Varun Puri

As temperatures soar, Indian consumer firms are gearing up to meet the demands of the scorching season. From personal care products to pet supplies and liquor, businesses are strategically aligning their offerings to cater to the needs of sun-soaked consumers. With a keen focus on understanding consumer behavior and preferences, companies are innovating their product lines and marketing tactics to stay ahead of the curve. As a business owner or marketer, it's crucial to stay informed about these emerging trends. By leveraging the insights shared in this article, you can fine-tune your strategies and ensure your brand remains relevant and competitive in the summer market. Whether you're in the personal care industry, pet supplies sector, or liquor business, there are valuable lessons to be learned from the proactive approaches adopted by these consumer firms. Don't miss out on this opportunity to gain valuable insights into the dynamic landscape of summer consumer trends. #SummerTrends #ConsumerBehavior #BusinessStrategy #MarketInsights"

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𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭, I dive into the World of ideas and discuss Marketing in the Digital World & More. Also why the Execution and Delivery of an Idea are more crucial than the idea itself. 𝐓𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬! 𝑾𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍 𝒆𝒑𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒅𝒆 🎙️https://lnkd.in/gYTQgUCi #Podcast #Personalviews #marketer #Views #Digital #Social #Digitalmarketing

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Think Sports: How India’s advertisers score new wins with sports viewing trends In India, the evolving nature of sports viewership is fueled by two behavioral trends. The first is the prevalence of dual-screen viewing — audiences today are glued to two screens at the same time. They’re watching a match on one screen and simultaneously engaging with related sports content on another screen. The second trend is viewers engaging with sports events beyond the actual game time. Even before the live event starts, they’re searching for related sports information online. After the event ends, they continue to watch associated digital content. Some go as far as playing fantasy games to savor the event. These trends matter to all brands, regardless of category, because they’re rooted in fundamental audience behaviors. Understanding how these viewing behaviors play out can help brands reach new audiences and build strong customer connections. For example, audiences in India experience sporting events on two screens. While watching a live cricket match on a mobile phone or connected TV, 71% of live sports viewers tune in to similar content on a second device. YouTube, accessible on various screens, including connected TV (CTV), is the go-to platform for 44% of viewers to watch sports videos alongside live sports on TV. Sports videos on YouTube can include interviews with athletes or play-by-play analyses of ongoing matches. #SportsViewing #DualScreenViewing #SportsAdvertising #AudienceEngagement Decathlon Sports India Girias Finnable

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On a lighter note, they should also open a raincoats shop for other flyers. "Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport will soon have liquor shops catering to domestic travellers. The first liquor shop, said an official, will come up near the 'meet and greet' area of T3 and may be operational by the first week of July. The second store, however, may take a few more weeks to open. Currently, the arrival and departure areas of T3 have duty free shops where international travellers can purchase liquor. The domestic terminals of the airport had six premium liquor stores, operated by private players, when the now-rescinded Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 was in force. The shops, however, had to be shut down when the contentious excise policy was withdrawn in Sept 2022 following multiple investigations by the CBI and ED into alleged irregularities in its implementation. This is when Delhi govt decided to shift to the old excise regime and handover the retail business of liquor to four govt corporations. While Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation and Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation initially deliberated with the airport operator for space to open shops, the two stakeholders failed to reach a consensus on the rental amount. Though the upcoming shop at T3 arrival will be a small one with just about 750 square feet of area, sources said the customers would be able to enter the area and themselves pick the brand of their choice. Sources said only premium brands of liquor would be sold from the store. Welcoming the development, the industry players said with the air travel growing, Delhi needed to regain its share of domestic liquor shops. "The resumption of liquor shops at domestic terminals will be most welcomed by travellers into and from the city who earlier bought their choice of alcobev products on their way in or out of Delhi. This will also help the state regain some of the sales lost to NCR regions and further improve its excise collection," said Nita Kapoor, chief executive officer, International Spirits and Wines Association of India. Kapoor added that following the popularity of liquor shops at domestic terminals of Mumbai, Goa, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Kerala, even mini-metros and tier-1 towns were planning to open alcobev shops to ensure sale takes place in their state by both business travellers and tourists. Vinod Giri, director general of Brewers Association of India, said liquor stores at Indira Gandhi International Airport were a great retailing point for premium alcohol. "But more importantly, they cued the modern, tolerant and progressive face of Delhi, as expected from the capital of a major country. This trend was later picked up by several airports across the country, thus helping alcohol with greater social acceptance," he added." https://lnkd.in/gJvPpGYg

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India's OTT Market: Course Correction and Growth Dynamics The Indian OTT industry is undergoing a significant course correction. After an explosive 20% growth in the audience base from 2021 to 2022, growth slowed to 13.5% last year, as revealed by the Ormax OTT Audience Report 2023. This shift highlights the evolving landscape and challenges faced by OTT platforms in India. Key insights Market Consolidation The merger of Viacom18 and Star India, forming India's largest media network valued at $8.5 billion, marks a pivotal moment in the OTT space. With a reach of 160 million monthly unique visitors, this entity is set to dominate the market with diverse content and strong distribution channels. Consumer-Centric Offerings Jio Cinema's new affordable subscription plans, starting at Rs 29 per month, reflect a trend towards consumer-friendly pricing models. These low-cost options could increase churn rates among competitors and prevent international giants from raising their rates. SVOD vs. AVOD The debate between Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) and Advertising-based Video On Demand (AVOD) continues. While SVOD growth is challenged by India's price-sensitive market, AVOD is expected to increase its market share to 70% in the medium term, despite its low pricing. Bundled Services Aggregators like Tata Play’s Binge and Jio TV+ are gaining traction by offering multiple OTT services as affordable bundles. This model benefits both consumers and standalone OTT players by providing value and retaining customers. Shifting Consumer Behavior The growth drop in OTT can also be attributed to a resurgence in traditional television viewership and a renewed interest in going out for movies. These factors, along with varied pricing strategies, are influencing the overall dynamics of the OTT market. As the industry navigates this transition, balancing revenue generation with consumer satisfaction remains crucial. The future will see more innovation and adaptation as OTT platforms strive to meet the evolving demands of the Indian market. #OTT #Streaming #Media #India #DigitalTransformation #ConsumerTrends

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"Twitter Communications India, now part of X Corp (formerly Twitter), recorded a sharp drop in net profit and revenue in the last financial year, largely due to a collapse in ad revenues after the dismissal of the company's global ad sales team under the new management led by Elon Musk. As per the company's regulatory filings, net profit plunged 90% to Rs 3 crore from Rs 30 crore the previous year. Revenue also fell 90% to Rs 21 crore from Rs 208 crore. Advertising contributes bulk of Twitter's revenue in India where it has an estimated 25 million users. The company trimmed employee benefit expenses by 95% to Rs 6 crore from Rs 130 crore as it fired nearly the entire Indian workforce, which previously comprised over 200 employees. Subsequently, total expenses fell by 89% to Rs 19 crore from Rs 168 crore. Twitter India didn't respond to ET's queries. Musk completed his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter in October 2022, eventually rebranding it as X. Following the takeover, Musk implemented sweeping changes globally, including mass layoffs that heavily impacted the ad sales teams, especially in India. The dual blow of laying off the ad sales teams and global brands pulling back from the platform-due in part to disputes with Musk-fuelled a sharp decline in revenue. Sajal Gupta, a digital advertising expert, noted that without an active sales team to maintain relationships with advertisers and attract new business, Twitter's ad revenue in India nosedived, leading to steep declines in profitability and earnings. "This reflects the broader challenges X Corp has faced globally as it tries to implement new strategies under Musk's leadership while managing the fallout from internal restructuring," Gupta said. Under Musk, X has even filed lawsuits against global advertisers like Unilever and Mars for boycotting the platform. According to Kantar research, a net 26% of marketers reported plans to reduce ad spends on X in 2025, the biggest recorded pullback from any major global ad platform. Gupta explained that many global brands stopped advertising in India due to the ongoing tensions with Musk, and even within India, many brands are avoiding advertising on X due to the controversial nature of the platform and concerns over brand safety. "In terms of advertising on social media platforms, X is typically a last priority for advertisers, with YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram taking precedence," he said." https://lnkd.in/e6DT9UCv

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Reliance Foundation Chairperson Nita Ambani and Reliance Jio Infocomm Chairman Akash Ambani have joined the board of Viacom18 ahead of its merger with the India business of global media giant Walt Disney, industry sources said.... Read More At:- https://lnkd.in/gqtJVWAt Viacom18 Media Private Limited #nitaambani #akashambani #indiabusiness #GlobalMedia #industry #reliancefoundation #news #NewsUpdate #newsfeed #dailynews #IBWNews

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Had a great conversation with Barkha Kumari about the rise of Pickleball in India and Bangalore. This sport is picking up steam, and I have no doubt that it will become quite popular across the country. At Sprentzo Sports , we're excited to be part of this journey, supporting players through our #SweatFam #community, our mission is to make sports accessible and fun for everyone, and we’re just getting started! #Pickleball #SweatFam #DaDink #SportsInIndia #SPRENTZO #Deccanherald Piyush Jain AKASH K SAM Samyukth Hemanth

