MAM
India sprints ahead in ACNielsen’s Consumer Confidence Index
MUMBAI: India continues to ride high on a wave of strong consumer confidence, with the country leading ACNielsen’s 46-country Consumer Confidence Index for the fourth half in a row, scoring an all-time-high Index of 137, according to ACNielsen.
“There is no doubt that India is riding the crest of an economic boom – recording the highest Confidence Index once again reaffirms the solid performance of the market in terms of economic growth, job prospects and the booming young adult population, who will soon become the major driving force in the global economy,” said ACNielsen South Asia executive director Sarang Panchal.
According to the survey, in the second and third place in the 46 country Confidence Index are the Norwegians (134) and Danes (129), respectively. Other markets worth watching are Vietnam, which recorded a double-digit increase in its Index from 106 in June 2006 to 116 this time round; and Thailand, achieving an Index of 107, representing the greatest increase of 12 points from the last Index.
“Vietnam is another market to watch, as the country’s entry into the WTO starts to impact, along with a rapidly growing workforce and income levels. There is simply huge potential to be found in Vietnam, a country with the world’s 13th largest population, and more than 50 per cent of them under the age of 30.”
Indians are exceedingly feeling bullish about the job market (95 per cent rating it excellent or good) as well as the state of their personal finances in the next year (87 per cent). On the other hand the world’s least optimistic markets hail mostly from Europe, although South Koreans (56) remain at the bottom of the list. Across Asia Pacific, Japan and Taiwan are among the least optimistic, recording an index of 71 and 80 respectively.
Major concerns
While confidence has sustained globally, consumers across the globe continue to cite the economy (39 per cent), health (34 per cent) and job security (32 per cent) as their major concerns over the coming six months, although the level of concern for the economy and health has declined moderately since the first half of 2006.
But for Indians it is the increasing terrorist attack that has made terrorism (30per cent) as the one of the largest concern areas, though globally, only 15 per cent of consumers considered terrorism a major concern, led by India (31 per cent), the UK (26 per cent), and Denmark (25 per cent).
“Looking at the way terrorism is hitting the across the country be in Mumbai or up north east in Guhwahati or for that matter Kashmir Valley, terrorism is surely a big concern that the country is facing. Time has arrived when individual shop owners, service providers should take it on themselves to make their establishment full proof with proper security systems in place so that to give shoppers and consumers a secure environment” added Panchal.
The survey also points out that for Indians it is investment in shares and mutual funds, the best tool to utilize the spare cash. From 40 per cent in the last cycle it is now 49 per cent of Indian consumers who are willing to invest in shares and mutual funds. Infact India is the nation where most number of consumers is willing to take the share market route. Next in the list is the urge to indulge in home improvement and decoration (39 per cent) and to buy new clothes (33 per cent).
“For the last few years booming economy has made spare cash available in the hand of Indian consumers and unlike old days today’s consumer wants to live life to its fullest and what best way to improve the standard of living other than improving home and indulge in new clothes. Home and clothes are extension of ones personality and Indians now are not ready to compromise but game to exhibit to the world, a flamboyant , high quality living that now they can afford,” said Panchal.
The 46 markets covered by the survey are listed below:
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Czechs, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Thailand, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, UAE, United Kingdom, US, Vietnam.
The ACNielsen Online Consumer Confidence and Opinion Survey is a half-yearly survey aimed at gauging current confidence levels, spending habits/intentions and current major concerns of consumers across the globe. The ACNielsen Consumer Confidence Index is developed based on consumer’s confidence in the job market, status of their personal finance and their readiness to spend. The latest survey, conducted in late October/early November, polled about 25,408 internet users in 46 markets from Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, the Baltics and the Middle East.
MAM
Lessons from global media markets on building enduring content franchises
Rose Audio Visuals COO and CFO Mitesh Patel.
MUMBAI: The global media landscape has undergone a fundamental shift. Success today is no longer defined by a single hit show. It is defined by the ability to build intellectual property (IP) that travels, evolves, and compounds over time.
