MAM
GUEST COLUMN: One-third of digital ads going unseen; what can brands do?
Mumbai: When you look at the evolution of digital advertising, it makes sense that viewability has continued to be a top concern for marketers. The entire digital advertising ecosystem exists to support brands and their efforts to reach and influence consumers. Whether caused by a growing number of channels and platforms or out of necessity to stay connected, consumers are increasing their time spent with digital media.
It was not long ago that viewability rates of 50 per cent were the industry norm, but rates are now on the rise. According to our H1 2021 media quality report, viewability averages stand above 65 per cent across nearly all formats and environments. While this marks an impressive accomplishment, this range indicates that as much as one-third of digital ads are going unseen by consumers in certain environments. This viewability gap creates challenges for both the buy and sell side of the digital media business. Marketers often talk about reaching the right consumers, in the right places, in the appropriate context. But first, marketers should ensure that their ads have the opportunity to be viewable in order to make a lasting impact.
Consider time-in-view to measure ad effectiveness
In simple terms, viewability is a digital ad seen by an actual consumer, while time-in-view is the average duration that a viewable impression remains in view. This excludes impressions that are not viewable. Viewability is good for eliminating waste, but time-in-view may be an even better metric for measuring media quality, especially for brand campaigns where exposure time drives better brand recall.
A joint study by GroupM and Integral Ad Science (IAS) for Toyota proved that media quality, frequency, and time-in-view metrics as well as exposure to ad placements were key to driving positive business outcomes for the auto manufacturer. Toyota saw an 83 per cent conversion rate uplift, resulting in 3,679 incremental brochure downloads attributed to viewable impressions. The case study showed that exposure time is a primary driver for outcomes, directly impacting campaign effectiveness.
As advertising budgets continue to shift towards digital, advertisers are being asked to prove RoI and the added value of digital marketing. This need to demonstrate impact is driving a shift in how they seek to measure the quality of their digital investments. Time in view allows advertisers to optimise towards a metric that better drives marketing ROI.
Mobile campaigns in India deliver stronger media quality results
With over 500 million Indians using smartphones, an overwhelming majority of consumers today are making purchasing decisions through mobile devices. A recent study found that over 60 per cent of Indian consumers are using their mobile devices to guide them through their shopper journey, from research to discovery to making the ultimate purchase. People are typically on the go and traveling during the festive season, which means that they will be spending additional time on their mobile devices. It’s critical for marketers to have a mobile-first strategy for India.
According to the recent IAS media quality report H1 2021, mobile campaigns in India delivered stronger results. Mobile web display viewability increased by one percentage point to 58.9 per cent in H1 2021 and mobile in-app display increased from 51.3 per cent to 54.1 per cent. The time-in-view for mobile web display campaigns in India increased from 15.24 seconds to 19.33 seconds, while the worldwide average stood at 14.91 seconds, clearly indicating that Indian consumers were engaged longer with the ads on mobile web display.
From a brand risk perspective too, mobile campaigns in India posted lower brand risks than display, with mobile web display registering brand risk reduction from 2.6 per cent to 1.8 per cent. The ad fraud on mobile web display marginally decreased to 0.2 per cent, while the global average was 0.4 per cent. As spending increases on mobile, media quality challenges may arise such as ad fraud, unsafe brand environments, and unviewable inventory.
Forrester expects e-retail sales to reach about $9.2 billion in India during the 2021 festive month, up 42 per cent year-on-year. While this indicates a huge opportunity for marketers, it also calls for them to evaluate the metrics of their campaign’s performance – bringing to the forefront viewability and time-in-view.
Brands need to know that their ads are being viewed by real people – or risk losing the chance to improve RoI this Diwali.
(The author is commercial lead for India at Integral Ad Science. The views expressed in the column are personal and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them.)
