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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on July 30 informed the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) that it is in initial settlement talks with Byju Raveendran to settle its dispute with Think and Learn Private Limited. As per reports, the company has transferred Rs 500 million to the cricket board. 

Byju's transferred Rs 500 million to the BCCI on Tuesday, reported Bloomberg, quoting people in the know. This is the first payment towards resolving the disagreement. 

Byju's has “almost resolved” the dispute over the unpaid fees with the BCCI, and will pay “a certain tranche of the money” by this evening, said Arun Kathpalia, the lawyer who was representing the ed-tech company in the court hearing, as per the news report. A BCCI lawyer also told the court that both the parties were in settlement talks.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for BCCI said "The matter may be heard tomorrow, they are in talks." The NCLAT accordingly adjourned the case to July 31.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared for the US-based lenders of the company, told the NCLAT that their plea was disposed of after the insolvency order and he is seeking to appeal the order.

The tribunal agreed to hear all the applications on July 31.

On July 29, justice Sharad Kumar Sharma of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) recused himself from hearing Byju's founder Byju Raveendran's plea challenging the order admitting the edtech startup’s parent Think and Learn to bankruptcy on a plea by BCCI.

The NCLT started bankruptcy proceedings against Think and Learn on July 16 on a Board of Control for Cricket in India's plea over the non-payment of Rs 158 crore.

Byju's to settle dues with BCCI, transfers Rs 500 million as first installment

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on July 30 informed the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) that it is in initial settlement talks with Byju Raveendran to settle its dispute with Think and Learn Private Limited.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for BCCI said "The matter may be heard tomorrow, they are in talks." The NCLAT accordingly adjourned the case to July 31.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared for the US-based lenders of the company, told the NCLAT that their plea was disposed of after the insolvency order and he is seeking to appeal the order.

The tribunal agreed to hear all the applications on July 31.

On July 29, justice Sharad Kumar Sharma of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT)  recused himself from hearing Byju's founder  Byju Raveendran's plea challenging the order admitting the edtech startup’s parent Think and Learn to bankruptcy on a plea by BCCI.

The NCLT started bankruptcy proceedings against Think and Learn on July 16 on a Board of Control for Cricket in India's plea over the non-payment of Rs 158 crore.


BCCI and Byju’s in settlement talks, NCLAT adjourns case till July 31

<strong>MAST</strong>

<strong>FITTR - Get Ready to #BreakYourBarriers</strong>

<strong>Agency: In-house</strong>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fr6pLDoVQQg" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

It doesn’t have to be Woman’s Day or Mother’s Day to celebrate the power of womanhood. Fortunately, brands have taken to that trend. FITTR’s new #BreakYourBarriers campaign showcases the importance of mothers setting positive examples for their children. The spot shows a mother-daughter duo who fight back against street harassment. The brand aims to inspire and motivate women to break through mental, psychological and physical barriers. It does a decent job of delivering a metaphorical knock-out punch. A neat and fit ad.

<strong>MEH</strong>

<strong>SUGAR Cosmetics - #ShukarHaiSUGARHai</strong>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZNPEgRIEkBY" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The latest commercial from SUGAR Cosmetics is increasingly dramatized and poorly written. The 360-degree #ShukarHainSUGARHain campaign stars Ranveer Singh and Tamannaah Bhatia along with the founder of the brand, Vineeta Singh. Singh’s presence in the ad adds zero value. The buzz around Shark Tank, although very prominent for a while, has died down. While people have moved on from the show, the judges seem to still be in a hangover assuming they add a glam factor to everything they are a part of. The no-transfer lipstick is a great product but it has many more advantages than keeping a boyfriend’s cheek clean. It would have been great to see some of the other, slightly more important and sellable ones too. This ad, we're afraid, tanked in our view. 

<strong>MAST</strong>

<strong>Spotify - Podcasts Pe Suna</strong>

<strong>Agency: Leo Burnett India</strong>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1ZZZ4aUvUp8" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SSoCScwzk7Y" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Podcasts are the next big thing and Spotify wants you to believe it. From investing in knowledge to science related trivia, Spotify's new series of campaigns, ‘Podcast Pe Suna’ promotes engaging with and listening to the popular audio format. The three ad spots feature a banter between two brothers, where the younger one enlightens the elder brother (played by Kota factory fame actor Jitender Kumar) about the many benefits of podcasting. The dynamic between the siblings is fun to watch, is relatable to a great many people and is absolutely entertaining. A ‘Mast’ watch in our opinion. 

