It is not new that the digital saturation and consumer scepticism in the advertising world are at an all-time high. With increasing saturation across online platforms, many feel desensitised or even frustrated by the noise. As a result, brands are shifting focus towards more personalized, non-intrusive approaches that connect with consumers in meaningful ways, respecting their privacy while delivering relevant content. This shift is prompting a return to offline and everyday touchpoints, where ads blend seamlessly into daily life, offering a more organic and engaging experience that feels less disruptive and more authentic.
In conversation with BrandWagon Online, Wahter’s Amitt Nenwani on the company’s non-intrusive way to engage with customers, strategies for the future of advertising and consumer empowerment.
The advertising industry has undergone significant shifts in recent years. How do you view the current advertising landscape, and what major trends do you see shaping its future?
The advertising industry today is witnessing a major shift towards personalisation and consumer empowerment. With consumers becoming more selective and discerning, brands are now focusing on creating more meaningful, personalised experiences rather than just pushing out mass messages. This trend allows consumers to engage with brands that resonate with their values and needs. At the same time, digital fatigue has become a growing concern, with many consumers feeling overwhelmed by constant online ads. As a result, traditional advertising is making a comeback, with brands looking to connect with audiences through more organic and less intrusive means. One of the most exciting trends is the integration of advertising into everyday, usable products. Wahter, for example, is tapping into this by embedding ads directly onto bottled water, allowing brands to reach consumers in a context where they are more engaged and less likely to tune out the message. This approach is redefining how and where brands connect with their audience.
With consumers becoming increasingly aware and selective, what do you think are the biggest challenges brands face today in reaching their target audiences effectively?
One of the biggest challenges brands face is breaking through the saturation of advertising on digital platforms. With so much content competing for consumer attention, standing out requires more creativity and a genuine connection to the audience. Another challenge is managing consumer privacy concerns, as personalised ads depend on data usage that consumers are now wary of. Brands must navigate these challenges by ensuring their ads are relevant, respectful of consumer privacy, and authentically aligned with consumer values. That’s why at Wahter, we focus on delivering ads in a way that doesn’t intrude but instead adds value through a product that people already need.
Wahter has run campaigns for several brands. Could you share some of the learnings from these campaigns and how they’ve shaped your approach to brand partnerships?
Our campaigns with brands like boAt, Vijay Sales, ACE Capitals, and Crepfe have been instrumental in shaping our understanding of what connects with consumers and refining our approach to brand partnerships. One key learning is the importance of context, ads that blend naturally into their surroundings resonate more deeply with audiences. For us, this means crafting messages that are short, impactful, and memorable, designed to catch a consumer’s attention within seconds on a water bottle, a space where subtlety and precision are key.
Hyperlocal targeting has proven exceptionally effective for brands seeking to engage specific audiences in high-footfall areas. For example, for Vijay Sales, a leading retail giant in consumer electronics, Wahter delivered 100% of its marketing spend within the initial days of the campaign demonstrating strong consumer engagement. For ACE Capitals, our campaign delivered an ROI of over five per cent, reflecting the effectiveness of targeted physical advertising in a crowded market.
The success of these campaigns has not only validated our approach but also revealed a significant gap in the advertising industry, a lack of non-traditional, everyday channels that deliver authentic engagement. This has inspired us to further refine our model, ensuring that our partnerships leverage organic, relatable touchpoints that deliver genuine value for both the brands we work with and the consumers they aim to reach.
Experiential advertising has gained popularity as brands look to create memorable interactions with consumers. What are your views on the potential of experiential advertising?
Experiential advertising is incredibly powerful because it lets consumers actively engage with a brand rather than just passively viewing an ad. This can create lasting impressions, particularly with younger audiences who value experiences over products. The challenge lies in making these experiences feel authentic and seamlessly integrated into consumers’ lives. In Wahter’s case, the act of purchasing a water bottle branded with ads brings a subtle yet impactful brand interaction. I think experiential advertising will continue to grow, especially as brands find ways to blend online and offline experiences in innovative, memorable ways.
As brands seek to reach audiences on a more personal level, hyperlocal advertising is gaining traction. How do you see this trend evolving in India, particularly in urban and rural areas?
India’s diversity makes hyperlocal advertising highly effective, as it allows brands to tailor their messages to the specific preferences and needs of local communities. In urban areas, where there’s a concentration of young, digitally connected consumers, hyperlocal campaigns can use mobile technology and digital out-of-home (OOH) advertising to create real-time, location-based ads. In rural areas, the approach may be different, with more emphasis on community touchpoints. At Wahter, we’re exploring ways to bring hyperlocal advertising through our water carts in different parts of the country, reaching specific audiences based on location and occasion.
What are Wahter’s key priorities for the next year in terms of growth and scaling operations?
Our main goal for the coming year is to make Wahter the top advertising choice for brands. To achieve this, we are expanding our reach by adding more water carts and kiosks in high-traffic urban areas, giving advertisers a wider audience and more targeted exposure. The positive response to our advertising model has been strong, showing us that our approach truly resonates with consumers.
This response has also revealed gaps in the market where we see untapped potential for brand engagement. To address these, we are preparing to launch a new advertising model designed specifically to fill these gaps and offer brands more direct, meaningful ways to reach their audience. Alongside this, we’ll continue to grow our partnerships, optimise production and logistics, and ensure quality and reliability, building the company as a trusted and innovative platform for both brands and consumers.