Digital
Digital marketing beyond Google, Facebook, Amazon
NEW DELHI: The realm of digital marketing has grown much beyond the porticos of Google, Facebook and Amazon, with advertisers becoming eager to experiment with the platforms and investing in more targetted solutions, highlighted the diverse panel discussing the widening scope of digital marketing in the new world with Indiantelevision.com founder, CEO and editor in chief Anil Wanvari.
The panel consisted of Team Pumpkin co-founder and CBO Swati Nathani, Zoo Media and FoxyMoron co-founders Suveer Bajaj and Pratik Gupta, White Rivers Media CEO and co-founder Shrenik Gandhi, iProspect India AVP-strategic solutions Nihal Nambiar and Wavemaker India chief client officer and head-west Shekhar Banerjee.
While the advertisers were already staying alert about the diverse possibilities digital marketing has to offer, Covid2019 acted as a catalyst in facilitating the move.
Gandhi insisted that while the world was expecting the number of people on traditional media and digital reaching at par in 2025, Covid2019 has managed to attain that within this year itself, thus prompting even the most traditional brands to venture online.
Nambiar noted, “It is a fact that the lockdown has been a crazy experience for the industry. Many brands had to remain completely silent while many increased their spends on digital platforms. Going ahead, brands realise it will be smarter for them to invest in at least one or two advertising media than going completely thin and that’s where digital will benefit.”
He added that apart from the usual Google, Facebook, Amazon (e-commerce) mix, the brands are looking at more organic options to advertise. They are churning out their own properties, content, and are greatly investing in technology, to make the most of the medium.
Banerjee elucidated that brands are going heavy on performance marketing. “Apart from the usual search, social, and e-commerce mix, one platform that has become the biggest gainer during the period is e-groceries section, taking a huge part of the digital pie. Going ahead, hyperlocal platforms, with their changing business models will be more conducive to advertising.”
He also hinted that influencer marketing will change in a big way in the future, with it becoming more hard-core and result-driven. Additionally, social commerce will attract a lot of advertisers.
Nathani added that outdoor screens like tabs inside the cabs will also attract of a lot of advertiser attention.
Bajaj lauded the growth that platforms like TikTok have gained during the period and also highlighted the prominence that OTT platforms are getting from the advertisers as consumers spike. “OTT picked up a big way during the covid-period, and with most of them running on a hybrid (AVOD+SVOD) model, attracted good revenues. While this quarter might not be big for them with advertisements, the subscriptions are hitting the roof. Going ahead, they will attract a lot of advertiser attention too.”
In addition to these, gaming platforms and digital events are also going to get a substantial part of advertisers pie in the coming future.
TAGS: Digital Marketing, Indiantelevision Virtual Roundtable. FoxyMoron, Zoo Media, Pratik Gupta, Suveer Bajaj, Team Pumpkin, Swati Nathani, White Rivers Media, Shrenik Gandhi, Wavemaker, Shekhar Banerjee, iProspect, Nihal Nambiar, TikTok, Google, Facebook, OTT
Digital
OpenAI’s Stargate lead Peter Hoeschele exits with two senior leaders
Trio behind compute push set to join new startup amid leadership reshuffle
SAN FRANCISCO: Peter Hoeschele, a key figure behind OpenAI’s early Stargate data centre initiative, has exited the company, according to a report by The Information.
The departure is part of a broader leadership shift, with two other senior executives, Shamez Hemani and Anuj Saharan, also set to leave in the coming days. All three are expected to join the same new startup, although details about the venture remain under wraps.
The trio played a central role in OpenAI’s Stargate effort, an initiative aimed at building large-scale data centre capacity in-house to reduce reliance on external infrastructure providers. Their exits mark a notable moment for the company’s compute strategy as it continues to scale rapidly.
OpenAI spokesperson said in a statement to The Information, “We’re grateful for the contributions Peter, Shamez, and Anuj have made to OpenAI and wish them the very best in what comes next.” The company also pointed to the recent appointment of Sachin Katti to lead its industrial compute organisation, signalling continuity in its infrastructure roadmap.
OpenAI has indicated that it does not plan to directly replace Hoeschele’s role, suggesting a possible restructuring of responsibilities within the team.
As competition intensifies in the race to build next-generation AI systems, leadership changes in core infrastructure teams are likely to draw close attention. For now, the spotlight shifts to what this departing trio builds next, and how OpenAI adapts as it scales its ambitions.