Most business owners treat their working capital limit like a safety net. It sits there, attached to their current account, ready to be drawn on whenever cash gets tight. And for routine operations, that arrangement works fine. But there are specific situations where a lump-sum loan disbursed quickly into your account is the smarter financial move. Knowing when to pick one over the other can save you real money and keep your business from getting stuck.
The Fundamental Difference People Overlook
A working capital limit, often structured as an overdraft or a revolving credit facility, gives you access to funds up to a pre-approved ceiling. You draw what you need, pay interest on what you use, and replenish it as receivables come in. It is designed for short-term, recurring needs like paying suppliers or covering payroll gaps.
A term loan disbursed quickly, on the other hand, drops a fixed amount into your account. You repay it in instalments over a set period, with a clear end date. The interest rate is typically fixed or at least predictable. These two products solve different problems, and treating them as interchangeable is where businesses get into trouble.
When Speed and Certainty Matter More Than Flexibility
Here’s a scenario that plays out constantly. A retailer gets an opportunity to buy inventory at a steep discount, but the supplier wants full payment within 48 hours. The retailer’s working capital limit is already partially drawn. The available balance might cover part of the order, but not all of it. Requesting a limit enhancement takes days, sometimes weeks, because the bank reassesses your financials.
An instant business loan solves this cleanly. You apply, get approval quickly, and the full amount lands in your account. You buy the inventory, sell it at full margin, and repay the loan over the next few months. The cost of interest on that loan is far less than the profit you would have lost by passing on the deal.
This pattern repeats across industries. A logistics company needs to repair a critical vehicle immediately. A restaurant has to replace kitchen equipment before the weekend rush. A manufacturer lands a large order but needs raw materials upfront. In each case, the need is urgent, specific, and finite. A revolving facility wasn’t built for these moments.
The Hidden Cost of Over-Relying on Working Capital Limits
There’s a psychological trap with revolving credit. Because it’s always available, business owners tend to lean on it for everything, including expenses that really should be financed separately. When you use your overdraft to fund a one-time capital purchase, you reduce the buffer available for daily operations. Then, when a genuine cash flow gap appears the following week, you’re scrambling.
Worse, many working capital limits come with annual renewal. If your financials have dipped, the bank can reduce your limit or decline renewal altogether. If you’ve been using the facility for purposes it wasn’t designed for, your utilisation patterns can actually work against you during the review.
A distinct term loan keeps your working capital limit clean. Your revolving facility handles day-to-day operations. Your loan handles the one-off expense. This separation makes your balance sheet easier to read and your banking relationship easier to manage.
Interest Rate Math That Favours Term Loans
Working capital limits often carry floating interest rates pegged to the bank’s benchmark. The rate adjusts, and over time, especially when monetary policy tightens, your cost of borrowing can creep up without you noticing because you’re only looking at the small daily interest debit.
A fixed-rate term loan gives you certainty. You know exactly what each instalment will be, which makes cash flow forecasting more accurate. For a specific expense with a known amount and a defined payback period, this predictability matters. You can map the repayment against the revenue that expense is expected to generate.
A working capital loan structured as a revolving facility makes sense when your borrowing needs fluctuate week to week. But when you know exactly how much you need and roughly how long it will take to pay back, a term product is almost always cheaper in total interest cost. The discipline of fixed repayments also prevents the slow balance creep that plagues overdraft users.
When Your Facility Is Maxed and Opportunity Knocks
Perhaps the most compelling case is the simplest one. Your existing limit is fully utilised. Business is good, money is coming in, but right now the account is stretched. A new opportunity appears. You can either let it pass or find additional funding fast.
Waiting for a limit increase is not a strategy when timing matters. Applying for a separate short-term loan, getting approval the same day or the next, and funding the opportunity directly is a concrete action with a measurable return. You are not adding long-term debt to your balance sheet. You are financing a specific transaction that pays for itself.
The smartest business owners don’t treat all credit as the same. They match the product to the need. Revolving facilities handle rhythm. Term loans handle moments. Getting that distinction right is one of the quieter advantages a well-run business holds over its competitors.
