iWorld
Short videos drive over 47 per cent consumer choices: ShareChat & Moj Report
Mumbai: As the festive fervour sweeps across India, a notable shift in consumer behaviour is being observed with almost half of (47 per cent) of Indian consumers being influenced by short-form videos while making their purchases, cities “Short Form Big Impact: Festive Blueprint”, a report by social media platforms ShareChat & Moj.
Short-form videos have become a staple in the daily lives of Indian consumers as 81 per cent consumers actively watch bite-sized form of content. Increasingly influential among consumers aged 25-44, almost 50 per cent of them base their purchase decisions on the content they consume on short video platforms.
Key Highlights
● Influence of Short videos: The more India watches short-form videos, the more its purchase decisions are influenced by them. 59% of those who watch more than 60 minutes make purchase decisions based on short-form videos.
● Native language supremacy: 86% of India wants content in their regional language, with 84% finding content in their regional languages more relatable and trustworthy. 45% of India makes purchases based on videos from creators in their native language.
● Rise of micro influencers: In Tier 3 cities, purchase decisions are most influenced by creator-led videos. 70 per cent of creators create more content around and during festivals, with 79 per cent of them garnering an increase in user engagement on creator-led content.
● Festive must-haves: The top trending choices for consumers are clothing, home decor and gifts, followed by beauty, food and electronics.
● Brand affinity: Around 34 per cent of shoppers are open to exploring new brands, making this a key moment for brands to shine. In the West, 39 per cent of Indians are ready to experiment with new brands, showing a strong sense of curiosity. On the other hand, the South showcases brand loyalty, with 68% preferring their trusted favourites.
“We are living in a transformative era where short videos are driving purchase decisions for most of the Indians. As India gears up for the festive season, platforms like ShareChat and Moj offer brands a unique opportunity to engage with consumers in a meaningful way and drive authentic connections. By leveraging the power of short-form content, regional language preferences, and trusted creators, brands can optimise their impact and drive significant sales.”
“In this new shopping landscape, that has shifted majorly from traditional means to the consumers’ fingertips, we are proud to be acting as a bridge between consumers and brands. Brands have continued to receive returns through platforms such as ours, with a deep understanding of culture and language, fueled by creativity and strong strategic solutions adapting to evolving needs of today’s consumer.” said ShareChat and Moj chief business officer Gaurav Jain.
Short videos have become a key factor in shaping consumer behavior in India, evolving from brief moments of scrolling to capturing a significant portion of India’s daily screen time. Nearly 50 per cent of Indians watch short-form videos for more than 30 minutes a day, with 29 per cent spending more than 60 minutes a day, with women for both. The more time India spends on these videos, the more they shape decisions—showing the unexplored potential of short-form content. Short-form videos are not just a metro or Tier 1 phenomenon—they have a widespread influence across all regions. Moreover, purchase decisions in Tier 3 cities are more influenced by short-form videos, with 49% making decisions based on them, compared to an average of 45.7 per cent in other regions.
The survey encompassed insights from 6,000 users and 100 creators on ShareChat and Moj platforms, aiming to comprehend their festive activities, language preferences, and relationships with regional creators It encompassed people from diverse backgrounds and helped pinpoint a significant trend—the profoundness of short-form videos in swaying consumer behaviour. To access the full report, please visit https://ads.sharechat.com/research-and-insights/short-form-big-impact-festive-blueprint
Gaming
MTG gaming chief Benninghoff joins NODWIN board as esports firm primes for IPO
The Gurugram-based esports firm is pursuing a public listing, has returned to profitability and is growing revenues by 42 per cent
GURUGRAM: NODWIN Gaming is moving fast. The Gurugram-based gaming and esports company has launched a pre-IPO fundraising round, appointed UBS as lead adviser for both the round and a subsequent public listing, and landed a heavyweight board director, all in one go.
The new board member is Arnd Benninghoff, executive vice president of gaming at Stockholm-listed Modern Times Group (MTG), who has overseen the group’s strategic investments and portfolio growth since 2014. He is no stranger to building things: Benninghoff has founded and built fifteen companies, served as chief digital officer at ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, managing director of SevenVentures, and chief executive of Holtzbrinck eLAB. He began his career as a journalist at Deutsche Presse Agentur and various TV networks, holds a Diplom-Kaufmann in business and administration from the University of Münster, and previously sat on the board of Edgeware AB.
The numbers back the ambition
NODWIN is not pitching a story without substance. The company has returned to EBITDA profitability and posted a 42 per cent year-on-year revenue surge, reaching $58.5m in the first nine months of FY2026. The pre-IPO round will combine a primary issuance to fund global expansion through organic growth and acquisitions, alongside a secondary sale to give existing shareholders some liquidity.
Akshat Rathee, co-founder and managing director of NODWIN Gaming, said Benninghoff understands “the entire lifecycle of the gaming and media ecosystem, from the boots-on-the-ground reality of building startups to the strategic complexity of managing multi-billion dollar global portfolios.”
Benninghoff, for his part, said the company “sits at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and technology, making it one of the most exciting players in the global gaming landscape today.”
A portfolio built for the global south
Founded in 2014 by Rathee and Gautam Virk, NODWIN has quietly assembled one of the more compelling esports portfolios outside the Western hemisphere. Its properties include DreamHack India and Comic Con India, and it recently acquired StarLadder, the Ukraine-based tournament organiser behind premier events in CS:GO and Dota 2. The company also serves as a long-term strategic marketing partner for the Evolution Championship Series (EVO), the world’s most prominent fighting game tournament, helping push it into new geographies.
Its geographic focus spans South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Backers include Nazara Technologies, KRAFTON, Sony Group Corporation, JetSynthesys, and the founders’ investment vehicle Good Game Investments.
What comes next
With UBS running the books, a board freshly reinforced with European media and gaming expertise, and revenue heading in the right direction, NODWIN is laying the groundwork deliberately. The esports industry has burned investors before with big promises and thin margins. NODWIN’s return to profitability, combined with a real portfolio of owned intellectual properties across gaming, music and youth culture, gives it a more credible runway than most. The IPO clock is now ticking.
