframe impractical.

- Programmatic/digital ads: Ensuring compliance for numerous programmatic and digital ads is unfeasible and disrupts automation reducing efficiency for many.

- Confidentiality Issues: Mandating SDC before each ad is released risks revealing confidential business strategies, thereby affecting competitiveness.

Other major concerns include operational and financial burden, impact on social media and influencer posts, impact on overseas advertisers, and cost of compliance for multiple entities.

Read more: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/d2c-brands-take-direct-hit-influencer-agencies-not-fully-aware-of-self-declaration-certificate-mechanism-34789.htm">D2C brands take direct hit, influencer agencies ‘not fully aware’ of self-declaration certificate mechanism</a>


In light of these observations, a bench comprising Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Sandeep Mehta, on July 9, directed the MIB to continue conducting brainstorming sessions with stakeholders on how an implementable mechanism can be achieved. The Ministry is also instructed to file an affidavit with their recommendations within the next three weeks.
 
The apex court also appointed an amicus curiae in the case, Shadan Farasat, to assist the court with the implications of this regime, as well as the larger issues raised in the case.

Read more:<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/despite-10k-self-declaration-certificates-uploaded-its-not-business-as-usual-for-advertisers-34781.htm"> Despite 80K ‘self-declaration certificates’ uploaded, it’s not ‘business as usual’ for advertisers</a>

MIB continues its efforts to streamline 'self-declaration certificate' mechanism

Zomato has turned 16 and oh, doesn’t everyone know it. The food aggregator platform released an advert in print media and on social media announcing its birthday and it's created quite a buzz, given the popularity Zomato's meme-fied ad strategy with a virality focus. The latest print ad takes inspiration from birthday/celebratory announcements on hoardings that we see around Indian cities usually put out by political parties, politically-inclined individuals or other government-related officials.

The style of the Zomato ad is exactly how you’d probably imagine it to be. Very Indian, very respectful, very local. The layout too is similar. Founder Deepinder Goyal’s picture in large with smaller images of other company officials seeking thanks. 

Is Zomato trolling politically-inclined Birthday ad hoardings for likes? Sure. But nobody's complaining. 

<iframe src="https://www.linkedin.com/embed/feed/update/urn:li:share:7216672857395748864" height="648" width="504" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" title="Embedded post"></iframe>

It’s interesting to see how viewers of the ad instantly made the connection to the ‘poli-greetings’. An announcement that is something that you’d normally just see and forget has actually made an impression and amassed engagement for Zomato's social media handles. And, if Zomato's marketing history is any indication, the company knows very well how to pique the audience's interest. 

A LinkedIn user wrote, “I have always maintained, Zomato is an Advertising/Branding Agency that also does food delivery.” 

Another user wrote, “I’m sure, all Zomato marketing member are backbenchers and in there college time they were making birthday banner and now the joined Zomato प्रचार विभाग”

The pursuit of virality and moment-driven marketing has resulted in grand successes but also many great flops. This one, it seems, gets the people's vote. 

Viewers are able to immediately associate Zomato’s ad with local announcements, indicating that sometimes something as rudimentary as a birthday announcement is enough to get the ‘janta’ to appreciate the brand's effort and perhaps even get them to avail ‘Gold’ membership, as indicated and offered in the ad. 

“I will unfriend my friends if they don't make such a card on my birthday,” said another internet user.

Zomato trolls ‘poli-greetings’ for its Birthday ad; Food delivery major gets the people's vote

By Rubeena Singh

In this dynamic and highly evolving landscape of Indian influencer marketing, brands often find themselves at crossroads when choosing between micro and macro influencers. Each category brings its unique strengths to the table, shaping brand narratives in profoundly different ways. Understanding these nuances is crucial for marketers aiming to leverage influencers effectively.

Here are a few parameters which brands need to keep in mind while crafting a long-term strategy for themselves.


Defining micro and macro influencers


Firstly, let’s delineate the two. Micro influencers typically have followers ranging from 10,000 to 100,000. They are often revered for their niche expertise and high engagement rates. Macro influencers, on the other hand, boast a follower count exceeding 100,000, often reaching into the millions. These influencers offer vast reach and are usually household names. Depending on your brand’s core TG, it is essential to address this area in the initial phase.


Engagement: Depth Over Breadth?

Studies suggest that micro influencers maintain higher engagement rates compared to their macro counterparts. This is largely due to their perceived authenticity and closer relationships with their audience. In the context of the Indian market, where diverse languages and cultures coexist, micro influencers can engage deeply with specific communities or interest groups, making them invaluable for brands that aim for a focused impact.


For instance, recently at AnyMind Group, we executed a vernacular campaign with a leading Jewellery brand in Maharashtra where the brand wanted niche Micro creators who would resonate with their local target audience. With the help of our proprietary tech platform, AnyTag, we curated Influencers from the specified region and executed the campaign. This approach helped the brand to increase footfall in their stores since the content created by the Influencers was very localised which resonated with the brand's target audience.


