TAM Sports (a division of TAM Media Research) has announced the launch of Connected TV & Mobile (Android & IOS) Ad monitoring & Verification service for IPL 2023 Live Streaming. This specialized service will provide real-time data and insights to help you stay ahead of the game.

The CTV Ad monitoring will be initially for Live Streaming audiences watching on Connected TV targeted at Mumbai City, while Mobile Ad monitoring is for Live Streaming audiences viewing on IOS /Android mobiles and Geo-targeted  to cities Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad across key cohorts that the Advertiser is addressing.

CTV monitoring will also include 14 different language/other feeds - English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, Malayalam, Odia, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, Lifestyle feed and 4k English feed!

Both the Monitoring services will provide Advertisers & Media Agencies with Pre, During and Post-Match Ad streaming reports within a day for IPL data users, enabling them to track their sponsorships on a real-time continuous basis. 

"We are ecstatic to introduce this path breaking and unprecedented Ad Monitoring & Verification service on CTV & Mobile platform during the most happening Cricket Event of the year (IPL) via our flagship unit – TAM Sports”; said TAM India CEO Mr. L V Krishnan. “It will be a unique service as we kick start CTV and Mobile monitoring with this year’s IPL. With daily reporting of the data, it is almost real time for Sponsors, Agencies and other Stakeholders to track and maximize Ad Spends. We believe, this is one more step in our attempt to bring more clarity to investments on High decibel Digital properties and will pave way for more transparency to future Advertising spends on Digital Media.”

The report would essentially cover a variety of variables that comprise of – Platform, Stream Language, Targeted market selected by the Advertiser along with Match Date, Stream Duration, Category, Brands, Advertisers, and Ad Positions. 

An opinion piece written by Markand Adhikari, Chairman and Managing Director of Sri Adhikari Brothers Group (SAB Group), on nudity and obscenity in OTT has been ruling the social media charts.  

The article was published by exchange4media on March 21st.

https://www.exchange4media.com/digital-news/class-has-no-class-126085.html

It was no. 4 in India trends on Thursday.

The article has also spurred a lot of discussion on OTT content on Twitter.

Is the content on Netflix leading our youth astray? Mr. Markand Adhikari thinks so. Read his take on the issue in 'Class Has No Class'" #e4Media_Class_HasNo_Class https://t.co/TlFwD37ct4

— Mohammad Altaf Ali (@MdAltafAli15) March 23, 2023

Mr. Markand Adhikari is so right, such content does is not reflect social reality but actually the opposite – instigate our youth and society to go down this path by giving them ideas. #e4Media_Class_HasNo_Class https://t.co/rotvmJSzHd

— Sushma Pandey (@ISushmaPandey) March 23, 2023

Mr. Markand adhikari raising a very good question against Netflix through this article. This question is really important..
e4Media Class Has No Class

— Yatika Sharma (@Yatika1027) March 23, 2023

Mr. Markand Adhikari is absolutely correct !!! I really appreciate his thoughts for the nation.
e4Media Class Has No Class

— Shassy (@Shassy02) March 23, 2023

Mr. Markand adhikari raising a very good question against Netflix through this article. This question is really important..
e4Media Class Has No Class

— Nikhil Pandit (@nikhil29_05) March 23, 2023

Even the most traditional advertisers are now dipping their toes into streaming, while more adventurous brands are already making a splash. And with the introduction of subscriptions with ads on streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney Plus, as well as Jio’s push towards freemium TV, the Connected Television (CTV) landscape is evolving with each new login and the following reams of data, and terms like FAST and Freemium are creating more buzz than an old cable TV’s antenna.

Swati Kardak, Group Account Manager, Media Planning & Buying, SoCheers, believes that with IPL in their kitty and now rolling out of freemium TV, Jio has already got the ball rolling for them. “This is a big boon for advertisers and brands as FAST (Free, ad-supported TV), will open up opportunities for advertisers to widen their addressable audience size. It will also work as a magnet to attract more audiences to the streaming platform and ensure a long-term client relationship.”

Meanwhile, “As subscription plans with ads are introduced, advertisers and brands have a unique opportunity to reach a large and engaged audience. These platforms provide access to massive amounts of user data, enabling precise targeting and cost-effective advertising campaigns,” says Keerthi R Kumar, Business Head-South, FoxyMoron.

According to the recently launched Gateway to Open Internet report, published by The Trade Desk and Kantar, 33% of consumers perceive ads on OTT/CTV as more premium than those on YouTube and other user-generated content platforms, making CTV/OTT a particularly attractive avenue for brands.

Additionally, 44% of consumers expect to significantly increase their usage of CTV/OTT in the next six months. The surge in popularity of Connected TVs also allows advertisers to reach a subset population of cord-cutters that they cannot reach on linear TV.

Tejinder Gill, General Manager, The Trade Desk, says that to capitalize on this fast-growing ad opportunity on OTT, brands will need to invest in data-driven advertising tools on platforms like The Trade Desk to help them to more effectively target and engage consumers across the multiple OTT platforms that consumers engage with today.

In Kardak’s opinion, Freemium will bring about a major cord-cutting change and a huge shift towards Freemium is most likely going to come from the traditional TV audience as they will be able to avail entertainment for free. “Therefore, brands and advertisers will have to be very mindful about picking the right content on FAST for their ad placement. In comparison, the audience on FAST is likely to be more massy, so, brands who have products or services catering to a larger audience should look at partnering with them,” she says.

