MAM
71% of IPL viewers get influenced by ads with Bollywood celebs: iCubesWire survey
Mumbai: With Indian Premier League (IPL) fever spreading across India and marketers promoting the event as one of the biggest advertising ecosystem in the country, a whopping 71 per cent of the respondents surveyed said their buying decisions get influenced if there is a Bollywood celebrity in streaming ads. Digital marketing agency iCubesWire conducted a IPL marketing and advertising survey among 1,000 respondents from mid-March to mid-April.
The survey further indicates that a significant 74 per cent of the respondents agreed that their buying decisions from IPL streaming ads get influenced by such ads that are targeted towards children or liked by younger age segment.
“IPL is one of the biggest sporting event on the planet and lot of advertising money is spent on its broadcasting by brands to reach out to their target group,” iCubesWire CEO Sahil Chopra. “This survey has clearly indicated that brands are still banking on Bollywood celebrities to deliver their message to end users, a trend which we believe will continue to stay with many OTT celebrities also joining the fray.”
As the country in the last few years has also been witnessing a major push towards getting back to Indian roots, 73 per cent of the respondents said they prefer watching ads that show Indian culture or legacy.
Not surprisingly, Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way we buy products and services with healthcare becoming the top concern for everyone. The healthcare sector including health insurance advertisements during IPL streaming has led to 78 per cent of the surveyed respondents to invest on their physical fitness and health.
Other key findings are:
· IPL survey says that 80 per cent of fans enjoy interaction over chat apps during live streaming.
· Nearly 64 per cent people of the poll takers like to watch IPL matches on TV. On the other hand, 32 per cent of the people like to watch IPL matches on their mobile phones, a number that has been consistently growing over the last few years.
· In terms of language, respondents preferred to watch ads in both English and Hindi equally at 47 per cent.
· Fantasy cricket leagues have been gaining traction as one of the leading advertisers on IPL, and 69 per cent of the respondents agreed that they participate in such gaming leagues.
· As fast internet has reached to almost all corners of India, 80 per cent of the respondents said they participate in community viewing virtually and chat with friends and relatives on the streaming apps.
Brands
Abhinav Rastogi named global marketing director for YouTube Shopping
Google veteran to scale creator commerce and expand shopping across global markets
SINGAPORE: Abhinav Rastogi has stepped into a new role as global marketing director for YouTube Shopping, marking the latest chapter in a more than decade-long career at Google.
Rastogi, who took on the position in February and is based in Singapore, will lead global marketing for YouTube Shopping, a platform designed to connect creators, viewers and merchants in a single ecosystem. His remit includes expanding the service into new markets and strengthening its positioning as a growth channel for both creators and brands.
In a reflective note on the transition, Rastogi pointed to a simple but powerful idea driving the role. For years, creators have quietly built trust with audiences through consistent and authentic content, and that trust often shapes purchasing decisions. What is changing now, he said, is the infrastructure around that behaviour. YouTube Shopping aims to make it easier for viewers to discover and buy products recommended by creators they already follow.
The scale is already significant. More than half a million creators have joined the programme, with recent expansion into Japan through a partnership with Rakuten signalling further global ambitions.
Rastogi believes the future of shopping on YouTube will be driven by a blend of creators, content and communities. In his view, it is the human voice behind the screen, not just the product, that ultimately builds trust and drives discovery.
Prior to this role, he served as director of marketing, YouTube Asia Pacific, where he led regional marketing across creator engagement, brand building and reputation. During that time, he played a key role in launching and scaling YouTube Shopping across eight markets in the region.
Earlier stints at Google include group product marketing manager, consumer apps, overseeing growth for products such as Search, Maps and Assistant across India and Southeast Asia, and product marketing manager roles spanning consumer apps and YouTube, where he contributed to launches including YouTube Music, YouTube Originals and YouTube Shorts.
Rastogi began his career in consulting with Boston Consulting Group and A.T. Kearney, before moving into the technology sector. He is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Management Calcutta and Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.
Alongside his corporate role, he is also an active angel investor, backing early-stage startups in consumer technology and electric mobility across India and Southeast Asia.
As he settles into the new role, Rastogi is betting on a future where every video can double up as a storefront, and where commerce feels less like a transaction and more like a recommendation from a trusted voice.
