MAM
Ipsos-Nestle joint paper bags first runner-up at 31st MRSI Annual Seminar
Mumbai: The 31st Annual Market Research Seminar has announced the winners. Ipsos-Nestle joint paper titled Potential Value of Innovative Reality and Metaverse in Consumer Research, submitted under the category Maiden Voyage has bagged the first runner-up spot. It was chosen from 100 entries across clients and market research fraternity.
The research paper elucidated on the potential of conducting consumer research in an immersive environment through virtual reality. This innovative approach allowed one to gather unfiltered and authentic responses from respondents, removing distractions and providing a unique immersive research experience. The immersive environment (Café verse) was a game changer on how we conducted research, enabling us to delve deeper into consumer insights. We conducted ‘Café verse’ research for Nestle’s Nescafe brand, specifically to test cafe themes. The results were nothing short of intriguing, providing valuable insights and informing strategic decisions.
The authors were Shelly Jain: research director, Ipsos India; Ashwini Sirsikar, group service line leader, Ipsos Qual and Synthesio, Ipsos India; Aprajita Chauhan: research manager, Ipsos India; Abhinav Goel, lead consumer insights, Nestle India and Smriti Jain, manager consumer insights, Nestle India.
The annual market research seminar with the theme Taming the Choppy Waters was held on 9 & 10 October 2023 at The Leela, Mumbai.
Ipsos India had seven shortlisted research papers in penultimate round. Ipsos had sent over 20 synopses in the first round.
Within the theme, the seminar sought submissions under the four key categories of – maiden voyage, adventure, steering and sailors, The objective was to understand the journey in choppy waters as well as new lands that have been charted through the endeavours. And to understand the navigation tools created and the new understanding landed about the new world.
Ipsos India CEO Amit Adarkar said, “We are very proud of our unprecedented participation and the 1st runner up win. The theme of the 1st runner up paper was futuristic and immersive and captured consumer views in the true sense. Unfiltered and experiential. This was a game changer for Nestle. Congratulations to our teams.”
Digital
India leads global adoption of ChatGPT Images 2.0 in first week
From anime avatars to fantasy covers, users turn AI visuals into culture
NEW DELHI: India has emerged as the largest user base for ChatGPT Images 2.0, just a week after its launch by OpenAI, underlining the country’s growing influence on global internet trends.
While the tool was introduced as an advanced image-generation upgrade within ChatGPT, Indian users are quickly reshaping its purpose. Instead of sticking to productivity-led use cases, many are embracing it as a creative playground for self-expression, storytelling and online identity.
From anime-style portraits and cinematic headshots to tarot-inspired visuals and fictional newspaper front pages, the model is being used to create highly stylised, shareable content. Features such as accurate text rendering, multilingual prompts and the ability to generate detailed visuals with minimal input have helped drive rapid adoption.
What sets the latest model apart is its ability to “think” through prompts, generating multiple outputs and adapting to context, including real-time web inputs. But the bigger story lies in how users are engaging with it.
In India, trends are already taking shape. Popular formats include dramatic studio-style lighting edits, LinkedIn-ready headshots, manga-inspired avatars, soft pastel “spring” aesthetics, AI-led fashion moodboards, paparazzi-style visuals and fantasy newspaper covers. Users are also restoring old photographs, creating tarot-style imagery and experimenting with futuristic design concepts.
Local flavour is adding another layer. Prompts such as cinematic portrait collages and Y2K-inspired romantic edits are gaining traction, blending global aesthetics with distinctly Indian internet culture.
The surge reflects a broader shift in how AI tools are being used in the country, moving beyond utility to creativity. As younger users, creators and social media enthusiasts experiment with new visual formats, AI-generated imagery is increasingly becoming part of everyday digital expression.
If early trends hold, ChatGPT Images 2.0 may not just be a tech upgrade but a cultural moment, giving millions a new visual language to play with online.