The abundance of content and vast user base on platforms like Netflix and Disney Plus provide advertisers with the opportunity to target affluent audiences. With the introduction of ad-supported tiers, advertisers can leverage high-quality content to reach their desired target audience.

“AVOD and Freemium models offer precision targeting, real-time optimization, and measurement, leading to a shift in advertising budgets from traditional TV to OTT. As competition increases, advertisers must understand each platform's audience, engagement patterns, and results to make informed decisions that align with their business objectives,” says Kardak.

Vikas Mangla, Founder, Digital ROI, points out that by parsing through the consumer data available through viewership on these platforms, advertisers can develop new ad formats that engage viewers and do not disrupt their viewing experience. “Interactive ads, sponsored content, and native advertising are some of the ad formats that can help advertisers achieve this. For instance, Voot offers non-intrusive ad formats like sponsored content and integrated ads that blend seamlessly with the content,” he says.

Advertisers and publishers also need to analyze the collectible data to gain insights into their audience's behavior and preferences. This can help them optimize their ad campaigns, improve their targeting, and measure their ad campaign's effectiveness.

“For example, MX Player uses data analytics to track viewer behavior and preferences to create personalized recommendations for each viewer. Advertisers can also use data analytics to track ad performance and optimize their campaigns accordingly,” says Mangla, adding that publishers can leverage the popularity of streaming TV by creating content that resonates with their audience.

That being said, as Gill points out, “Another important consideration is frequency capping which is important to ensure consumers are not seeing the same ad multiple times across the different OTT platforms that they are engaging with. This is where programmatic media buying platforms offer value in helping brands preserve a positive ad experience.”

In conclusion, experts agree that the Indian market presents a significant opportunity for advertisers and publishers to reach a large and engaged audience base through FAST and Freemium. By adopting a data-driven approach, using new ad formats, programmatic advertising, data analytics, and content marketing, they can create more effective ad campaigns, engage viewers, and increase their revenue.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced a new WhatsApp app for Windows, which will enable group video calls with up to 8 people and audio calls with up to 32 people - all from your desktop.

Making the announceemnt on Facebook, he wrote, “Launching a new WhatsApp desktop app for Windows. Now you can make E2E encrypted video calls with up to 8 people and audio calls with up to 32 people.”

“The new Windows desktop app loads faster and is built with an interface familiar to WhatsApp and Windows users. You can host group video calls with up to 8 people and audio calls with up to 32 people. We’ll continue to increase these limits over time so you can always stay connected with friends, family and work colleagues.

Since introducing new multi-device capabilities, we’ve listened to feedback and made improvements including faster device linking and better syncing across devices, as well as new features such as link previews and stickers.

As we continue to increase the number of devices which support WhatsApp, we’ve just introduced a new WhatsApp beta experience for Android tablets. We’re also launching a new, faster app for Mac desktops that is currently in the early stages of beta,” he wrote further.

Hareesh Tibrewala spoke to e4m on a host of issues related to MarTech while delving deep into the India MarTech Report. He started by addressing the roadblocks in the implementation of MarTech in the country.

He also explained the point about MarTech explorers in terms of the sectors, which is invested in this marketing technique.

Tibrewala further spoke about how martech was critical in the role of a marketer and how it could be extremely significant for calculating ROI.

The conversation also veered toward the importance of MarTech in the cookie-less world and the advent of Web3.

Watch the entire conversation here.

Google has said that it is opening up access to Bard, the ChatGPT competitor, as per media reports.

The tech major will be expanding the access to Bard in more countries and languages.

In a blogpost, Google said that Bard could provide tips or explain several posts.

Google unveiled Bard in February. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai announced the soft launch of the AI to "trusted testers". 

Mirum India, a Wunderman Thompson company, has put together a report on the emerging MarTech landscape in India.

The report captures how MarTech solutions are being utilized by brands to effectively communicate their brand messages to the right set of audiences at the right time.

The report highlights that while the global spend on MarTech solutions is around 25% of the total marketing budget, in India, majority organizations spend less than 15%, indicating significant potential for growth. With MarTech spending set to increase across company sizes and sectors, 88% of respondents expect to increase their MarTech spending over the next three years. The report also emphasizes the need for brands and organizations to work with growth partners as preferred by MarTech HEROES, focusing on ROI, and delivering value to the brands.

The report will be unveiled on March 24, 2023, at the e4m Pitch CMO Summit in Mumbai. The summit will see India's most reputed brands and top management coming under one roof to interact and share insights on their game-changing success stories.

Speaking on the report, Hareesh Tibrewala, Joint CEO – Mirum India, said, "The estimated size of the MarTech industry in India is expected to be between $35bn and $50bn by 2026, presenting a sizeable opportunity for businesses. Our latest report highlights how brands are using MarTech solutions to effectively deliver the right brand message to the right customer at the right time, creating fabulous customer experiences and increasing brand loyalty. It is interesting to note that marketers globally spend 25% of their budgets on MarTech solutions, and our report shows the emergence of MarTech EXPLORERS, who are keen to leverage the power of MarTech. This presents an exciting opportunity for businesses to grow and thrive in the ever-evolving digital landscape."

CVL Srinivas, Country Manager – WPP India said, "To succeed in the rapidly evolving tech and data driven world, organizations need good marketing automation tools and diverse skill sets. The report highlights the need for growth partners, preferred by MarTech HEROES, to ensure strong ROI for clients. It brings clarity to the ecosystem and presents an exciting opportunity for businesses to create fantastic customer experiences and increase brand loyalty. At WPP, we've invested heavily in building our tech and data practices, creating a comprehensive ecosystem where value is delivered at every touchpoint."