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59 per cent of mobile web users comfortable with mobile ads: Study
MUMBAI: The appetite for mobile media continues to rise and that the mobile is not just a fundamental part of consumers‘ communication needs, but increasingly the core platform through which they access the Internet and engage with brands online.
To better understand changing media consumption usage and behaviours across the world, Bangalore-based mobile ad network InMobi has released the findings of its Mobile Media Consumption Report, a study of over 15,000 mobile users in 14 markets across all continents through its global mobile ad network, and research partners Decision Fuel and OnDevice Research.
InMobi Co-Founder and CEO Naveen Tewari said, “Mobile devices now permeate every aspect of modern life. The study reveals that mobile users are always-on, whether surfing the web while spending time with family (48 per cent), at a social event (45 per cent), commuting (60 per cent) and shopping (43 per cent). This creates a huge opportunity for brands and marketers to engage with consumers throughout the day unlike traditional advertising like print and TV.”
Mobile interactions increasingly influence buying behaviour: Overall analysis reinforces the shift towards mobile with 50 per cent of the average global mobile web user now using mobile as either their primary or exclusive means of going online. This has resulted in mobile devices becoming an indispensable shopping tool, gaining popularity as a viable shopping channel and now used throughout the research and decision-making process of a purchase.
Mobile advertising‘s proving to be effective across the entire purchase funnel:
- 75 per cent of respondents admitted that they‘d been introduced to something new via their mobile device
- 67 per cent feel that it had provided them with better options
- 46 per cent said that they had made purchases using their mobile device
- 45 per cent said it has influenced their in-store purchase
Opportunities for brands to engage with consumers through mobile apps: Mobile apps can offer brands opportunities to engage with consumers on a more personal level all across the globe. The findings of the research reveal the accelerated usage of mobile apps and found that the average consumer actively uses 6.5 apps throughout a 30-day period.
Encouragingly, 54 per cent of respondents reported that they had noticed ads while engaged in an app. In fact, a considerable 80 per cent of respondents were influenced by a mobile ad to download an app and 67 per cent went on to visit a brand‘s website immediately afterwards. Mobile advertising is not only helping to drive app downloads but also increase website traffic.
Ad format preferences are emerging for different user segments : The research found that 59 per cent of mobile users are now as comfortable with mobile advertising as they are with TV or online advertising. Whilst mobile ads in apps are the most noticed among mobile users, the study highlighted those different formats of mobile ads appeal to different segments of consumers. Globally, 54 per cent of users discover mobile ads via apps, 40 per cent on a search engine, 27 per cent on a retailer website and 23 per cent on a video website.
Mobile commerce surges: M-commerce continues to evolve and consumer adoption is high with 66 per cent of consumers surveyed having spent money on an activity via a mobile device. This will continue to increase significantly as 80 per cent of consumers plan to conduct mobile commerce in the next 12 months, a 21 per cent increase from where we are today.
Tewari concluded, “This study reiterates the industry stats on the mobile media consumption boom. With consumers now being increasingly receptive to mobile advertising and in-app ads, there has never been a better time for brands to embrace the use of mobile technologies. Finally, it highlights the fact that there is a real need for the industry to continue to rapidly innovate the ad experience and deliver rich, relevant, and timely content to the user.”
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