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👇👇👇👇👇 With OTT penetration at 38 percent, stagnant SVOD and signification traction in connected devices, the report from Ormax Media throws many nuanced insights and actionable marketing strategies in #entertainmentbusiness #mediaandentertainment 📈📈📈 Personally loved the 3 sub classifications in SVOD and 2 in AVOD...a very Indian affair must say..Are we missing any sub segments in this segmentation🤔🤔🤔🤔 Anupama Chopra Santosh K Patra Dr. Satyanarayana Rentala Saurabh Bajaj - Practical Marketer Harsh Pamnani Prof. Ujjwal Anu Chowdhury Dr. Parag Amin Vanita Kohli-Khandekar Rajiv Chilaka What are the meso and micro implications from this macro report. Share your 2 cents 💡💡💡💡 https://lnkd.in/gZAfyVkS

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🚀 Big News: The Merger of JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar into JioHotstar! 🚀 Reliance Industries Limited has announced a game-changing merger that’s set to transform India’s OTT landscape. JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar are merging to create JioHotstar, a super-streaming platform! Here’s everything you need to know: 1. 💰 $8.5 Billion Deal Announced in February 2024, this major merger brings together two powerful platforms, aligning them to dominate India’s growing digital content market. 2. 🏗️ Better Tech, Bigger Impact It seems JioCinema will merge into Disney+ Hotstar, likely due to Hotstar’s superior tech, especially in live sports streaming. Hotstar’s robust infrastructure will enable a smoother and more dynamic user experience. 3. 🎬 Unified Sports Hub Starting January 2025, all sports content, including the IPL, will be hosted on JioHotstar. This makes the platform the go-to destination for sports enthusiasts across India! 4. 💸 Pricing Changes? While no changes in pricing have been announced yet, currently Hotstar plans start at ₹149 and JioCinema at ₹29. Why this merger matters: Jio's Vision for Digital Content Since its launch in 2016, Reliance Jio has been revolutionizing India’s telecom industry by offering affordable data, leading to a boom in online video consumption. This merger helps Jio strengthen its position by offering a seamless content experience to its vast user base. Hotstar’s Key Role: Hotstar, owned by Disney, is already a leader in the OTT space, known for its live sports streaming (like IPL) and diverse content library. This merger allows Hotstar to leverage Jio’s vast network reach, giving it access to an even larger audience. Strategic Synergy: By combining Jio’s telecom services with Hotstar’s content, this deal will provide Jio customers even more value. It also strengthens their competition against Netflix and AMAZON PRIME Video in India. The future looks exciting as JioHotstar emerges as a powerful player in India's digital streaming space, offering high-quality content and affordable pricing. #JioHotstar #OTT #Streaming #DigitalTransformation #SportsStreaming #Entertainment #Media Mukesh Ambani Sajith Sivanandan Reed Hastings Andy Jassy NMIMS Indore

