MAM
Changing nature of TV advertising in an interactive environment stressed at forum
MUMBAI: While in India interactivity in television is restricted to SMS, in the US it is a complex phenomenon for advertisers to deal with. Now you have a plethora of devices like the digital video recorder from Tivo which allows consumers to skip ads.
This will give rise to new business models in the American television advertising sphere. Some of the models that could work going forward were discussed at a seminar organised by 212NYC an interactive advertising organisation based in New York.
MSN’s Todd Herman was quoted in a report saying that one alternative for the ad community to guard against the ad skipping menace was to go online. For example MSN recently signed a deal with Fox Sports for content streaming. When a game is on users cannot skip a commercial. In the future MSN could give users the option of choosing the ads they wanted to see. What this alliance has done is to expand the online options for sports marketers. The site has personalisation options, interactive features and coverage of the biggest sporting events in the US. MSN claims to be attracting more than 350 million unique users worldwide per month.
Meanwhile OpenTV sales VP John Gee which deals with interactive television applications felt that television could still be an effective medium in the shifting landscape. He pointed out that advertisers have opportunities to embed interactive features in TV programming. For instance the company’s SpotOn product allows television ads to target certain set-top boxes.
Tivo’s Neil Strow noted that ad-skipping was prevalent. Tivo homes see users skip up to 80 per cent of commercials. The silver lining is that users also choose to watch long-form commercials placed by advertisers on the TiVo device. Some companies that have signed on with Tivo include beverage major Coca Cola.
For the uninitiated TiVo’s technology records TV programmes without the hassles of videotape. It lets users pause live TV, do instant replays and begin watching programmes even before the recording has finished. In the wake of its success other companies putting together a set-top box started doing the same thing. That of course is another story.
Brands
Hyundai and TVS Motor partner to develop electric three wheelers
Joint development pact targets last mile mobility with localisation push
MUMBAI: Three wheels, one big ambition and a charge towards the future. Hyundai Motor Company and TVS Motor Company have signed a joint development agreement to co-create electric three-wheelers (E3Ws), aiming to crack India’s complex last-mile mobility puzzle. The collaboration moves beyond concept talk into execution mode, building on the E3W prototype first showcased at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025. The goal now is clear, design, develop and commercialise a purpose-built vehicle tailored to Indian roads, riders and realities.
Under the agreement, Hyundai will lead design and co-development, bringing its global R&D muscle and human-centric engineering approach to the table. TVS Motor, meanwhile, will anchor the product on its electric platform, leveraging deep three-wheeler expertise and local market insight. It will also handle manufacturing and sales in India, with an eye on exports down the line.
The timing is strategic. India remains the world’s largest three-wheeler market, where affordability, durability and adaptability often outweigh sheer innovation. The upcoming E3W aims to strike that balance combining advanced technology with practical features such as adaptive ground clearance for monsoon-hit roads, improved thermal management for tropical climates, and flexible interiors suited for passengers, cargo or emergency use.
A key pillar of the partnership is localisation. Major components will be sourced and manufactured within India, a move expected to strengthen the domestic supply chain, create jobs, lower costs and improve after-sales support.
The shift from prototype to production will involve rigorous testing, certification and refinement to meet regulatory standards and consumer expectations. Dedicated cross-functional teams from both companies are already in place to accelerate timelines.
At a broader level, the tie-up reflects a growing trend in mobility, global players partnering with local specialists to navigate emerging markets. For Hyundai and TVS, the bet is that combining scale with street-level insight could unlock a new chapter in sustainable urban transport, one that runs not just on electricity, but on relevance.