<strong>MEH</strong>

<strong>Tata Capital - Moneyfy | Ek Ungli Se Make Investing Easy</strong>

<strong>Agency: Infectious Advertising</strong>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W_oJYqOVLfI" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DkcN1VlBNME" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Tata Capital's efforts for 'fitting in’ with their new ads for its wealth management app, Moneyfy, that target Gen Z have their hearts in the right place. The execution, however, definitely makes them stand out, unfortunately, not in a good way. The digital films highlight that the mobile-first generation carry out most tasks online, be it ordering food, dating or staying connected with friends or family. They can also secure their future through Moneyfy. While the messaging is apt for the new generation, the background narration by God himself makes the campaign seem dated and boring. Something that would hardly hold Gen Z's attention.

<strong>MAST</strong>

<strong>Byju’s - Student Forever | Teachers’ Day</strong>

<strong>Agency: In-house agency</strong>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lPO6CTUwT1M" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

They say, ‘Curiosity kills the cat’ but millions saw the apple fall and only Newton asked why. In the spot, a teacher has lost track of time correcting papers. As the ad progresses, it showcases the teacher’s never ending curiosity and desire to learn, be it listening to a science podcast or learning how to play games on a mobile phone. The ad successfully advocates that there is no right age to learn something new. The key takeaway is that curiosity is a companion that’ll accompany you for a lifetime. The commercial stands out for its realistic depiction of the concept of learning and shows how sometimes a teacher too needs to become a student to learn something new in order to teach it to a classroom. A good one from the edtech major. 

<strong>MEH</strong>

<strong>Vicks - Vicks Roll-on Inhaler Traffic Cop</strong>

<strong>Agency: Publicis Singapore</strong>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XkoiSZOCTUo" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Will there ever be a change in the narrative or the script for ads by Vicks? Possibly, but not today. The recent ad, starring actors Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Ranveer Singh, presents the same formulaic piece of content that we’ve been seeing for what feels like a thousand years. Singh in typical fashion, is suffering from a blocked nose and headache. His forehead appears long and his nose is red and swollen. Prabhu, who is a traffic police officer, gives him a Vicks Roll-on that gives him immediate relief. A successfully conveyed message via a bland script and two high-profile celebrities that add no additional value. The ad would’ve had the same impact even with two far less popular actors. Would’ve saved a ton of money too. Next time, perhaps consider spending money on the script, something that might actually prove useful. Creativity blocked, perhaps.  

<strong>MAST</strong>

<strong>Jar - #Bachao - Jar App Pe</strong>

<strong>Agency: Spring Marketing Capital</strong>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rOVpJWYrx5c" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<strong>The other three ads:</strong>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fp0qwSYp5FE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/U4dorRPcOVo" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DkDBr06oAz8" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> 

What do you call a fourth after a hat-trick? Jar’s latest addition to what was a brilliant round of three Bollywood inspired ads, doesn’t fall short. Divyendu Sharma who reprises his role as Munna Bhaiya from Mirzapur is seen bringing unmatchable swag and boss-like attitude to this spot. We see a man asking the waiter at a restaurant to keep the change as a tip, as anyone would. At this point, Munna Bhaiya enters with his gang of goons and in true Mirzapur fashion tells him to invest that change in gold on the Jar app instead of tipping it away. Every element in this ad contributed equally in bringing out the surprising ‘good samaritan’ in him. Great visuals, outstanding choice of background music and a very well thought out script is what awards this spot and all others a MAST in our books. 

<strong>MAST</strong>

<strong>Himalaya Wellness Company | Let Kids Be Kids</strong>

<strong>Agency: 82.5 Communications</strong>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oG8GUMrxg6Q" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The core of this commercial is simple to understand and has a clean, direct message. The hand wash brand wants your kids to go out and play in the mud, build small kennels for stray puppies, make clay art, repair their cycles, help you in the kitchen, all with their bare hands. It’s a good reminder for parents who think an easy way to engage kids is to give them access to digital screens. However, we wish the brand cut down on its plug time towards the end of the film because stretching the duration of presenting the logo seemed a little unwarranted and unnecessary. Overall a good ad that users may not want to skip.