Impact: The Wider the Better?

Conversely, macro influencers excel in creating broad awareness quickly. They are the go-to for brands seeking to launch a new product or enter a new market. For example, a smartphone brand launching in India might collaborate with a macro influencer to tap into their extensive reach, ensuring that the product gains immediate visibility across diverse consumer segments. We ran a macro creator-led festive campaign for Blue Heaven Cosmetics, wherein we leveraged TV celebs and other macro-Instagram influencers to drive massive pan-India reach and buzz for their new product range launch. This helped us in garnering a cumulative reach of 4.68M with total views of 8.1M+.


This approach is particularly effective in saturated markets where cutting through the noise is paramount. The endorsement by a well-known personality not only garners attention but also lends credibility to the product.


Cost-effectiveness: Budgeting for influence

Budget constraints are another critical factor influencing the choice between micro and macro influencers. Micro influencers are typically more cost-effective, allowing brands to engage several influencers for the price of one macro influencer. This can be a strategic advantage for startups or small to medium enterprises (SMEs) that require a high ROI on limited marketing budgets.


Moreover, campaigns engaging multiple micro influencers can lead to a ‘network effect’, where the combined reach and authenticity drive more profound cumulative impact than a single macro influencer might achieve.


Use cases in the Indian market


Fashion and Lifestyle: Micro influencers are ideal for fashion brands aiming to showcase real-life applications of their products. A micro influencer wearing a brand's new line in their daily, relatable setting can influence purchase decisions more effectively than a celebrity who might appear inaccessible.


Technology and Electronics: Macro influencers often help tech brands achieve a splash during product launches. Their ability to reach millions means that new gadgets gain instant visibility across a broad audience.


Health and Wellness: Here, both micro and macro influencers can be pivotal. A health drink brand might use micro influencers to generate authentic testimonial-based content, while also partnering with a macro influencer for a broader awareness campaign.


Conclusion


Choosing between micro and macro influencers should not be an either/or proposition but a strategic decision based on the specific goals, budget, and target audience of a campaign. In the intricate tapestry of Indian markets, where consumer segments are as diverse as the cultures they represent, a nuanced approach to influencer marketing can yield unmatched dividends for brands. Engaging a combination of both influencer types, tailored to different phases of the marketing funnel, can harness the strengths of each to create a holistic impact.


Rubeena Singh is the country manager India & MENA, AnyMind Group.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/anyminds-otohiko-kozutsumi-and-rubeena-singh-on-gaming-influencer-marketing-and-more-25692.htm">AnyMind's Otohiko Kozutsumi and Rubeena Singh on gaming, influencer marketing and more</a>

Micro vs Macro influencers – what works best for your brand

Two employees are present in the cabin of their boss. As one of the subordinates meekly prepares tea for him, the other angrily faces rejection when he submits reports. 


As the hotel reservation desk comes online, and the boss tries to clarify his name to the desk, one of them chips in and expands the whole name through profanities, stating H for Hitler, A for Arrogant, R for Rascal and I for Idiot.


As it stuns the boss, which is played by actor Bobby Parvez, the meek subordinate adds: S for Shameless.


There is a necessity to connect with the audience at an emotional level. The addition to this was humour, stated Info Edge founder Sanjeev Bikhchandani in a conversation with Storyboard18.


This is exactly what reflected in the Hari Sadu ad (for Naukri.com) of 2006.


Genesis of the campaign


On May 1, 1995, Bikhchandani cemented the foundation of technology company Info Edge Private Ltd, which owns job portal Naukri.com, launched in March 27, 1997.



As Sanjay Sharma, former chief creative officer at FCB Ulka puts it in a conversation, online business was not popular then, and the medium was not taken seriously. They approached the agency with the intention of ‘popularising’ their online business.



Bikhchandani told Storyboard18 that, in the mid-2000, The Economist had conducted a survey on ‘why people switch jobs’ in collaboration with Egon Zehnder, a global organisational consulting and leadership advisory firm. 


Post the survey, one of the data points highlighted that ‘career advancement’ was not the reason for people switching jobs. Eight percent of the audience cited their unhappiness with the boss to be one of the reasons. This data point, as per Bikhchandani, got stuck with the agency folks.


According to FCB Ulka, there are three great relationships in this world. One is of the mother-son relationship. The second is the mother-in-law, daughter-in-law relationship, which has been done to death in the Saas bahu serials. 


The third is between the boss and the subordinate, which has been unexplored. 


Hence, Sharma came up with the idea of doing a campaign around ‘bad boss,’ with the basic ingredients being humour plus emotional connect. 


“My philosophy has been that consumers are not buying products but sentiments. If we approach consumers on a sentimental level, they will be ready to walk with the brand for some distance.”


Citing how ‘petrified’ they were when they took the concept to the client, he said: “The irony is that the business of Info Edge is to sell jobs, and they approach employers, too. And you are bashing the employer in your advertising?”


‘Hari Sadu’ is the third in the series of ads that were conceptualised around bad bosses. 


The first was around an employee water squatting on the boss in the washroom. The second revolved around the birthday of the senior, where the cake is kept on the chair, and he sits on it. Both the commercials were done by FCB Ulka.


But the ‘Hari Sadu’ ad, as Sharma puts it, showed a bold move from the client side to proceed. 


The script was penned by Sharma, and Vasudha Mishra, the agency’s copywriter, improvised it.


Sharma reminisced that four to five scripts were written and were presented to them.


According to Sumeet Singh, chief marketing officer, Info Edge, “Sanjeev (Bikhchandani) and Hitesh (Oberoi, then COO and director) have always had this way of calling a few more people internally, and observing their reactions on the scripts. We heard a few more and then there were two contenders, where one of them was Hari Sadu.”


Reactions were observed. Since the discussion here was on bosses, the thought process was the fear of backlash from the HR community. But team members were assured that it wouldn’t happen.


However, Sharma notes that it took eight months for the script to be green-lit. During this period, Bikhchandani asked him, “What is your conviction on this script?” Sharma responded by stating that it was ‘100 percent’.


After eight months, he said, “Let’s do it. Let us see what happens.”


Filming and marketing strategies


Rajesh Krishnan was the director of the film. According to Sharma, the biggest improvement to the film was given by Krishnan. The first two commercials were directed by Sabal Singh Shekawat. 


Sharma was dismayed with the ending of the script he had penned. When Krishnan visited Sharma’s office, he shared his concerns. To sound polite, some other adjective was chosen for ‘S’. It was Krishnan who suggested going with ‘Shameless’.


Sharma explained: “When you write the script, the director's belief is very important. If your director doesn't believe in your script, the script doesn't go viral.”


“If you look at the lighting, it's very dramatic. It's like a theatre. That's the type of space it was shot in,” he said.


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The ad was shot in December 2005, and was released on every television channel in February 2006. 


Since the business of Info Edge was online, not much was invested in print. Experiments were done in the outdoor medium too, but, as Sharma put it, they did not derive ‘fun’ out of it.


The target audience were youth, followed by employers. “Since employers generate business, demand is created from the employers’ end,” Sharma added.


The commercial was critically and commercially acclaimed. 


It won the Campaign of the Year award in 2006 at the Advertising Club Kolkata, Consumer Connect Awards, and a bronze at the APAC Effies Awards in Singapore in 2008, stated a media report.



The aftermath


In an era which was not social media or digitally savvy, the ad created a buzz, which got people talking positively. However, with every pros comes a con. 


The Hari Sadu ad got embroiled in a few controversies. There was a controversy around the name Hari, which also means God. But it died down in a day.


Then there was a controversy related to a 11-year-old student named Hari Bhanot in Chandigarh. He was in grade five or six. According to Singh, the boy’s father claimed that his son was being humiliated in school and was being called these names. He began putting pressure on Naukri.com to take the ad off.


But Info Edge heard only positive reviews from clients, and the sales touched a positive figure. 


The boy’s father had also gone to the media and Sandeep Bhargav, who was the head of Info Edge’s Delhi branch, along with Oberoi, had to go to give a lot of media interviews to explain their side of the story. 


A case was filed with the Advertising Standards Council of India, and it was won by Info Edge. Then they visited the boy and the school principal in Chandigarh. However, the principal contradicted the claim, as given by the boy’s father.

 
Later, it came to light that the boy's father was running his own PR agency. 


“Since people wrote to the media, we made sure that we touched base with everybody,” added Singh. 


Why did it stand out?


According to Sharma, “Every creative agency gets a brief to make an ad. Since advertising is a very herd mentality industry, the client always tries to give a brief to create something around a successful thing. Hence, the creative head gets stuck here.”


Through this ad, FCB Ulka, which believed advertising is a serious business, learnt that it is not a serious business but a sensitive business.


It has been more than a decade since Hari Sadu graced the screen. While it enjoyed profound success, would it still be relevant in today’s times?


As Bikhchandani notes, the ad has not been run since 2011.


“Today, bosses are not that authoritative, right?” said Singh. 


Post Hari Sadu, the next ad was on ‘Drag yourself to work’. Info Edge would conduct surveys once in a year or two. Before COVID-19, what was realised was that bosses were the highest reason why people were leaving jobs, like it was in the past. The relationship between a superior and a subordinate changes with time. 


Five to six years ago, when Info Edge conducted a survey, people leaving organisations due to ‘bad bosses’ did not have a majority vote.


“While the Hari Sadu ad still gets a smile, and since we all have good days and bad days with our bosses, maybe it's not as relevant as it was in those times,” Info Edge’s CMO concluded.

 
Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/one-black-coffee-please-the-ad-that-won-india-her-first-lion-at-cannes-35728.htm">One black coffee, please: The ad that won India her first Lion at Cannes</a>

Remember Hari Sadu? Will that ad still work?

There have recently been complaints from photographers suggesting that Meta has been labelling images with their ‘made with AI’ tag that weren’t created using AI. Photos that were created in Adobe’s Photoshop using its gen AI tool were also being labelled by Meta incorrectly.

Meta launched the ‘made with AI’ tag earlier this year. The company’s Oversight Board had criticised Meta over its manipulated media policy and Meta introduced these labels, reported Moneycontrol. 

The social networking giant has now announced that it is once again changing these labels. Industry standard indicators that other companies include in content created using their tools help Meta assess whether something is created using AI, the company said. The company wants its users to know when an image has been generated using AI. 

The company said, “Like others across the industry, we’ve found that our labels based on these indicators weren’t always aligned with people’s expectations and didn’t always provide enough context.”

Further, Meta said that some of the content that included minor adjustments and modifications using AI, such as retouching tools, included industry standard indicators, causing Meta to label the images with the tag. 

“While we work with companies across the industry to improve the process so our labelling approach better matches our intent, we’re updating the “Made with AI” label to “AI info” across our apps, which people can click for more information,” the company said.

The ‘AI info’ label however, won’t give out any extra information. As per reports, upon clicking on the tag, the information will be the same as the ‘made with AI’ label. 


Meta revises AI-generated image labels on its platforms after photographers issue complaints

India's antitrust watchdog, the Competition Commission (CCI), is reportedly eyeing a manpower boost to tackle regulatory challenges in both established and burgeoning sectors of the economy. This expansion, however, might materialise after the upcoming general election.

According to reports, CCI is also gearing up for enhanced digital market oversight by strategically staffing the body with qualified personnel. The move is in anticipation of potential government action that includes the launch of a new digital competition law and the entrusting of oversight responsibilities to the CCI.

The body currently has a 15 officers’ team in its two anti-trust divisions in the combination wing. This apart there are six officers each in the legal and research and trend analysis divisions. There are also five officers each in economics and advocacy divisions and four of them in the international cooperation division among others.


Following the upcoming general election in early June, the CCI also plans to implement merger control regulations aligned with the amended Competition Act.

CCI working on manpower boost and prepares for digital oversight duties: Reports

Following the upcoming general election in early June, the CCI is also planning to implement merger control regulations aligned with the amended Competition Act.

Global technology company HCLTech plans to train 50,000 people on Gen AI and AI skills this fiscal, with 33% of the target achieved in the June quarter. CEO and Managing Director of HCLTech, C. Vijayakumar said during the company's Q1 FY25 Earnings Call, "In terms of business trends and GenAI, we continue to see a lot of AI and GenAI-related opportunities." The company had launched HCLTech AI Force, a generative AI and automation platform couple of months ago and now it has launched another suite of products, HCLTech Enterprise AI Boundary to simplify and scale enterprise AI journeys.

Sharing multiple ongoing engagements where HCLTech is working with clients to deliver value, Vijayakumar added, "The Gen AI momentum is driven by the attractiveness of a full stack proposition, which delivers to the entirety of the enterprise covering business processes, product applications, data, cognitive infrastructure and the semiconductor design. These full stack capabilities are key in the market right now and the flagship offering of AI Force and AI Foundry along with a global network of Gen AI labs are bringing them to life for our clients across the globe." 

He said HCLTech is seeing unprecedented levels of activity in its AI labs, which provide strategic advisory services, hands on engineering acceleration and a unique ideate to MVP experience designed to quickly prepare clients for scaled AI deployment. 

"Our AI labs have curated 200 plus MVPs for our clients till date. Fueling this activity is a solid investment in people, places and
partnerships. In terms of people, we have a target of training 50,000 people on Gen. AI and AI skills this fiscal. 33% of this target has already been achieved in this quarter alone," Vijayakumar highlighted during the earnings call. "Our focus on data AI, Gen AI
developer skilling across the stack with a special focus to create a cohort of data and AI principals." 

HCLTech targets training 50,000 people on Gen AI and AI skills

Epic Games has intensified its battle against Apple over the launch of its own game store on iOS. In a series of tweets, Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, wrote, “Apple’s DMA saga has taken a turn towards the absurd. Apple is now telling reporters that this approval is temporary and they are demanding we change the buttons in the next version, which would make our store less standard and harder to use. We’ll fight this.”

Epic has been fighting Apple for years over the company’s revenue-sharing requirements in the App Store. While Epic’s antitrust lawsuit against Apple was defeated last year, many of its criticisms were echoed in a different lawsuit filed against Apple in March by the Department of Justice and 17 state attorneys general.

