AD Agencies
Elevating client engagement: The focus on immersive experiences at Brew: GroupM South Asia’s Vinit Karnik
Mumbai: GroupM unveiled ‘Brew’- its premier content upfront event, exclusively for clients on the 16th. The day-long event brought together several leading partners from the content industry and over 150 brand managers and marketing heads, across categories.
The ‘Brew’ lineup was a mix of formats that included TV, Radio, Digital video and native content. The ideas/properties presented were exclusive and had never been presented in any other forum. Over 20 such presentations were made in the course of the day and clients had the option of going online and registering their bid for it immediately after a presentation. The collective worth of the properties presented at Brew 2016 exceeds Rs 65 Cr (about $10 Million). Each of the properties was bid for by multiple clients.
On the sidelines of the event, Indiantelevision.com caught up with GroupM South Asia head sports, esports and entertainment Vinit Karnik.
On asking as to how different and innovative was Brew this year, which is an IP of GroupM, which focuses on sports, entertainment, eSports, and content. Vinit mentioned that the emphasis this year was on creating immersive experiences for clients. These experiences included VR sessions, an Esports tournament, and the use of 3D anamorphic displays. The goal was to provide attendees with a deeper and more engaging understanding of the content and experiences offered.
Vinit Karnik shared his insights on the current landscape of live sports streaming in India, touching on Linear TV, Connected TV, and Digital platforms. He expressed that the changes in the industry aren’t as drastic as they might seem, considering the ongoing transition from analogue to satellite TV, digital, and now, streaming on multiple screens. The key takeaway is that consumer choice has expanded, enabling a broader audience to engage with sports content, which ultimately benefits the sports industry.
When discussing what brands consider before investing in Linear TV or Digital platforms for better ROI, Vinit emphasized that TV is here to stay, with significant room for growth in both connected TV and OTT. TV hasn’t reached all households yet, and the penetration of smartphones in rural India shows potential for further consumption of audio and video content. He also highlighted the ambitious plans for sports in India, including a bid for the Olympics in 2036, showing the nation’s growing interest and investment in sports.
Regarding the reach of the esports market in India, Vinit acknowledged that it is still in its early stages. He explained that the Indian esports market is not yet comparable to the global market, which competes with live sports. However, India is making progress, and with continued effort and learning, it will likely catch up and become a significant player in the esports world. The goal is to showcase how esports tournaments can be built and scaled to match global standards.
AD Agencies
AdTrust Summit 2026 to examine trust, AI and Gen Alpha in advertising
Two-day summit in Mumbai to explore ethics, regulation and the future of advertising trust
MUMBAI: At a time when advertising is navigating a delicate trust deficit, the Advertising Standards Council of India is preparing to bring the industry to the table. On 17 and 18 March, the body will host the inaugural AdTrust Summit 2026 in Mumbai, a two-day gathering designed to spark conversation around responsibility, regulation and credibility in modern advertising.
The summit, to be held at the Jio World Convention Centre in Bandra Kurla Complex, will bring together leaders from advertising, media, technology and policy to examine how brands can build trust in a marketplace increasingly shaped by algorithms, influencers and artificial intelligence.
In an age of deepfakes, dark patterns and blurred lines between content and commerce, the question is no longer just how brands capture attention, but whether audiences believe what they see. The AdTrust Summit aims to unpack that challenge.
Day one will turn its attention to the youngest digital natives. Titled Decoding Gen Alpha, the session will unveil ‘What the Sigma?’, a study by ASCI and Futurebrands Consulting that explores how children growing up in a hyper-digital environment encounter advertising and commercial messaging.
The report presentation will be delivered by Santosh Desai, founder and director at Think9 Consumer Technologies and a social commentator known for his insights into consumer behaviour. The discussion that follows will attempt to decode how Gen Alpha consumes media, interacts with brands and navigates the growing overlap between entertainment and marketing.
In a move that mirrors the subject itself, two Gen Alpha students will also join the conversation, offering a rare perspective from the generation advertisers are trying to understand.
The second panel of the day will shift the focus from observation to implication, asking what the report’s findings mean for brands, agencies and society. Speakers include Karthik Srinivasan, communications strategy consultant; Preeti Vyas, president at Mythik; and Abigail Dias, associate president planning at Ogilvy. The session will be moderated by Sonali Krishna, editor at ET Brand Equity.
Day two moves from insight to regulation. Under the theme From Compliance to Trust, ASCI will release its Ad Law Compendium, a comprehensive guide to India’s advertising regulations.
The day will open with a keynote by Sudhanshu Vats, chairman at ASCI and managing director at Pidilite Industries, followed by a chief guest address by Sanjay Jaju, secretary at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Legal experts from Khaitan & Co., including Haigreve Khaitan, senior partner, and Tanu Banerjee, partner, will present an overview of the current advertising law landscape in India and examine whether existing frameworks are equipped to deal with emerging technologies and formats.
Subsequent panels will explore issues increasingly shaping the industry’s ethical compass. Conversations will range from the limits of persuasive design and the rise of dark patterns, to the growing scrutiny brands face from digital creators and consumer watchdogs.
One session will also feature Revant Himatsingka, widely known online as the Food Pharmer, whose critiques of packaged food brands have sparked debate around transparency and corporate accountability.
Later discussions will turn toward media literacy among Gen Alpha, asking how children can be equipped to navigate a digital world where gaming, content and commerce are becoming indistinguishable.
The summit will conclude with a final panel on the future of advertising, bringing together voices from agencies, legal circles and technology platforms to discuss how innovation, intelligence and integrity can coexist.
For an industry built on persuasion, trust has always been its quiet currency. But as audiences grow more sceptical and digital ecosystems more complex, that currency is under pressure.
Events like the AdTrust Summit suggest the advertising world knows it cannot afford to take credibility for granted. The real challenge now is turning conversation into commitment.