<strong>MEH</strong>

<strong>Aisle | Nothing Casual About This Dating App</strong>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WUwzFDrTCU4" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LT0_n1D4ysU" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The latest ad spots from, Aisle, addresses everyday issues of women on dating apps which range form irritating to horrific. These films are insight-driven. However, our question to the makers is, when you say “'Let's Get Real”, what do you really mean? What do you have to offer? For someone watching the ad for the first time, how is the brand any different? Also, what’s the reason for not showing men’s point of view on dating apps? This campaign had the potential to be a Mast watch but we guess the core idea got caught in its own trap. 

Mast & Meh: Spotify, SUGAR, Tata Capital, Byju’s, Vicks, Jar

The world is in the midst of an innovation era, and its impact on lives and livelihoods has never been more significant. As a teacher for more than 15 years, witnessing technology empower young India with the right education, skills, and learning mindset is astounding.

From a system-wide disruption to the rapid adoption of digital education, the learning lives of our youth are evolving, empowering them to reach their full potential. In keeping technology at the forefront of development—as we rapidly transition to a knowledge economy—our burgeoning young population finds itself at the centre of this innovation revolution.

This precedes over two decades of reforms, policy interventions, and an emphasis on nurturing tech ecosystems. This rapid progression raises a fundamental question: how can stakeholders of the digital economy steer new technologies toward national prosperity, fulfill key global priorities, and create an equitable world?

The answer lies in the basics - education.

<strong>Empowering people, communities, and economies</strong>

Equality, inclusion, and equity are the foundations of society, and education forms the fulcrum of this triad. It spurs the development of thought, freedom, and agency. It empowers people, communities, and economies. Yet, across the world, more than 72 million children are not able to gain access to an adequate education. In India, which is home to one of the largest education systems, only about 43% of the roughly 255 million youth in the 15–25 age group are enrolled in educational institutions.

But, what is it that keeps education out of reach for millions? A UNICEF report points to the lack of qualified teachers, inadequate teaching materials, and poor sanitation. The most striking of these observations, however, is that the lack of education is not only due to poor access, but also a direct consequence of the poor quality of teaching.

This presents all stakeholders – government, industry, and academia – a massive opportunity to bring a large, untapped population into the fold through last-mile, tech-driven, high-quality education and truly leverage the power of a young demographic. Technology’s role in advancing equitable development through digital empowerment is a tangible and critical piece of this puzzle.

From empowering teachers with tools and training to predicting and solving students' learning needs, technology in the development and delivery of education provides a long-term, sustainable solution to make it more accessible, cost-effective, and scaled-up for millions of learners. In fact, the World Bank, in a report, has also stated that the global adoption of edtech solutions enabled continuous, seamless, and accessible education during the pandemic.

Prioritizing inclusivity, infrastructure, governance, and quality-related outcomes is a key measure today, and India’s dynamic edtech ecosystem is critical to achieving this.

<strong>Solving for billions</strong>

People, ideas, and capital fuel innovation. The Indian edtech ecosystem, in particular, is leveraging these three tenets to create high-quality education products and learning solutions to truly empower not just students but also teachers, parents, and other stakeholders around the world. By meeting the shifting needs of learners – from tech-powered virtual learning during the pandemic to innovative hybrid formats – the ecosystem continues to mature and expand globally.

From a policy lens as well, initiatives such as Digital India and the National Education Policy 2020 are set to help India take a big step forward in making education at par with global needs, transforming future challenges into opportunities, and strengthening a culture of inclusion and innovation.

<strong>
Defining the global narrative</strong>

Education is an equalizer, and technology is a powerful driver. Their convergence has the potential to unlock learning opportunities for millions and take India into the next phase of growth. India’s entrepreneurial prowess is well placed to achieve this.

Data and demographic dividends combined with India's proven tech prowess also present a massive opportunity for the startup ecosystem to script India’s growth for the coming decades. Our growing commitment to using technology to advance key global priorities is reflected in initiatives such as the launch of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in India in partnership with the World Economic Forum.

As the speed of innovation propels economies towards new models of productivity, value creation, and automation, the emerging drivers of growth will completely transform the skills required to contribute to the economy. A futuristic, tech-driven, first-mover approach to high-quality and inclusive education will be crucial to meet these new demands.

By capitalising on technical and entrepreneurial advances, India is demonstrating its strong commitment to achieving balanced, inclusive, and sustainable development over the next 75 years. I truly believe that any successful model in India that uses technology to create a more inclusive and sustainable society can be replicated in other economies, affecting billions of people.

India At 75: BYJU's Divya Gokulnath on building a new India

In June, e-commerce company Meesho said it had sent legal notices to select social media influencers and certain people in contact with them for allegedly running smear campaigns against the company. These influencers were allegedly posting negative content about the company and tagging their investors. Jaymin Shah, chief executive of influencer marketing agency SocialGrid Media, has been sent a notice. Several users of Twitter also came out and said that they were approached to post negative content about Meesho.

“This is not the first time that Meesho has been targeted by those with vested interests looking to defame the company. Meesho will continue to monitor the situation and consider strict legal recourse against those spreading misinformation and lies about the company,” the company said.

Online travel company EaseMyTrip also said that multiple Twitter accounts commented on the company's posts on the social media channel, alleging that the travel portal "stole money" from them. The company said that it is looking to take the legal route against these accounts and individuals. Apart from firms, even VC firms such as Sequoia Capital, that backs startups including Bira, Blinkit and Byju’s, have been attacked by "trolls".

Digital marketing experts that Storyboard18 spoke to highlighted that smear campaigns are designed differently than regular campaigns and can run from one or two days to several weeks. It can be as simple as a negative product review on an e-commerce platform, fake news around a founder to even plummeting profits of a company. The objective of such campaigns is primarily to sabotage new launches by competition, malign the founder whose company might be in the market for funding, dig up old negative developments in a firm and flag them to media houses.

Experts note that there are various aberrations when one notices that there are an unrealistic number of negative reviews of a product, mentions on the digital platforms, numbers don’t match or there are sudden mentions of the brand in a negative light.

<strong>Spotting a smear campaign</strong>

The first tell-tale sign of a possible smear campaign is a sudden jump in the number of mentions of brands online and that too out of the blue, says Shradha Agarwal, CEO and cofounder, Grapes Digital.

“One has to then categorize whether these mentions are positive or negative and brand or consumer initiated. If it is negative and consumer initiated is when one starts questioning what has happened and starts tracing the origins of the campaign,” she says.

Smear campaigns are done using somebody else's media so it could be placing a paid article in a news media outlet or paying an influencer to post something negative on their account. Such campaigns are also done by a chain of parties so it can’t be easily traced to one person or an agency.

“One has to join the dots to know who got it done,” Agarwal adds.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-21" src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2022/07/Smear-anatomy.png" alt="" width="701" height="1000" />

<strong>Volume matters</strong>

Experts share that the topic decides the length of a smear campaign. A campaign can go on for a long time if a product/service needs to be tarnished. On the other hand, in the case of a founder, it can be a few days.

Pricing depends on the intensity of the vilification and can start from Rs 600 for each negative review on an e-commerce site or a tweet that can be bought for Rs 50 to several lakhs. While regular user accounts on Twitter with negligible following would be paid Rs 50 for each tweet, bigger influencers with clout can be paid several lakhs to post negative content about a brand.

“Smear campaigns are usually done in volumes and by micro influencers/nano influencers usually not done by big influencers. College kids, Twitter accounts in bulk to do retweets and trend a topic. WhatsApp is the new hot platform for smear campaigns and sharing screenshots about a brand or founder,” says Agarwal.

Agencies, on the behalf of the brand, approach smaller agencies who can get in touch with people (influencers/general people) to create buzz or post online, says Pratik Gupta, co-founder, Zoo Media, which owns creative digital agency FoxyMoron.

“Meme pages are another way to run a smear campaign or malign a brand. For instance, there were memes around how an Oppo phone owner is touted as a beggar. In such instances, although it is being said in fun and jest but it does create a perception. Meme pages are massive places where smear campaigns are run,” he adds.

<strong>Smear vs ambush marketing</strong>

Can a smear campaign be dubbed as a form of ambush marketing? Experts disagree.

Smear campaign is a systematic and long-term exercise while ambush marketing goes after a particular event/ campaign. Ambush marketing is also fair competition and primarily about brands hijacking conversation from their competition and not necessarily maligning them.

“Brands having fun with competition in a legal realm is fine and not the same as smearing someone. Coke and Pepsi have been taking digs at each other for 30 years and that’s great for advertising as it pushes you to be more creative that’s not the case in smear campaigns,” Gupta concludes.

