By Tejinder Gill
This festive season, India is on the brink of a consumer spending boom. And the good news is most shoppers are not just ready to spend, they are actively browsing and exploring brands and products, with 82% still in the decision-making phase, according to the Disney+ Hotstar Festive Sentiment survey.
With such high optimism, the digital marketplace is buzzing with opportunity. To thrive in this crowded landscape, success hinges on tapping into fresh data sources, reimagining strategies, and executing campaigns that effectively command consumer attention.
The Open Internet offers meaningful engagement
With online channels dominating much of the festive purchases this year, brands have a golden opportunity to connect with India’s digital natives on their most engaged platforms. The open internet is where consumers are most receptive to ads, offering a fresh approach to reaching this dynamic audience.
Recent research insights featured the report, ‘Why the Open Internet is the New Premium, ’ reveal that more young adults are actively engaging on platforms like online games (35%), OTT/CTV, and news/websites (34%), compared to social media platforms (30%). The report also highlights that ads on these open internet platforms, especially OTT/CTV and music streaming, are perceived as more trustworthy than those on social media. Meanwhile, online gaming takes the lead in ad recall, followed by news websites and music streaming.
The data underscores that younger Indians are active seekers of meaningful content. To connect effectively with them, brands must pivot from traditional platforms to the open internet, focusing on channels where they spend time and engage the most.
OTT/CTV is India’s favourite destination for premium content
Indian viewers are increasingly turning to OTT/CTV for premium content, with 33 percent choosing these platforms as it offers more of their favourite shows and exclusive content, as reported in the open internet report. During the festive period, OTT/CTV is set to take centre stage, as people indulge in the latest films, gripping TV series, and international hits with their loved ones.
The association of OTT/CTV being the home of premium content naturally extends to the ads displayed on these platforms. The research shows that young adults aged 18 to 34 are 55 percent more likely to view brands advertising on OTT/CTV as premium compared to user-generated content (UGC) video platforms. For brands looking to influence consumers who are thoughtfully selecting their festive purchases, leveraging these platforms can deepen engagement with an audience already primed for premium experiences.
The secret weapon: Retail data
While retail media has gained traction over the past year, retail data is rapidly becoming a game-changer in digital advertising. Retail data is rooted in real transactions, offering rich first-party data insights, such as spending history, shopping cart contents, and loyalty programs.
One of the most exciting aspects of retail data is its potential to transcend the confines of retail media. Unlike traditional data, it enables marketers to connect with consumers much earlier in their shopping journey — not just when they’re in-store or online, but while they’re on the open internet — streaming a movie, reading news, or listening to music.
Innovative brands are now leveraging retail data in off-site environments on the open internet, where consumers are spending over half of their digital media time. With online ads cited as the top source of product information this festive season, brands can leverage retail data to more effectively serve targeted ads to shoppers who are still in their discovery phase.
Beyond building upper funnel brand awareness, retail data’s festive magic extends to omnichannel attribution. For those looking to track media ROI of their festive investment, they can now connect the dots between, say, ads on streaming TV and a subsequent sale. This ability to link the impact of their digital ads to both in-store and online purchases brings brands closer to achieving the holy grail of marketing.
Ultimately, it goes beyond the festive season; it’s about building loyalty that lasts well past the holidays. The open internet offers brands a competitive advantage to turn festive cheer into lasting consumer engagement.
The author is general manager, The Trade Desk. Views expressed in this article are personal.