e4m Video Story:  ‘Advertisers today are moving beyond vanity metrics like clicks and impressions’

As digital advertising in India matures at breakneck speed, marketers are confronting the twin challenges of evolving privacy norms and ever-diminishing consumer attention spans. Samir Karpe, Country Manager for Scibids and DoubleVerify, believes that the solution lies in a strategic embrace of AI, a focus on brand suitability, and a renewed commitment to transparency. 

Speaking to exchange4media for a TechTalk interview, Karpe shared his perspective on how Indian advertisers can navigate these tectonic shifts and emerge stronger.

Karpe began by discussing the evolution of programmatic advertising and how AI has transformed decision-making. "Advertisers today are moving beyond vanity metrics like clicks and impressions and buying media to achieve real business outcomes," he said. With Scibids-based machine learning solutions, brands are now able to analyze millions of data points every day and make precise, real-time decisions. Karpe emphasized that AI allows marketers to continuously learn and improve their campaigns, turning data into meaningful impact.

Addressing the industry's ongoing concerns around third-party cookies, Karpe noted, "Rather than waiting for regulations to force a change, it’s always better to be proactive and start moving towards privacy-first strategies now." 

He highlighted the growing importance of contextual targeting, which enables brands to reach audiences based on content relevance rather than personal data. This approach not only aligns with global privacy expectations but also ensures that advertisers remain effective even as third-party data becomes less reliable.

Karpe stressed that demonstrating return on investment is no longer optional but an absolute expectation from chief marketing officers. "What CMOs are looking to do is deliver ROI on every single dollar spent," he said. Marketers are now expected to have a holistic understanding of their media investments and to build strong baselines for media quality. 

According to Karpe, AI plays a critical role by learning from these baselines and optimizing performance continuously, even within limited budgets. He pointed out that DoubleVerify’s acquisitions in verification and attribution help brands close the loop between measurement and optimization, providing a clear view of what works and why.

When it comes to brand safety and suitability, Karpe drew a sharp distinction. "Brand safety tells you where not to go, but brand suitability tells you where you should be present to build stronger connections," he explained. In a media landscape where consumers are exposed to thousands of ads daily, relevance is more important than ever. Karpe noted that if a fitness brand appears alongside health and nutrition content, it creates stronger resonance and helps accelerate brand growth in a more authentic and impactful way.

Transparency emerged as a recurring theme throughout the conversation. Karpe said, "Transparency is non-negotiable. Brands need to know exactly where their money is going and why certain strategies are working." He added that DoubleVerify’s tools enable advertisers to get granular insights into every stage of the media journey, from exposure to engagement. With AI providing deeper understanding, advertisers can make smarter, more confident decisions and build stronger relationships with their audiences.

A particularly interesting insight from Karpe was the shift from viewability to attention as a key metric. "Viewability tells you whether an ad had a chance to be seen, but attention tells you whether the audience actually engaged with it," he said. In India’s crowded advertising environment, this distinction has become crucial. Karpe shared that advertisers optimizing for attention have seen up to a 103 per cent year-on-year improvement in key brand metrics, underscoring the value of moving beyond legacy measurement standards.

Looking ahead, Karpe believes AI’s role in shaping brand strategies will continue to grow exponentially. From smarter targeting and enhanced media quality to driving brand suitability and optimizing for attention, AI offers a blueprint for future-ready advertising. For Indian brands facing privacy challenges, ROI pressures, and an increasingly distracted audience, Karpe’s advice is clear: embrace transparency, focus on context, and measure what truly matters.

As advertisers strive to remain relevant and effective in an era defined by choice and control, these strategic imperatives offer not just a roadmap for survival but the potential for meaningful, sustained growth. In Karpe’s view, the brands that act decisively on these insights today will be the ones best positioned to win the attention and trust of tomorrow’s consumers.

Watch the full conversation here: