MAM
Mindshare India expands its footprint in the east
Mumbai: Expanding its foothold in the east, Mindshare, GroupM’s flagship agency has partnered with several new clients in Kolkata who are looking to explore their marketing strategies beyond traditional media, it said on Monday.
Mindshare India has a mix of brands in its client roster across sectors like retail, manufacturing, jewelry, FMCG, etc. with brands like Nature’s basket, Berger Paints, Senco, Tata Steel, Khadims, Dollar, Dey’s Medical, etc. The most recent wins the agency saw were Openbrain Pvt Ltd and SPS Steel Rolling Mills Ltd.
“We aim to continue consolidating existing businesses and rapidly grow with new business wins in the east, particularly in the Kolkata market. We believe in the significant, but the hitherto untapped potential of this region,” said Mindshare north and east India – senior vice president (client leadership) Ruchi Mathur. “Digital and e-commerce are increasingly emerging as areas of prime interest hence they will be our priority. Mindshare is fully committed to developing and expanding its footprint in the East.”
Brands in the East market have been experimenting with media strategies across the funnel and are focusing on traditional mediums along with digital media, emerging platforms, e-commerce, Influencers, content, and integrations, the agency said.
Mindshare South Asia CEO Parthasarathy Mandayam said, “As part of our ‘good growth’ agenda, we are committed to building stronger brands in this market. Brands are keener than ever before to revamp their strategies basis the changing consumer preferences. The capability and potential of the East market is huge. It’s exciting to see the Mindshare Kolkata team partner with prestigious brands across categories on their transformation journey.”
MAM
Bitmovin adds server-guided ad insertion to boost streaming revenue
New SGAI support promises smoother, smarter and more personalised ads
VIENNA: Bitmovin has introduced support for server-guided ad insertion, or SGAI, across its playback products, marking a step forward in how streaming platforms deliver advertising.
The update leverages HLS interstitials, a standardised format for signalling ad breaks, allowing smoother coordination between playback systems and ad technologies. The aim is simple. Make ads less disruptive for viewers while giving platforms more control and flexibility.
SGAI blends the advantages of client-side and server-side ad insertion, enabling real-time ad decisioning and more personalised targeting. Because HLS interstitials are widely supported across devices, the feature is expected to deliver consistent ad playback across a broad range of screens.
For streaming services, the benefits go beyond viewer experience. The technology can help lower infrastructure costs, extend DVR windows and support more dynamic ad formats such as picture-in-picture, side-by-side and squeeze-back ads, opening up new monetisation opportunities.
Bitmovin senior director of product management James Varndell said, “Ads are now a primary revenue stream for video services, and SGAI is set to take ad-supported streaming beyond current capabilities. We’re excited to support SGAI across our playback products and look forward to seeing how our customers use it.”
The company is also offering extensive configuration options, allowing video providers to fine-tune both user experience and business strategy around ad delivery.
Bitmovin will showcase the new capability at the upcoming NAB Show in Las Vegas later this month.
As streaming platforms continue to balance viewer satisfaction with revenue goals, Bitmovin’s latest move suggests the future of ads may be less about interruption and more about integration.