The new Digital Markets Act in Europe allowed Epic to launch its own Epic Games Store on iOS and to bring Fortnite back to the platform with reduced commissions to Apple. However, Apple supposedly rejected the game store twice over elements it said were too similar to its own App Store, particularly the “install” and “in-app purchase” buttons.

Once Epic went public on Friday with its complaints about Apple’s “arbitrary, obstructive” rejections and said it reported its concerns to European regulators, Apple approved the game store but said Epic would still need to make changes in a future update.

It looks like Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, will resist making further changes to its game store. "We are using the same 'Install' and 'In-app purchases' naming conventions that are used across popular app stores on multiple platforms and are following standard conventions for buttons in iOS apps," Epic said in a series of posts on X.

"Apple's rejection is arbitrary, obstructive, and in violation of the DMA (Digital Markets Act), and we've shared our concerns with the European Commission," it said. Apple stated it was working with Epic to resolve the issue and launch its games marketplace.

Epic and Apple have been embroiled in a legal battle since 2020 when the gaming firm alleged that Apple's practice of charging up to 30 percent commissions on in-app payments on its iPhone Operating System (iOS) devices violated U.S. antitrust rules. Early this year, Apple proposed changes to its App Store policies to comply with certain directives of the DMA that went into force in March.


Epic Games CEO to fight against Apple’s app store policies

Members from global tech organizations pivotal in developing Internet standards have penned an Open Letter to the United Nations expressing concerns about the UN’s approach to the Global Digital Compact (GDC). The technical bodies involved include the Internet Engineering Task Force, World Wide Web Consortium, Internet Research Task Force, and the Internet Society’s Board of Trustees.

 

The GDC aims to establish a framework for global digital cooperation, define principles for an open, free, and secure digital future, and accelerate progress on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The latest draft of the GDC will undergo review this week by UN representatives in New York.

 

Addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Technology Envoy Amandeep Singh Gill, the letter highlights that the GDC is being developed through a multilateral process among states, with limited application of the open, inclusive, and consensus-driven methods used in the development of the Internet and the Web.

 

It argues that despite high-level stakeholder consultations, entities like Internet technical standards bodies and the broader technical community have had inadequate opportunities to engage in formulating the GDC. The letter acknowledges governments' responsibility to protect citizens and their increasing inclination to regulate in response to Internet-related harms. 



The letter states, “If the final document contains such language, we believe it will be detrimental to not only the Internet and the Web, but also to the world’s economies and societies.”

 

The letter also stresses that while technical architecture can shape Internet use, it alone cannot address issues like abuse, misinformation, and inequality. It warns of potential dangers if regulations undermine the Internet's empowering nature. Letter states, “Such proposals concern us because they represent an erosion of the basic architecture.”

 

The letter asserts the need for government involvement in digital and Internet governance to combat abuses, while advocating for upholding the collaborative and inclusive model of Internet governance that has been effective for decades.

 

In 2022, the UN initiated a consultative process for the GDC, seeking input on various issues including preventing fragmentation, safeguarding data, upholding online human rights, addressing discrimination and misinformation, managing digital commons as public goods, ensuring universal Internet access including in schools, and other pertinent topics.

 



Tech leaders write open letter to UN over global digital compact

On July, the European Commission informed Meta of its preliminary findings that its “pay or consent” advertising model fails to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). In the Commission's preliminary view, this binary choice forces users to consent to the combination of their personal data and fails to provide them a less personalised but equivalent version of Meta's social networks.

The Commission said in a press statement, "Our investigation aims to ensure contestability in markets where gatekeepers like Meta have been accumulating personal data of millions of EU citizens over many years. Our preliminary view is that Meta’s advertising model fails to comply with the Digital Markets Act. And we want to empower citizens to be able to take control over their own data and choose a less personalised ads experience." 

Under Article 5(2) of the DMA, gatekeepers must seek users' consent for combining their personal data between designated core platform services and other services, and if a user refuses such consent, they should have access to a less personalised but equivalent alternative. Gatekeepers cannot make use of the service or certain functionalities conditional on users' consent.

In response to regulatory changes in the EU, Meta introduced in November 2023 a binary “pay or consent” offer whereby EU users of Facebook and Instagram have to choose between: (i) the subscription for a monthly fee to an ads-free version of these social networks or (ii) the free-of-charge access to a version of these social networks with personalised ads.

The Commission stated that Meta's “pay or consent” advertising model is not compliant with the DMA as it does not meet the necessary requirements set out under Article 5(2). 

In particular, Meta's model: Does not allow users to opt for a service that uses less of their personal data but is otherwise equivalent to the “personalised ads” based service; Does not allow users to exercise their right to freely consent to the combination of their personal data; To ensure compliance with the DMA, users who do not consent should still get access to an equivalent service which uses less of their personal data, in this case for the personalisation of advertising.

