Interview: Harsha Razdan, CEO, South Asia, dentsu

2023 is the year dentsu India would most like to forget. Besides losing big accounts like Maruti Suzuki and Reckitt to competition, the agency was caught up in a leadership turmoil. Harsha Razdan, CEO, South Asia, dentsu, is working overtime to stabilise the boat. He tells Akanksha Nagar how the agency plans to transition into a consultancy, building on the foundation laid in marketing and technology. Edited excerpts:

How do you see the advertising landscape evolving in 2024?

Read More :

YearEnder 2023: The retail industry gets its booster dose?

As Covid-19 cases ceased, it was perhaps the retail sector which benefitted the most, as consumers returned to brick-and-mortar stores. Infact, experts believe that this year has been a turning point for the retail industry. “The Indian retail industry which was valued at $836 billion in FY22 has clocked a growth of 34% in FY23. The retail growth was led by strong growth in sports goods at around 41% and QSR (quick service restaurant) at 39%. India is currently in the top five retail markets in the world and is expected to be the third largest by 2030,” Anand Ramanathan, partner, consumer industry leader, consulting, Deloitte India, told BrandWagon Online.

Read More: ??

Ad impressions on digital advertising grow by 43% in July-September 2023, reveals TAM report

Digital medium witnessed an increase in impressions by 43% in July-September 2023 compared to January-March 2023. Ad impressions on Digital Advertising witnessed growth during both the periods April-June 2023 and July-September 2023 of 60% and 43% respectively compared to January-March 2023. July-September 2023 observed growth of 30% in ad impressions compared to July-September 2022, according to a report by TAM. Services was the leading sector with 51% share of impressions during July-September 2023. The top 10 sectors together added 86% share of ad impressions in July-September 2023. Retail was the only new entrant in the top 10 sectors during July-September 2023 over April-June 2023 on digital advertising.

Read More:

YearEnder 2023: A topsy-turvy year for the online gaming industry

Online gaming companies have resorted to different ways including expanding abroad, laying off staffers, and cutting advertisement budgets, among other things to survive. “In the erstwhile Service Tax regime, online skill gaming companies paid tax on the service fee or Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR). As India transitioned to the goods and services tax (GST) regime, skill gaming platforms continued to pay GST on GGR. However, the recent amendments to levy GST on 28% on deposits have led to increased operating costs, reduced profitability and a decline in user participation,” Joy Bhattarcharjya, director general, FIFS, told BrandWagon Online.

Read More: ??

Creativity and communication: The key to BTL marketing impact?

In the dynamic landscape of Below-the-Line (BTL) marketing, the fusion of creative ingenuity and effective communication serves as the linchpin for transforming a brand’s presence into a resonant impact. This seamless interplay isn’t just about showcasing individual strengths but about an orchestration of each effort enhancing the resonance of the other.?

In the vast expanse of marketing messages bombarding consumers daily, capturing attention is the first hurdle. Creativity becomes the torchbearer in this realm, crafting designs, concepts, and executions that stand out in the clutter. It’s the innovative spark that ignites initial interest.?

Read More:

Campaign Decoded: Zivame urges to check yourself

Advertisements are more than what we merely see on our screens, it takes a lot of time, energy and resources to bring it alive. Advertising campaigns not only help brands to reach its target audience but also make consumers aware of the product or services. As a matter of fact, it plays a crucial role in evolving consumer habits, trends and traditions. In our weekly Campaign Decoded series, industry experts highlight the unseen behind a campaign. Khatija Lokhandwala, head of marketing, Zivame,talks to BrandWagon Online about the conceptualisation, thought and more about the campaign.

Read More: ??

YouTube introduces BrandConnect and Podcasts for creators in India

YouTube unveils new avenues for creators and artists in India, focusing on enhancing creative freedom and monetisation opportunities. The platform introduced BrandConnect and Podcasts for content creators.

In an effort to democratise content creation, YouTube expanded the eligibility for the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), now including Shorts creators. Furthermore, ad revenue sharing for Shorts was introduced, along with early access to fan funding features like Channel Memberships and Super Chat. These initiatives aim to make YouTube a more rewarding space for creators.

Read More:

Why martech tools remain underused

Gartner says in 2023, CMOs invested over a quarter of their marketing budgets on technology. But even though 25.4% of their marketing budgets were allocated to these tools, the utilisation of their organisation’s overall martech stack’s capability dropped to just 33% this year, marking a third consecutive year of decline (42% in 2022 and 58% in 2020).

Experts aver such under-utilisation of the martech stack is taking a toll on organisations’ overall ROI. “Without well-defined goals, it’s challenging to use these tools to their full potential. Also, integrating new martech tools with existing systems can be a significant challenge. If the integration is not seamless, it can lead to under-utilisation,” says Santosh Singh, SVP and global head, marketing, business excellence & innovation, Tata Technologies.

Read More:

Sailing into success: Reflecting on a year of smart consumer-driven campaigns in our digitally savvy world

But when you see from your own lens as a consumer, the campaigns that stick with you the most are the ones that make you feel seen, campaigns that talk to you directly. In 2023, consumers are savvier than ever. With so much digital and offline ad exposure, they know how to differentiate between ad jargon and genuine things on the internet. They are bombarded with at least 180 marketing messages daily on average, making it crucial for brands to stand out through genuine messaging and personalisation.

Read More:

Consumer durables sector witnesses resilient growth, 9% surge in value for smartphones and 2% volume dip, reveals GfK report

GfK, an NIQ Company, releases insights into the consumer durables sector covering January to October 2023 versus the same period in 2022. GfK market intelligence’s POS Offline Retail Tracking data reveals a 9% surge in smartphone value but notes a marginal 2% decline in volume. The overall impact of the volume decrease is mitigated by an 11% growth in Average Selling Price (ASP).

This nuanced combination of metrics highlights a trend within the smartphone market, showcasing the consumer durable sector’s resilience and ability to maintain value growth despite a slight dip in volume.

Read More: