Digital Agencies
Brands likely to prefer OTT over linear TV, says DViO founder & CEO Sowmya Iyer
MUMBAI: In today’s digital-led world, brands need to reposition themselves and DViO Digital is doing its bit being one of the largest integrated marketing companies in India. The company takes pride in its creative, technical, and digital expertise. It also runs a startup incubator of over 18 companies and a research lab to work towards meaningful application of new age technologies like AI, ML, VR, and AR in marketing ecosystem for brands.
Started in 2007 as Xebec Digital (rebranded as DViO in 2017), the company, in the past few years, has handled a number of successful campaigns for brands like Star World, Star Movies, Star Gold, Hotstar International, Gaana.com, Reliance Mutual Fund, Cox and Kings, Protinex, among others. for brands like Star Gold Select,Gaana, Aldo, Aurelia, Protinex, and Signature Tours.
Founder and CEO of the company, Sowmya Iyer, in an exclusive conversation with Indiantelevision.com’s Mansi Sharma, shares how the digital ecosphere has evolved in the past decade.
According to her, the biggest transformation has been the blurring of the line between traditional and digital media. She says, “Brands don’t look at media as traditional v/s digital anymore. The media investment decisions are taken based on the consumer’s environment and media consumption patterns.”
Sowmya quips that digital is no longer the ‘new media’ and OTT is well-positioned to take over linear TV if 5G is delivered as promised. “In fact application and integration of VR, AR, chatbots and voice search in marketing are adding new and very interesting dimensions to digital marketing.”
“If you look at the figures – ad spends in digital are at 17 per cent of the total media spends. It is expected to grow to 29 per cent share by 2021. In fact, media like TV, radio, and print are expected to see a decline. This only points towards a change in media consumption habits owning to smartphones and smart TV.”
But this massive growth also brings along a few challenges for the market. Sowmya contends, “The key challenge, which can also be a huge opportunity, is the pace at which digital marketing platforms and technology are innovating and changing.”
She adds, “The onus lies on marketers to adopt, internalise and apply at a rapid pace. Whether it’s new formats of content for social media platforms or introduction of advanced filters to look at data by publishers or new tech which can be applied for innovative marketing — the pace can be exciting as well as chaotic. Training and processes to ensure the adoption of learning across organisations and brands is the key.”
Sharing how marketing agencies can brunch on this feast of endless possibilities and transformations, Sowmya tells that they need to move away from some passé trends like buying fans to gain followers and using influencers to trend on Twitter.
“There is a general decline in trust of what people see online. A HubSpot study suggested that people are more likely to believe data coming from their peers or people like them. Therefore, influencer marketing definitely cannot be applied across brands like a checklist,” Sowmya mentions.
She also shares findings from DViO’s research to study the effectiveness of influencer marketing. “We observed that campaigns, which got the lowest ratings, had largely used influencers only as an amplification channel. The influencers were not seen as to have any brand connect, or the believability of content shared was low. Whereas, the top campaigns were those with majority of influencers were actual users or patrons of the brand. Also, micro-influencers seemed to create a lot more intimate engagement with their fans on the endorsed brand content.”
According to her, other top trends that are to be followed for driving a successful business include smart usage of social media that is not only focused on driving engagement but also contributes towards attracting commerce and provides a good ROI. “Better data science and analytics will help group programmatic buying as brands see ROI coming from programmatic as well,” she adds.
She sees video dominating the digital content and massive adoption of messaging apps changing how brands communicate with customers in the near future.
BENGALURU: For years, creative teams have learned to live with ambiguity. Vague comments, last-minute changes, feedback that arrives without context, clarity, or conviction. It became part of the job – something teams worked around rather than getting it solved.
But as we head into 2026, that tolerance is wearing thin.
Creative work today moves faster, scales wider, and involves more stakeholders than before. Teams are producing more content across more formats, often with distributed collaborators and tighter timelines. In this environment, guesswork is no longer a harmless inconvenience. It’s a cost – to time, to budgets, and to creative mindspace.
The real problem isn’t feedback, it’s how it’s given
Most creative professionals you see today will tell you they’re not against feedback. In fact, they rely on it. Good feedback sharpens ideas, strengthens execution, and pushes work forward. The problem is ‘unclear’ feedback. When someone says “this doesn’t feel right” without context, they aren’t just revising – they’re basically decoding. They’re guessing what the problem might be, trying different directions, and burning time in the process. Multiply that by a few stakeholders and a few rounds, and suddenly days disappear.
In 2026, when teams are expected to deliver faster without compromising quality, interpretation is a luxury most can’t afford.
Scale has changed rverything
Creative projects used to be smaller and simpler. A designer, a manager, maybe one client contact. Feedback loops were short, even if they weren’t perfect.
Today, the same project might involve internal marketing teams, agencies, freelancers, brand reviewers, and regional teams. Everyone has a say. Everyone leaves comments. And often, those comments don’t agree. More people reviewing work means alignment matters more than ever. Clear feedback isn’t just about being nice to creative teams, it’s about keeping projects moving when complexity increases.
Guesswork quietly wears teams down
One of the less talked-about impacts of unclear feedback is what it does to people.
When feedback is vague or contradictory, creatives second-guess their decisions. They hesitate. They overwork. They keep extra time buffers “just in case.” Over time, confidence drops. Ownership fades. Work becomes safer, not stronger. Creative energy gets spent on managing uncertainty instead of pushing ideas forward. And in an industry already grappling with burnout, unclear feedback adds unnecessary mental load.
Actionable feedback is a shared skill
Clear feedback doesn’t mean controlling creative decisions or dictating every detail. It means being specific enough that someone knows what to do next.
Actionable feedback answers three basic questions:
What exactly needs attention?
Why does it matter?
What outcome are we aiming for?
This applies whether you’re reviewing a video frame, a design layout, or a copy draft. The clearer the feedback, the fewer follow-ups it creates. In 2026, teams that treat feedback as a skill and not an afterthought, will move faster with less friction.
Tools shape behaviour (whether we admit it or not)
The way feedback is delivered is often dictated by the tools teams use. Comments buried in long email threads, messages split across chat apps, or notes detached from the actual work all contribute to confusion.
When feedback lives outside the work, context often gets lost. When it’s disconnected from versions and timelines, decisions get questioned. When it’s scattered, accountability disappears. More teams are starting to realise that feedback problems aren’t just communication issues, they’re workflow issues. How work moves between people matters just as much as the work itself.
From Opinions To Alignment
One of the biggest shifts happening in creative teams is a move away from purely opinion-driven feedback. Instead of “I like this” or “I don’t,” teams are asking better questions:
● Does this meet the brief?
● Does this solve the problem?
● Does this align with the goal?
This change reduces unnecessary back-and-forth and helps feedback feel less personal and more productive. It also makes decisions easier to explain and defend. As creative work becomes more strategic, feedback has to support that shift.
2026 Is About Fewer Loops, Not Faster Loops
There’s a misconception that speed means moving through feedback cycles faster. In reality, the most creative teams aren’t just accelerating loops, they’re reducing them. Clear, actionable feedback upfront leads to fewer revisions later. Clear approval stages prevent last-minute surprises. Clear decisions stop work from circling endlessly.
In 2026, efficiency won’t come from working harder or longer. It will come from designing workflows that respect creative time and attention.
Ending guesswork is a mindset change
Ultimately, ending creative guesswork isn’t just about better tools or processes. It’s about mindset. It’s about recognising that clarity is an act of respect – for the work, for the people doing it, for the time invested and for the mindspace used. It’s about moving from “figure it out” to “here’s what we’re aiming for.”
Creative teams that embrace this shift will find themselves not only delivering faster, but also enjoying the process more. And in an industry built on imagination, that might be the most valuable outcome of all.