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Cricket is more than just a sport in India, it's a full blown cultural phenomenon! This summer has been a non-stop cricketing rollercoaster from IPL's electrifying matches to T20 World Cup's global stage and we at Zomato rode this wave with our flagship cricket IP ‘Match ho toh Zomato’. We knew the score: cricket + viewers = serious snack cravings. Time to make Zomato the go-to teammate for those epic food deliveries 🛵 Building on our phenomenal success of WC '23 campaign, this IPL, we dropped a game-changer, 1st ever contextualised ad campaign we've done. Picture this: die-hard MI fans watching IPL on CTV would see creatives tailored just for their team, while CSK fans got theirs. The hyper-targeted approach delivered a personalized experience for every fan. Talk about owning the cricket CEP 🚀 Hold up, Linkedin fam! We weren't done yet. For WC, we re-assembled a GOAT squad. Ranveer Singh + Samantha + Raj & DK dropped the hottest WC cheer, ever. Adding legends like Dinesh Kartik, Pujara, Rinku Singh, Chris Gayle, and even the rising star Abhisek Sharma was the ultimate power move that not only shattered the SoV meter but also owned the feeds of millions of cricket and Zomato fans 📣 We took the marketing blitz beyond digital sphere with print ads inspired by cricket meme hand-book (because who doesn't love a good meme), city-specific puns on print and even hacked the smallest billboard ever - IPL star Rinku Singh's bat transformed into massive city-wide masterpieces! We even had cricket puns on our food package tapes! No detail was spared.This wasn't a walk in the park - it is a testament to next-level content creation. Unless you have been through the process, it is hard to convey what a herculean effort it is. 300+ creatives, AI videos, influencers, partnerships, media plans, celebs, PR, CRM - packed more firepower in 4 months than some brands would attempt in a year Huge shout-out to the incredible Marketing team who made this happen. The creative mavericks behind the vision and flawless execution - Nikhil George Geetika Jatta Hitesh Makwaney Akshith Nangia @vishalyadav Shivangi Oberoi Parashiv Sinha Anuj D. Amulya Sharma Bahaar B. Pragya Sarin Darshan Padmakaran Shobhit Chawla Hisham T. The powerhouse brand, digital, product team for serving up targeted campaigns that hit the sweet spot Shubhangi Jain Abhilasha Miglani Inderjeet Singh Manas Tewari Rahul Yadav Harmeet Kaur Shreyans Jain Aditya Joshi Prakash Verma Akansha Rajawat Ravi Kiran Anirudh J. Sahibjeet Singh Sawhney Satya Mathur Naba Mukherjee Khushboo Mehra Rahul Arora Kirandeep Kaur. You're the real MVPs As team India enter the semis, have just one wish: to see them lift the trophy and cap off this unforgettable season of cricket, where Zomato attempted to become more than just a food delivery app – to become the soundtrack to every passionate cheer, every nail-biting finish, and every celebratory high-five #MatchhotohZomato #campaign #worldcup #marketing #innovation

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Today's #SpotlightMondays is on the sparkling OGs of Indian strart-up ecosystem - CaratLane - A Tanishq Partnership. Mithun Sacheti and Srinivasa Gopalan started Caratlane in 2008 with a starting capital of 1cr. Coming from the family behind Jaipur Gems in Mumbai, Mithun had studied Gemology in the U.S. to join and run the family business for eight years. One day he decided to do something crazy - Sell jewellery online! After facing numerous rejections from VCs, their breakthrough came with funding from Tiger Global Management. The journey from 2008 to 2016 was challenging—revenues soared from zero to ₹132 Cr, but they faced significant losses of ₹63 Cr. In 2016, Caratlane was noticed by the Tata Group, who were setting up their own jewellery empire under brands like Tanishq, Mia, Zoya. They bought a majority stake, giving Tiger global a full exit. In 2017, Mithun Sacheti met veteran investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala who later became his biggest mentor and guiding force. Despite continued revenue growth (₹621 Cr in FY20), losses persisted. They raised ₹99 cr from Tata group in 2019 at a valution of ₹900cr only. They finally turned profitable in 2021 to their revenue reaching ₹2177Cr in 2023. This was also the time when Tata group bought out the entire stake of Mithun Sacheti for a whooping ₹4261Cr, making it the second largest exit for any e-commerce founder in India. Their product strategy has been multi category - from a child's first jewellery to everyday pieces to statement wedding designs. Their revolutionary offering was the democratization of Solitaire buying. You could go on their website and select the exact size, colour, clarity of diamond for your jewellery with authentication and at prices that a common man did not have access to before. Their distribution strategy has also been omni-channel - spanning over 123 retail stores across 45+ Indian cities and shipping globally to 132 countries like the USA, UK, Singapore, Dubai, Australia & Canada. Mithun Sacheti's journey has not been an easy one. But it highlights a few important takeaways: 1. Persistence Pays Off: Staying the course increases your chances of success 2. The Power of Mentorship: With guidance from Lee Fixel, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, and Tatas, Mithun leveraged the wisdom of his network 3. Customer-Centric Approach: In an industry rife with non-transparency, CaratLane stood out by prioritizing trust and fairness PS: I am very curious to see how Caratlane evolves to tap into the growing market of Lab grown diamonds.

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Jio Cinema: A Game-Changer in the Media Landscape Kudos to Jio Cinema for adding another exciting feature by merging with Disney Hotstar! This strategic move showcases the visionary business mindset of Mukesh Ambani. It’s time to revolutionize the media market, as content is undoubtedly the future. With this merger, Jio Cinema is poised to become a formidable competitor to giants like Netflix and Amazon Prime. The landscape of streaming is evolving, and I can’t wait to see how this collaboration will reshape the viewing experience for audiences. Let the competition begin! #JioCinema #DisneyHotstar #StreamingWars #MediaCompetition #ContentIsKing #DigitalStreaming #MukeshAmbani #SubscriptionGrowth #IndianEntertainment #OTTPlatform #ContentStrategy #StreamingRevolution

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