MAM
Skoda India launches all-new WhatsApp Bot for buyers
MUMBAI: With the lockdown and social distancing norms keeping customers at home, Skoda Auto India and PHD Media have come together to launch an all-new WhatsApp bot for the automobile manufacturer’s customer engagement.
Meant for both current owners of Skoda vehicles and for prospective buyers, the WhatsApp Chat service provides easy and convenient access for customers in need of information. The service also ensures that consumers can avail of automated customer-care on a 24*7 basis. This tool is not only expected to boost overall customer engagement and improve communication, but it will also strengthen marketing via automation.
Tarun Jha, head of marketing at Skoda Auto India said, “In times like these, it’s important to turn to innovative, new solutions every day. With the WhatsApp Bot, we want to reassure our customers that we are always available and easily accessible for any query they may have. In light of the lockdown, it has become essential to provide customers with alternative avenues of communication and our on-demand customer support offering is going to do just that. The added personal touch of chat is also slated to further raise customer engagement.”
PHD Media India CEO Monaz Todywalla said about the Whatsapp Bot: “We are essentially automating marketing with aided product discovery. The new service also promises to engage consumers significantly more because of the graphical output and easy notifications for opt-in users.”
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.
