MAM
Advertisers, take a bite from this audio pie
MUMBAI: India, in the middle of a digital boom, has seen a stupendous growth in the OTT industry. Once considered a traditional audio-video market, India is increasingly taking to digital platforms for entertainment. The audio industry is the next big thing in the Indian OTT world. As revealed by IFPI Global Music Report 2019, which surveyed music consumers aged 16–64 across nine geographical locations in India, 97 per cent of the respondents admitted to listening to music on their smartphones.
Gaana CEO Prashan Agarwal says, “Currently more than 225 million users in India are consuming music online. The Indian music streaming industry is booming, and the market will grow to 400 million monthly active users in the next two years. As the country’s go-to music app, our users are streaming over 3.5 billion songs every month.”
IVM Podcast spokesperson also notes that audio platforms in India are increasing in popularity every day. “Currently in India, there are 200-300 million subscribers on OTT music streaming platforms and approximately 10 million listeners for podcasts.”
This makes for a good opportunity for advertisers to tap this gold mine of communication to reach their target consumers as the same report reveals that 86 per cent of consumers engage with on-demand streaming services for their music. Subscription streaming revenues grew by 33.3 per cent from Rs 73.2 crore to Rs 292.8 crore and ad-supported audio streaming income rose by 43.6 per cent to Rs 78 crore to Rs 257 crore in 2018.
Agarwal says that platforms like Gaana empower advertisers to connect to the consumers at a personal level, enabling them to create hyper-personalised ads in real-time by tagging parts of commercial scripts to create and serve relevant ads. Gaana also offers a suite of advertising opportunities including premium dynamic ads that can be fully customised based on the advertiser’s specific requirements.
Podcasts, which are an equally dynamic category experiencing mammoth growth online, also provide a great platform to advertisers. The IVM Podcast spokesperson says, “Those listening to podcasts generally tune in from the beginning of the episode and stay listening till the end. This gives brands immense scope to explore through the timeline of the episode and place their advertisements for greater impact. The audience that tunes in usually falls in the category of tastemakers and influential listeners. Because of this, the advertisers can carry out hyper-targeting to find their exact target group and approach them in a new fashion.”
The audio-industry is at an inflexion point right now and it will be smarter for advertisers to invest in it. It will not only help them reach their target audience at scale but will also provide a better-targeted reach.
MAM
Boost Milkshake launches ‘The New Secret of Mahi Energy’ campaign with MS Dhoni
VML India crafts energetic tribute linking cricketing icon’s legacy to Gen Z fans.
MUMBAI: Boost Milkshake has found a fresh way to charge up its brand by plugging straight into the unbeatable energy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his millions of passionate fans. VML India has created an electrifying new campaign for Boost Milkshake titled ‘The New Secret of Mahi Energy’. The multi-channel, social-first campaign celebrates Dhoni’s enduring legacy of excellence, resilience, and drive, while cleverly positioning the ready-to-drink milkshake as the secret fuel behind “Thala’s” iconic Number 7 energy.
Designed specifically for Gen Z’s digital habits and love for authentic, shareable experiences, the month-long campaign blends cultural insight with high-impact creative execution. It features captivating out-of-home activations in Mumbai, Chennai and Guwahati, along with strong social-first initiatives amplified by authentic Dhoni fan pages and influencers, including superfan Saravanan Hari.
VML India managing partner for North Jaibeer Ahmad said, “Boost has always stood for the energy that fuels belief. Today, energy is not just physical, it’s emotional, collective, and contagious. Boost Milkshake taps into this new-age energy, fuelling the passion of a billion fans who power every moment of greatness.”
VML India, senior VP and executive creative directors Nakul Sharma and Tirtha Ghosh added, “MS Dhoni isn’t just a player in India, he’s a phenomenon. We turned fandom from a passive emotion into an active source of energy. The same energy that powers Mahi also lives within his fans.”
Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) head of brand building for lifestyle nutrition Shailee Chatrath Tyagi noted, “Boost is the OG of cricket culture. With the national launch of Boost Milkshake in ready-to-drink format, ‘The New Secret of Mahi Energy’ is a befitting tribute to the eternal equation of Mahi and his million fans.”
Timed perfectly with the ongoing IPL season, the campaign reinforces Boost Milkshake’s connection with a new generation while celebrating Dhoni’s legendary status as he once again dons the iconic Number 7 jersey.
In a country where cricket runs on emotion as much as skill, Boost has smartly shifted the narrative, the real secret of Mahi’s energy isn’t just inside the champion, it’s also inside the millions of fans cheering him on. And now, there’s a tasty milkshake to power that collective belief.
