MAM
India’s matrimonial websites ranked number 1 for online advertising: Nielsen
MUMBAI: From a total of 3778 online display ad campaigns released in India between June-August 2009, 497 were by personal or matrimonial websites, amounting to 13 per cent of the total number of online campaigns, according to the Nielsen Online AdRelevance June-August 2009 report from The Nielsen Company.
Travel booking services and education sector were the next most active contributors to online advertising, amounting to approximately eight per cent each of the total number of online campaigns released in the period. Consim Info is the top advertiser in the personal or matrimonial sector (in terms of number of campaigns) accounting for more than half of the advertising activity in this sector during Jun-August this year. In the travel sector, MakeMytrip is the category leader, contributing 23 per cent to the total online ad activity in the sector. Education is the third most advertised sector in the online space, led by Amity University (14 per cent). Said The Nielsen Company associate director – online division Karthik Nagarajan, “Display advertising is expected to substantially expand in India, as internet penetration accelerates and given the substantially lower costs involved in advertising online. It is an industry that has seen rapid growth in the past couple of years and has the potential to give traditional forms of advertising a run for their money. Keeping tabs on ad spending and campaigns in this space, it is definitely going to help marketers plan their strategies accordingly.” In terms of number of campaigns, the top two advertisers are Consim and People Interactive – both predominantly advertising for their matrimonial/personals business. Consim accounts for eight per cent of the total number of campaigns during June-August 2009 and People Interactive accounts for four per cent. Info Edge is the third biggest player (three per cent) advertising mainly for their employment business. According to the Nielsen Online AdRelevance report, Times Internet, Yahoo and Sify were among the leading publishers for online display advertising in India. 24 per cent of all online campaigns during June-August 2009 included Times Internet properties. For Yahoo, that number was 21 per cent.
MAM
BLS International launches #VisaReady campaign to guide applicants
Initiative targets visa myths, delays and rejections with practical guidance
MUMBAI: Visa woes may soon meet their match because paperwork, it seems, is finally getting a user manual. BLS International has rolled out a new awareness drive, #VisaReadyWithBLSInternational, aimed at simplifying the often confusing visa application process and reducing delays caused by misinformation and incomplete documentation. The campaign, led across social media platforms, zeroes in on a long-standing pain point for travellers: lack of clarity around procedures, timelines and requirements. By offering step-by-step guidance, documentation checklists and clear Dos and Don’ts, the initiative attempts to turn what is typically a stressful process into a more predictable one.
At its core, the campaign also seeks to bust common myths that frequently derail applications issues that often lead to avoidable rejections or last-minute complications. The idea is to equip applicants with practical, actionable insights so they can plan better and submit stronger applications within expected timelines.
The push will not remain limited to digital channels. BLS International plans to extend the initiative across its Visa Application Centres globally, reinforcing awareness at key touchpoints where applicants engage with the process.
BLS International joint managing director Shikhar Aggarwal framed the campaign as more than a communication exercise, emphasising the company’s attempt to embed guidance and preparedness into every stage of the applicant journey.
Operating in over 70 countries and working with more than 46 client governments including embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions, the company has built a sizeable footprint in visa and consular services. With this campaign, it is now leaning into education as much as execution, signalling that in the world of visas, clarity might just be the new currency.