At Rose Audio Visuals, this shift is central to how we think about content pitching and creation. We are no longer in the business of just making shows. We are in the business of building IP ecosystems.
From Hits to Franchises
Globally, the most successful content is designed to extend beyond its first outing. It travels across: Seasons, Platforms (TV → OTT → Digital), Formats (series → spin-offs) Shows like Stranger Things and Money Heist are not just successful series they are multi-layered franchises with global recall, fan engagement, and long-term monetisation. The key learning is simple: If content cannot scale beyond one season or one platform, it remains a project not a franchise.
Local Stories, Global Impact
One of the most powerful global trends is the rise of culturally rooted storytelling. Platforms today reward local authenticity combined with universal emotion. Stories that are deeply regional are no longer limited by geography they are amplified by it. Consider the global impact of Squid Game or India’s own Sacred Games. The takeaway is clear: The more authentic the story, the greater its potential to travel if the emotion resonates universally.
Monetisation Begins After the First Window
A critical global learning is that the true value of content is not realised at launch, it is realised over time.
Strong franchises unlock multiple revenue streams: Licensing, International remakes, Brand integrations, Digital extensions , Events and immersive experiences
Global players like The Walt Disney Company have mastered this approach, turning content into long-term ecosystems that extend far beyond the screen.
The first window is just the beginning. The real value lies in what follows.
At Rose Audio Visuals, we increasingly evaluate projects not just on commissioning value, but on their long-term franchise potential.
The Rise of Creator-Led Franchises
An important global shift is the emergence of creator-led IP ecosystems.
Creators today are not just content producers they are building full-scale franchises across platforms, formats, and businesses.
A powerful example is MrBeast. What started as YouTube videos has evolved into: Multiple content formats, Global audience scale , Brand extensions and businesses, High-impact experiential content This is a fundamentally different model digital-first, audience-owned, and infinitely scalable.
This model is still in its early stages in Indian but it represents a massive opportunity.
The next wave of Indian content franchises may not come from traditional studios alone but from creators who think like media companies.
Balancing Data with Creative Instinct
Streaming platforms today are deeply data-driven. Data helps Identify emerging genres, Predict audience behaviour , Inform commissioning decisions However, global experience shows that data alone does not create hits. Data informs scale, but storytelling creates impact.
Talent is the Foundation of Franchises
Enduring franchises are rarely accidental they are built through long-term creative partnerships. Globally, there is a clear focus on nurturing Actors, Writter, Show runner and director. Franchises are not built on scripts alone they are built on creators. This is an area where we continue to invest deeply building long-term relationships with talent rather than project-based collaborations.
Multi-Platform Thinking from Day One
Content consumption today is inherently multi-platform. A successful show must be designed not just for its primary platform, but for: Short-form extensions, Social media amplification, Digital-first engagement. Every show today needs a second life beyond its original format.
India: A Market at an Inflection Point
India today stands at a unique moment in its content journey.
We are seeing significant opportunity in Regional markets (Telugu, Tamil, Marathi and others) Emerging formats such as micro-dramas, Scalable, franchise-driven fiction IP
India does not lack stories. What we have historically lacked is structured franchise thinking something that is now beginning to evolve.
The Way Forward
The biggest lesson from global markets is this: The future belongs to companies that do not chase hits, but systematically build franchises. Because while hits may deliver immediate success, franchises create long-term value, recall, and compounding growth.
At Rose Audio Visuals, this belief shapes how we develop, greenlight, and scale content across platforms.
For content companies today, the question is no longer “Will this show work?” It is: “Can this become a franchise?”
A Personal Note
Having worked across content, business, and strategy, one thing has become increasingly clear to me, the most valuable companies in our industry will not be those that create the most content, but those that create content that endures.
Building a franchise requires patience, conviction, and a long-term lens something that the industry is only now beginning to fully embrace.As we continue this journey at Rose Audio Visuals, our focus remains simple: to move from volume-driven creation to value-driven storytelling. Because in the end, stories may start conversations but franchises build legacies.
