Digital
70 per cent of consumers tune out repetitive ads: Trade Desk report
MUMBAI: A new study by global advertising technology leader, The Trade Desk (Nasdaq: TTD) titled, “The Untapped Opportunity of Omnichannel,” reveals that an overwhelming 70 per cent of Indian consumers are tired of seeing the same ads repeatedly on a single channel. The findings underscore the urgent need for brands to adopt omnichannel strategies to combat the escalating ad fatigue in India.
According to the report, India now ranks third globally in ad fatigue, trailing only the United States and Australia, surpassing the global average of 68 percent. With users in India spending about nine hours a day across an average of 5.4 media channels– including OTT/CTV, streaming music,news and websites, gaming and more, fragmentation has become a key hurdle for modern marketers.
“While media fragmentation poses a real challenge, our research shows that brands that embrace it through an omnichannel approach can better manage frequency across channels, publishers, and platforms,” said The Trade Desk managing director, Tejinder Gill. “By placing the audience at the center and aligning with how they actually consume media, omnichannel campaigns not only improve the ad experience but also drive stronger brand outcomes.”
The study draws a distinction between omnichannel and multichannel advertising strategies and their impact on consumer engagement. While both approaches use multiple channels, the distinction lies in execution. Multichannel campaigns often operate in siloswithseparate strategies across different platforms. In contrast, omnichannel campaigns unify three or more digital channels (such as mobile, display, native, video, audio, DOOH, or OTT/CTV) into a connected experience that optimizes message sequencing and frequency based on how users consume media.
Recent studiesreveal that omnichannel approaches significantly outperform disconnected media strategies, reducing ad fatigue by 2.2 times and boosting persuasive impact by 1.5 times. Additionally, advertisers leveraging The Trade Desk’s platform for omnichannel campaigns saw a 1.7 times increase in purchase intent whenthree channels are connected holistically. The impact of strategic alignment across channels on the open internet is further validated by findings showing a 77 per cent uplift in return on investment when five channels are integrated.
The report also highlights the unique strengths of each channel, providing a roadmap for brands and agencies seeking to build effective omnichannel plans:
CTV/OTT: With 73 per cent of Indian viewers discovering new brands while streaming, significantly above the global average of 51 per cent, CTV/OTT stands out as a leading channel for brand discovery. Two-thirds (66 per cent) of consumers trust the ads they see on these channels, with a similar share (69 per cent) recalling the brands featured. This powerful combination of discovery, credibility, and emotional storytelling positions CTV/OTT as a cornerstone of any omnichannel strategy.
· Streaming Audio: Provides a unique opportunity to reach audiences in moments few other media can, whether they’re starting their day or seeking background companionship. It is quickly emerging as a high-impact channel for both brand discovery (71 per cent) and recall (66 per cent), rapidly closing the gap with CTV/OTT. The rising popularity of podcasts, especially among Gen Z and Millennials, further expands the advertising potential for brands.
· Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH): As a high-frequency, low-intrusion format, DOOH plays a key role in upper funnel brand-building.Nearly half (47 percent) of Indian consumers notice DOOH formats such as billboards and posters on a daily basis. This makes DOOH a vital complement to digital campaigns, driving mass awareness at scale.
· Gaming: No longer a niche, gaming is now a mainstream channel across age groups. Over 80 percent of Millennials and Gen Zers playgames weekly, higher than the country average of 74 per cent. Most gamers are receptive to ads in exchange for in-game rewards, with Millennials being most receptive. As part of an omnichannel mix, gaming offers immersive, value-driven ad experiences that foster deeper brand engagement.
· Display &Online Video: Display advertising excels at mid-funnel reinforcement, particularly among Millennials, 71 per cent of whom recall display ads. Online video, by contrast, thrives in laid-back, passive moments like casual browsing and proves especially effective with Gen Z, with 72 per cent recalling brands seen in this format. Together, these channels allow brands to strategically tailor campaigns by generation and funnel stage, balancing reach and relevance in a holistic omnichannel approach.
The full report is available for download here.
Digital
Ethical AI must benefit society, not dominate it, says WFEB chief Sanjay Pradhan at IAA event
At Mumbai event, ethics expert urges businesses and governments to shape AI responsibly
MUMBAI: Artificial intelligence may be racing ahead at lightning speed, but its direction must still be guided by human conscience. That was the central message delivered by Sanjay Pradhan, president of the World Forum for Ethics in Business (WFEB), during the latest edition of IAA Conversations held in Mumbai.
The session was organised by the International Advertising Association (IAA) and the Artificial Intelligence Association of India (AIAI) in association with The Free Press Journal at the Free Press House on 7 March. Addressing a packed audience, Pradhan called for stronger ethical leadership to ensure AI remains a tool that benefits humanity rather than one that governs it.
“Artificial intelligence has rapidly become one of the most powerful technologies humanity has created,” Pradhan said. “It is unlocking breakthroughs in medicine, science and creativity at a pace unimaginable just a few years ago.”
But he warned that the same technology carries serious risks. AI, he noted, can amplify disinformation faster than facts can travel, compromise privacy, deepen discrimination and disrupt millions of livelihoods. Referencing concerns raised by AI pioneers such as Geoffrey Hinton, often called the godfather of AI, Pradhan stressed that the real challenge is not whether AI will shape the world, but whether humans will shape it with ethics and wisdom.
Structuring his talk around four guiding questions, why, what, how and who, Pradhan introduced the audience to WFEB’s emerging AI Ethics Partnership, a global platform aimed at advancing responsible artificial intelligence. He outlined four priority concerns that demand urgent attention: disinformation, bias and discrimination, data privacy and job security.
To make the idea of ethical AI easier to grasp, Pradhan offered a simple metaphor. Ethical AI, he said, is like a three layered cake. The outer layer represents the visible value ethical AI creates for businesses and society. The middle layer is organisational culture that moves ethics from written codes to everyday practice. The innermost layer, however, is the most crucial, the conscience of individual leaders.
Drawing from Indian philosophical thought through WFEB co-founder Ravi Shankar, Pradhan noted that while artificial intelligence can reproduce stored knowledge, true intelligence is boundless and rooted in conscience, creativity and compassion. Practices such as breathwork and meditation, he suggested, can help leaders develop the calm clarity needed for ethical decision making.
The event also featured a discussion with Maninder Adityaraj Singh, chief of staff and head of innovation at Rediffusion Brand Solutions Pvt Ltd, and Yash Johri, lawyer, Supreme Court of India.
Opening the session, IAA India chapter president Abhishek Karnani, highlighted the need for industries to understand and engage with AI responsibly.
“AI has to be befriended and understood,” added Rediffusion managing director and AIAI national convenor Sandeep Goyal. “Its ethical use will determine whether it becomes a friend or a foe.”
As AI continues to reshape industries and societies, Pradhan ended with a simple but powerful call to action. Businesses, governments and individuals must work together to ensure that the algorithms shaping the future reflect human values rather than just cold logic.