By sending the preliminary findings of the investigation, the Commission has informed Meta of its preliminary view that the company is in breach of the DMA. Meta now has the possibility to exercise its rights of defence by examining the documents in the Commission's investigation file and replying in writing to the Commission's preliminary findings. The Commission will conclude its investigation within 12 months from the opening of proceedings on 25 March 2024.

In case of non-compliance, the Commission can impose fines up to 10% of the gatekeeper's total worldwide turnover. Such fines can go up to 20% in case of repeated infringement. Moreover, in case of systematic non-compliance, the Commission is also empowered to adopt additional remedies such as obliging a gatekeeper to sell a business or parts of it or banning the gatekeeper from acquisitions of additional services related to the systemic non-compliance.


EU says Meta's “pay or consent” ad model is in breach of Digital Markets Act

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his wishes to the Indian contingent participating in the upcoming Paris Olympics during his Mann Ki Baat address on June 30. “Right after the Tokyo Olympics, our athletes were whole-heartedly engaged in the preparations for the Paris Olympics. If we take all the players together, then all of them have participated in nearly nine hundred international competitions. This is a very big number”, he said.

The Prime Minister added, “In shooting, the talent of our players is coming to the fore. Both men’s and women’s teams have qualified in table tennis. Our shooter daughters are also part of the Indian shotgun team. This time, members of our team will compete in wrestling and horse riding in those categories as well, in which they had never participated before. From this, you can make out that this time we will see a different level of excitement in sports.”

Recalling India’s earlier performance, PM Modi said, “a few months ago, we displayed our best performance in the World Para Athletics Championship. Our players have also won glorious laurels in chess and badminton.”

The PM conveyed the nation's collective hope for a stellar performance in the Paris Olympics, urging everyone to rally behind the athletes using the hashtag #Cheer4Bharat. He also mentioned that, in the coming days, he will be meeting the Indian team participating in Paris Olympic Games and will encourage them on behalf of the whole nation.

PM Narendra Modi introduces hashtag #Cheer4Bharat as nation gears up for Paris Olympics

Google-owned YouTube is giving its Premium users early access to latest experimental features. These users get a first look into some of the features Google is testing on YouTube. Users need to Opt-in to experience the latest in layouts, assistive AI, and the newest functionality for YouTube Shorts. 

What's available right now? 

Smart downloads for YouTube Shorts: With smart downloads, users automatically get a fresh batch of Shorts downloaded to their phone, ready to watch whenever they are offline. 

Conversational AI : YouTube’s conversational AI experience is back on Android devices in the US. This assistive tool can answer questions, suggest related content, and more, all without interrupting playback experience. Users can access the tool by tapping “Ask” beneath select videos and begin by asking questions about the video or selecting a suggested prompt.

Redesigned Watch Page: Users can now experiment with a redesigned watch page Google is building on web to improve the viewing experience and make it easier for users to find related content and engage with comments. 

With YouTube Premium, all of the above is available to users along with other features Google launched recently, such as the ability to pick up where you left off on any video and explore videos through an enhanced 1080p HD video quality. 

With YouTube Music Premium, Google is offering more than just ad-free tunes – think offline listening, background play, and the Samples tab to help discover fresh music. 

It is also bringing the YouTube Music app to Garmin watches. YouTube crossed n a major milestone earlier this year, with over 100 million YouTube Music and Premium subscribers worldwide. 


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/youtube-offers-a-new-creator-takeover-ad-format-31691.htm">YouTube offers a new creator takeover ad format </a>

YouTube gives Premium users early access to latest experimental features

In 2022, Google added 24 new languages using Zero-Shot Machine Translation, where a machine learning model learns to translate into another language without ever seeing an example. The search giant also announced the 1,000 Languages Initiative, a commitment to build AI models that will support the 1,000 most spoken languages around the world, it said in a blog post. 

Now, Google is using AI to expand the variety of languages it supports. With the PaLM 2 large language model, Google is rolling out 110 new languages to Google Translate, in its largest expansion ever.

From Cantonese to Qʼeqchiʼ, these new languages represent more than 614 million speakers, opening up translations for around 8% of the world’s population, Google said. Some are major world languages with over 100 million speakers. Others are spoken by small communities of Indigenous people, and a few have almost no native speakers but active revitalization efforts. 

About a quarter of the new languages come from Africa, representing Google's largest expansion of African languages to date, including Fon, Kikongo, Luo, Ga, Swati, Venda and Wolof.

Here are some of the newly supported languages in Google Translate:

Afar is a tonal language spoken in Djibouti, Eritrea and Ethiopia. Of all the languages in this launch, Afar had the most volunteer community contributions.

Cantonese has long been one of the most requested languages for Google Translate. Because Cantonese often overlaps with Mandarin in writing, it’s tricky to find data and train models. 

Manx is the Celtic language of the Isle of Man. It almost went extinct with the death of its last native speaker in 1974. But thanks to an island-wide revival movement, there are now thousands of speakers.