At a time when purchases and sales of companies are being impacted by digital reviews or powerful influencers who can make or break a brand's image by click of a button, such smear campaigns ought to be taken seriously. Each review, tweet or Instagram post counts and it can possibly alter the destiny of a company.

Making of a smear campaign and the dark side of digital marketing

On Monday, esports and skill gaming app Mobile Premier League (MPL) laid off 100 people, which represents about 10 percent of its workforce, and said it is exiting the Indonesia market. MPL joins a slew of Indian startups like Unacademy, Vedantu, Trell, and Meesho among others who have had to lay off employees as they look to cut costs amid an expected funding slowdown in the country.

It seems that the onset of winter in the startup world is also freezing advertising and marketing budgets. This is in sharp contrast to 2021 where startups contributed around 11 percent to the overall AdEx which stood at around Rs 74,000 crore as per industry estimates.

An email sent to Ola and Meesho on their possible ad budget cuts remained unanswered. However, advertising executives say that they are feeling the heat with clients cutting budgets.

“There is a huge slowdown on the advertising spends by startups because of the VC funding drying, these companies don’t have the money to spend. We have already started witnessing the slowdown post Indian Premier League (IPL). Within the startup category, we are witnessing a 30-40 percent reduction in media spends,” a senior media buyer tells Storyboard18 on the condition of anonymity.

Startups were some of the top advertising spenders as they pumped money in the first five months of the year including in the IPL. For instance, IPL’s official broadcaster Star Sports had roped in 14 sponsors out of which eight were startups – Dream11, Byju’s being co-presenting sponsors; CRED, PhonePe, Swiggy Instamart and Meesho as associate sponsors. Disney+Hotstar onboarded 18 sponsors with 12 of them being startups.

“We are hoping that it would be a temporary phenomenon so how adex will be impacted would be dependent on how July to September and World Cup pans out. I would not judge the whole year basis this slowdown but in the short-term it has really gone down because June, July and August are also lean periods. So if it goes down now nobody is bothered but if it sustains then people will get worried,” the executive quoted above adds.

<strong>Spending judiciously</strong>

There is capital but it is being deployed a lot more judiciously as compared to last year when the capital was flying all over the place, say industry executives. There will be rationalisation and marketing budgets will see some axing.

The amount of budget cuts depends on the stage of the company as well as valuation raised in their last funding round, says Arun Iyer, founder and creative partner, Spring Marketing Capital. “Later stage (Series B) onwards the fund raise is going to be a little tough this year. Twelve to 18 months being a tough environment so everybody is going to be cautious in the way they spend,” he notes.

Apart from working with multiple startups, Iyer’s advertising agency also has a Venture Capitalist (VC) arm which invests in new age companies. He sees this winter as an opportunity as well.

“We are in conversation with our companies where we have invested and having conversation about how to plan the way forward, having conversation on spending money effectively. As far as the investing part, we will be investing in companies this year as well. We will be seeing valuations which are a lot more real which is a good thing,” he notes.

But some are defying the changing tide. Arjun Mohan, CEO - India, upGrad said that they have not cut down on marketing spends at upGrad because they have been strategic in our expense planning to generate maximum ROI.

"In fact, our marketing spends have increased by 130 percent in FY23 because we are focused on creating relatable and personalised edutainment content, to make upGrad a household name, by targeting the right learner base across geographies. Our latest campaigns address the specific needs of our consumers, while piquing their interest with the concept of LifeLongLearning as a means to eradicate skill redundancy. Our plan is to spend an equal amount on both traditional and digital mediums, as we expand our course portfolio and tap into newer audience segments across the country," he adds.

<strong>Finding the silver lining</strong>

Media industry executives also believe that startups did have a good run so far and it is too early to completely write them off.

“The startups have had a spectacular run and it is only in the last couple of months that things have been relatively slow. These situations are cyclic at best and with India’s strong economic fundamentals and long-term growth outlook, we expect to ride out any temporary blip,” asserts Anupriya Acharya, South Asia CEO, Publicis Groupe.

Unlike established brands and industries, startups cannot afford to stop investing in brand building and sales either.

“They need to be in the consumer’s mind as the preferred choice and all communications are skewed towards ROI, given that growth targets need to be met on an ongoing basis. We expect sectors such as e-commerce, fintech and payment apps and now the gaming apps to continue advertising in a big way,” Acharya concludes.

BYJUS