'OTT a great platform for advertisers who want to tap into target audience'

Interactive Avenues has grown to be one of the largest full-service digital agencies in the country today. With a team of over 800 experts, the agency provides end-to-end digital solutions for advertisers, from Campaign Creatives to Data Management Services.

In a chat with exchange4media, Co-founder and CEO Amardeep Singh talks to us about strategies to connect with digital-first audiences, the rise of OTT as a medium to connect with people, and his mission and vision for the company.

Interactive Avenues is a powerhouse for brands seeking end-to-end digital solutions. What’s the agency’s mission and vision?

Interactive Avenues was founded with the mission to build a full-service digital agency that could cater to all digital requirements for clients. The agency provides end-to-end digital solutions for advertisers, from Creative which includes Campaign Creatives, Web / App Development, Long Form and Short Form Content, Social Media Management, Advanced Analytics, Social Listening and Online Reputation Management, SEO, Influencer Marketing, eCommerce Solutions, Media Planning, Media Execution and Management including Paid Search, Paid Social, Programmatic and Data Management Services. In the digital domain, there is a lot of interdependencies between services and everything is measurable, hence a silo-ed approach is not in the best interest of the advertisers. Interactive Avenues approach is to break down these silos and provide the best integrated solution to its clients.

Traditionally, clients had to rely on different agencies to meet their digital needs, with one agency for creative, another in media planning and buying and so on, Interactive Avenues aimed to bridge this gap by offering a one-stop-shop for all digital marketing needs. The agency's vision is to be a powerhouse for brands seeking comprehensive digital solutions, leveraging the latest technology and strategies to drive measurable results for its clients. Interactive Avenues prides itself on its team of 800 + experts who bring in-depth knowledge and experience across all digital marketing domains. The agency's focus on innovation, creativity, and technology helps its clients stay ahead of the curve and achieve their business objectives. Overall, the aim of Interactive Avenues is to be a trusted partner for its clients by providing them with customized digital solutions that deliver measurable results.

What is driving the Indian audience to consume digital content?

The Indian audience has rapidly embraced digital content, and several factors are driving this trend. Firstly, the convenience of accessing content anytime and anywhere is a key factor. With the proliferation of smartphones and affordable data plans, viewers can watch their favourite shows on the go, during commutes or breaks, and do not have to be bound to a fixed schedule.

Secondly, the wide variety of content options, including regional content, has been a significant driver for the Indian audience. The penetration of OTT platforms in regional markets has allowed for the creation and distribution of content in local languages, catering to the diverse needs of viewers. This has enabled the audience to connect more deeply with the content and has led to a surge in the consumption of regional content.

Moreover, the affordability of digital platforms, coupled with the ability to personalize viewing experience, has made it a preferred choice for many Indians. The competitive pricing of OTT subscriptions and the option to choose what to watch, when to watch, and how to watch, have given viewers greater control over their entertainment choices. Reducing data costs has enabled advertisers to reach a wider audience. This is because users are more likely to engage with digital content when it is easily accessible and affordable, which in turn increases the brand's share of voice (SoV). All these factors have led to the rapid growth of digital content consumption in India

Digital has officially become the lead advertising medium in 2022. What should be a brands’ strategy to connect with the digital-first audiences?

In today's digital-first world, brands need to adopt new strategies to connect with their audiences. As digital has officially become the lead advertising medium, brands need to focus on creating personalized and hyper-targeted ads that can effectively reach their target audience on digital platforms. Another key aspect of connecting with digital-first audiences is through content that resonates with them. This means using a mix of engaging formats such as video, social media, and mobile ads to capture their attention and keep them engaged. I see OTT as a  great platform in enabling advertisers to tap into their target audience with varied content and ad formats to take care of the advertiser’s media objectives across the marketing funnel.  I see OTT as a great platform that enables advertisers to reach their target audience through a variety of content and ad formats, catering to the advertiser's media objectives across the marketing funnel.

With OTT platforms, brands have the flexibility to create ads that are relevant to specific demographics and interests, and deliver them at the right time and place. OTT advertising has become a significant portion of overall digital ads, and CTV advertising is further contributing to its growth.

In addition, OTT platforms offer a unique opportunity for brands to create meaningful connections with their audiences. By associating with impact properties on these platforms, brands can showcase their values and beliefs, and start mindful conversations with their target audience. Moreover, there is a growing demand for regional content on OTT platforms, which enables brands of all sizes to connect with audiences in regional markets.

How is digital content enabling brands to build deeper connections with audiences? What role does OTT play in this?

Brands need to leverage digital content on OTT platforms to connect with audiences on an emotional level and build meaningful relationships. By thinking beyond traditional advertising and creating impactful associations with marquee shows, brands can forge deeper connections with their audiences and achieve long-term success.

Today, content is king and brands have a plethora of options when it comes to creating meaningful associations with content on OTT platforms.  Branded content, in-show branding, and callouts are effective ways of creating engagement and building trust with the audience.

Viewers connect with content emotionally and form a deep relationship with the show's characters. They often notice the characters' personalities and create an image of them based on their understanding of their traits. This creates an opportunity for brands to personalize their messaging and leverage the relationship between the viewer and the characters to connect with their audience on a deeper level.

OTT platforms like Disney+ Hotstar have become a go-to platform for viewing content. The convenience of watching shows anytime and anywhere, including vernacular shows that are region-specific, has deepened their penetration into regional markets. Brands can leverage this platform to build meaningful connections by associating their products with popular shows and characters

How does associating with impact properties on OTT as a medium help brands reach its marketing goals?

As mentioned earlier, today OTT platforms offer a range of impact properties for brands to create deep associations with their target audience. These impact properties allow brands to go beyond vanilla ads and create meaningful connections with their audience.

Interactive Avenues has been working closely with the Disney+ Hotstar CreativeWorks team to enable some of our key clients to create meaningful associations with marquee impact shows on Disney+ Hotstar. For instance, Amazon Alexa's integration on Koffee With Karan season 7 where Karan Johar called out the product to demonstrate its ability to connect smart homes and created top-of-mind awareness for the product.

Similarly, ITC Foods' Bingo! Mad Angles association with Disney+ Hotstar's Taaza Khabar created relatability amongst the audience for the brand by fitting the co-branded vignette to a Bingo! Mad Angle flavour that matched the show's characters' personalities.

Another advantage of OTT platforms is their ability to offer regional content in multiple languages. Brands can leverage this to build brand awareness through region-specific targeting. By identifying the most-viewed shows in regional languages, brands can create vernacular creatives to target audiences in those regions. Disney+ Hotstar's content offering of over 10+ languages allows for a wide range of regional content that can be leveraged by brands to create deeper connections with their audience. Overall, the use of impact properties and regional content on OTT platforms can help brands create effective campaigns and reach their target audience with greater precision.

You mentioned leveraging regional content on Disney+ Hotstar. Can you throw some light on the regional campaigns you executed on the platform?

The use of impact properties in advertising has been successful in recent campaigns we executed with Disney+ Hotstar. For instance, Spotify has leveraged regional properties such as Bigg Boss Tamil and Telugu, and Parampara to reach audiences in the South regions of India. This has enabled the brand to connect with viewers emotionally, resulting in a deeper relationship between the brand and the target audience. Spotify also employs interest-based targeting through English content, where ads are in English, and first-party targeting to encourage non-subscribers to subscribe or encourage subscribers who haven't renewed their subscriptions.

Similarly, ITC Foods' campaign on Malayalam film ‘Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey’ utilized co-branded vignettes to create relatability among the audience for the brand. Meanwhile, Tourism Australia's campaign on Connected TV (CTV) was successful in reaching affluent audiences. Additionally, with content in multiple languages offered by Disney+ Hotstar, it can be leveraged to build brand awareness through region-specific targeting. The platform identifies the most-viewed shows in regional languages and enables advertisers to leverage those shows to target audiences with vernacular creatives. Overall, the use of impact properties, interest-based targeting, first-party targeting, personalizing creatives based on languages, and leveraging regional content have proven to be successful strategies for brands to reach their target audience on Disney+ Hotstar's platform. Along with these marquee shows in their entertainment portfolio, we have also leveraged live sports marketing, especially for emerging sports such as Formula E and the recently concluded Women’s T20 WC on Disney+ Hotstar for our clients.

You mentioned brand associations with Formula E and the Women’s T20 WC. What makes emerging sports an attractive proposition for brands?

Emerging sports offer a unique opportunity for brands to tap into new and potentially untapped audiences. Unlike traditional sports, emerging sports often have a smaller but dedicated fan base, which allows brands to target a specific audience that is highly engaged and passionate about the sport. This can be especially attractive for brands that are looking to reach a younger or more diverse audience.

Emerging sports such as Formula E and T20 Women's World Cup have a rapidly growing global viewership. For instance, Accenture's association with T20 Women's World Cup showcased their commitment to gender equality and women's empowerment, which resonated well with the audience. Similarly, Mahindra Racing's association with Formula E not only helped them promote their brand but also gave a powerful and meaningful message to help alter perceptions and speed up the switch to electric mobility. Overall, the association with emerging sports allows brands to create a unique identity, showcase their values, and reach a wider audience, making it an attractive proposition for them.

What according to you, will be the biggest trends in the world of digital advertising this year?

One of the biggest trends in digital advertising this year is the rise of Connected TV (CTV). Advertisers are shifting focus to CTV to reach a wider audience, including cord-cutters and cord-shavers. These viewers have abandoned traditional viewing channels and now consume on-demand content through streaming services and OTT platforms. The number of active devices for CTV is currently around 25 million*, but it is projected to grow to 40 million* by 2025. This growth indicates the increasing popularity and adoption of streaming devices and smart TVs, further emphasizing the importance of targeting the CTV audience. With the increasing popularity of CTV, advertisers have quickly shifted their ad spend towards it. The overall CTV audience, encompassing cord-cutters and traditional TV viewers, indicates significant growth, highlighting the importance of targeting them. Advertisers and marketers should rely on CTV to tap into this sizable audience, assess campaign reach through CTV measurement, and ensure that CTV is part of their informed advertising strategies.

Another trend is the growing importance of first-party data. With the increasing focus on data privacy and the phasing out of third-party cookies, advertisers are looking towards building their first-party data. This provides advertisers more control over their data, allowing them to use it to create more personalized and targeted campaigns.

I'd also like to highlight the use of impact properties, and brands associating with popular shows or series to create deeper connections with the target audience. For example, a brand can sponsor a popular show and create co-branded vignettes that fit the show's character or theme. This approach can help brands create relatability among the audience and build stronger brand affinity. The use of a show's character to promote a brand involves leveraging a character's personality traits, behaviors, or attitudes to create a relatable and memorable campaign. For instance, a brand can create a character that embodies the brand's values and use that character in its advertising campaign. This approach can help brands create a unique and memorable campaign that stands out from the crowd and resonates with the target audience.

*Source - India CTV report by MediaSmart.

(This is advertorial content curated by partner team)