NKo is a standardized form of the West African Manding languages that unifies many dialects into a common language. Its unique alphabet was invented in 1949, and it has an active research community that develops resources and technology for it today.

Punjabi (Shahmukhi) is the variety of Punjabi written in Perso-Arabic script (Shahmukhi), and is the most spoken language in Pakistan.

Tamazight (Amazigh) is a Berber language spoken across North Africa. Although there are many dialects, the written form is generally mutually understandable. It’s written in Latin script and Tifinagh script, both of which Google Translate supports.

Tok Pisin is an English-based creole and the lingua franca of Papua New Guinea. If you speak English, try translating into Tok Pisin — you might be able to make out the meaning!

Google uses AI to add 110 new languages to Google Translate, its largest expansion ever

Ride hailing app Ola is setting up to launch grocery delivery through Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), Moneycontrol reports. The Bhavish Aggarwal-led firm is planning to start the service over the next few days, the report stated, quoting people aware of the developments.

The report also added that Ola has already become the second biggest buyer-side platform after Magicpin in the food category, with 15,000-20,000 food orders per day. 

Sources told Moneycontrol that Ola enables more than 30 percent of ONDC food orders in Bengaluru and Delhi-NCR. They added, Ola is also "leveraging its core expertise in the logistics domain by offering EV-based logistics services at a highly competitive price to smaller sellers on the ONDC network." 

Ola has had failed attempts previously. In 2015, Ola launched a standalone online grocery store in Bengaluru and a food delivery app, with the idea to use its cabs and drivers to also deliver groceries, between 9 am and 11 pm. 9 months later, both Ola Store and Ola Foods were shut down. In 2021, its started Ola Dash services across Mumbai and Bangalore with almost 15 dark stores and shut it a year later. 

Ola to enter grocery delivery via ONDC: Report

On June 27, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) approved norms to regulate unregistered financial influencers, addressing the risks associated with these influencers. The market regulator approved the proposal to ban registered entities from associating with unregistered investment advisors such as 'finfluencers'. It has allowed registered entities to associate with unregistered entities if they are only sharing educational content, as per reports. 

SEBI also stated that registered entities are to ensure that the person with whom they are associated does not indulge in prohibited activities. 

The market regulator said in a press statement: "Persons regulated by the Board and the agents of such persons shall not have any association, like any transaction involving money or money's worth, referral of a client, interaction of information technology systems or any other association of similar nature or character, directly or indirectly, with any other person who, directly or indirectly, provides advice or recommendation or makes any implicit or explicit claim of return or performance, in respect of or related to security or securities unless permitted by the Board to provide such advice/recommendation."

SEBI has been contemplating comprehensive measures to regulate 'finfluencers' as concerns about investors falling prey to unregulated guidance rises. "The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is contemplating guidelines to rein in finfluencers' activities," SEBI chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch said on March 11, at an Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) event in Mumbai.

The proposed regulations aim to overhaul registration norms, simplifying the process to facilitate 'ease of registration' for these influencers, while ensuring greater transparency and accountability, CNBC-TV18 reported, citing Buch's comments made at the event.

Among SEBI's proposed measures is the establishment of a Performance Validation Agency (PVA), a third-party entity tasked with verifying performance claims made by market participants, including Portfolio Management Services (PMS), Mutual Funds (MFs), and Investment Advisors. The PVA aims to play a crucial role in validating performance reports, bolstering trust and reliability within the financial ecosystem.

Last year, SEBI came down heavily on unregistered finfluencers providing illegal investment advice through social media. Restrictions have been imposed on intermediaries, such as brokers and mutual funds, from engaging unregistered finfluencers for product promotion.

Last year, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) revised its guidelines, mandating SEBI registration for influencers in the banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) sector.

The guidelines for finfluencers stated that influencers could offer investment-related advice only after getting registered with SEBI and they must display their registration numbers alongside their name and qualifications.

The disclaimer that influencers would need to display includes superimposing their qualifications, registration or certification details on visuals that are readable or upfront.

For other financial advice services, influencers are required to possess credentials or a licence from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India, or they must be qualified chartered accountants or company secretaries.

SEBI had also released two consultation papers focusing on payment structures associated with financial advice and education, as well as partnerships between regulated entities and finfluencers.

Crackdown on finfluencers: SEBI bars regulated entities from associating with 'unregistered finfluencers'

Artificial Intelligence is dawning a new digital age, and the Indian youth are leading the charge, reveals a new report by Cheil India. The report, titled Generation AI – Exploring the dual role of AI in Indian youths’ lives and its implications for brands, dives deep into AI usage by Gen Z students (aged 16 to 25) in India, covering their academic and personal uses of AI tools on an everyday basis. It includes quantitative and qualitative research findings from over 1200 students across the country.


Limseob Chung, president and CEO, Cheil SWA, said, “Over 68% of the youth have a more positive perception of AI now than last year. Brands must adapt to this new reality where LLMs are the new best friends that the youth seek advice from. The caution regarding AI adoption is giving way to more optimism as the once-sceptics are turning into super users.”


“We found 73 different usage scenarios for AI and this is just the tip of an iceberg yet to emerge” says Sanjeev Jasani, COO, Cheil SWA. “While it’s no surprise that more students are motivated to utilise AI for learning purposes, their personal uses are way more varied and interesting, ranging from daily life hacks to creativity to connecting with others.”


Sourav Ray, chief strategy officer, Cheil India explains, “AI plays two roles: as the Liberator in academics, freeing students from the constraints of traditional education, and as the Conqueror in personal life, helping the youth seize new opportunities and face their fears.”


<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/06/image005-1-2024-06-06efd1ded0fe662c1a464acf65d6ebe4.png" alt="" width="585" height="405" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-35263" />


On the academic side, there are six segments of AI usage by the Youth:


Troubleshooter: 33% of students use AI to solve academic problems, mainly male students in schools and undergraduate studies. This liberation from academic grunt work is being sought majorly by around 54% male students.


Automator: 16% automate school work and assignments, focusing more on co-curricular activities. This segment consists largely of college and university students.


Instructor: 77% believe AI enables self-paced learning, acting as a non-judgmental, tireless private tutor. Students appreciate this freedom to learn at their own pace.


Navigator: 15% use AI as a scheduler or time-manager, especially before exams. STEM (29%) and Business (27%) students are the most common users in this segment.


Explorer: 8% use LLMs to explore new topics outside their current field of study, seeing AI as a career counsellor and guide.


Mentor: 6% use AI as a co-builder of new ideas or ventures, they are mostly STEM (31%) and Business (24%) students. This segment is not just using AI; they are also creating future applications and businesses around AI.


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Gen Z has found an ally in AI, which shape-shifts into trusted confidants, creative collaborators, and relationship coaches. The 5 segments identified are:


Genie: 31% use AI for daily life hacks, from suggesting home décor tips to travel itineraries.


Savant: 31% expect AI to provide expert advice, replacing visits to specialists. This includes medical diagnosis, legal advice, astrology, make-up tips, coding help, and more.


Co-creator: Many use AI as creative partners, generating inspiration for ideas or bringing those ideas to life with simple prompts. The most commonly used AI creative tool is Canva, followed by other tools like Designs.AI, Adobe Firefly, Figma and DallE.


Wingman: 8% seek AI's help in social situations, particularly introverts or youth with social anxiety. This segment has 54% male users, who are primarily residing in Metros.


Buddy: While 72% believe AI will soon understand them better than many people, there are few who are using it to conquer loneliness (11%). This segment actively seeks a friend or a therapist in AI, discussing personal issues or having intimate conversations. The report calls this “human-machine symbiosis” once only shown in sci-fi movies, but now happening in real life.


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The Flipside: A Cautionary Tale of Overdependence on AI


However, not everything is rosy in ‘AI-land’. The report also highlights the rising concerns among the youth. 41% fear that overdependence on AI will reduce creative or critical thinking skills. Nearly 40% doubt the quality of AI-generated outputs, calling them too generic or superficial. In academic spheres, while there is broader acceptance of AI in everyday learning, 56% still hold the conventional view that using AI is a form of cheating.


If AI is affecting the way we think independently, the question, therefore is: Will the famous Descartes quote “cogito ergo sum” still hold true in the age of AI?


How should brands navigate this new AI world order


The report also provides specific insights for brand builders and business leaders on navigating the future:


High-involvement experiences: Brands need to understand the level of AI involvement among youth before creating AI-enabled solutions.

The report shows how the needle needs to move from ‘transactional exchanges’ in low-involvement users to ‘relational experiences’ in highly-involved ones.


To each their own brand: Customers are becoming so AI-dependent that their purchase journeys are beginning with a prompt. Brands might soon need to achieve AI-enabled hyper-personalization, creating distinctive new identities and offerings for each consumer.


Brands as AI: Brands that have traditionally focused on building a personality over time need to now start thinking about ‘brand personification’. Future consumers will prefer interacting with brands as if they are friends or mentors. Imagine a 16-year-old asking Nike about weight loss or asking Dove about building confidence. This might be the right time to start developing “brand LLMs”.


Empathy is the key: AI solutions must act with empathy, addressing human vulnerabilities to either liberate youth from their issues or help them conquer new frontiers. The question every brand need to ask is: What will we as a brand do with AI that either liberates or conquers?


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/cheil-india-launches-mgs-100-year-limited-edition-cars-in-their-new-campaign-33309.htm">Cheil India launches MG’s 100-year limited edition cars in their new campaign</a>

CCI working on manpower boost and prepares for digital oversight duties: Reports

Following the upcoming general election in early June, the CCI is also planning to implement merger control regulations aligned with the amended Competition Act.

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