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Mobile ads lack engagement, finds WATConsult report
MUMBAI: WATConsult’s latest report shows that mobile ads, though more useful, are less engaging than desktop ads. This is serious considering 75 per cent people use smartphones for viewing ads while just 42 per cent check them out on desktops. 48 per cent of the respondents prefer social media ads, followed by video ads, e-mail ads and search ads when it comes to mobile ad formats.
The report on consumer perception and effectiveness of mobile advertising is the third from its portfolio of WATInsights. It also mentions that 4G is the most used data connection followed by 3G and WiFi while mobile devices are maximum used for accessing social networks and e-mails, followed by usage of wallets, watching videos or shows and online shopping.
Ad categories such as clothing and footwear, electronic products, books, movies/music/games get highest clicks while jewellery, pharmaceutical products and insurance products ads get the shrug. People also feel that mobile ads are intrusive and irrelevant at times and also fearing breach of privacy.
WATConsult founder and CEO Rajiv Dingra says, “India is going through a phase of rapid explosion in web content and internet technology and people are beginning to acknowledge the convenience internet provides today. After the roll-out of 4G, the usage has only increased at a dizzying pace. With ad spends on mobile expected to grow at a rate of 59 per cent CAGR by 2020, our research is an attempt to put forward the consumer’s point of view about mobile ads, thus helping marketers plan better campaigns.”
The summary report can be viewed on: http://recogn.in/watinsights.php
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MakeMyTrip partners with OpenAI to boost AI-powered travel planning
Conversational AI now guides travellers from inspiration straight to booking
GURUGRAM: MakeMyTrip, India’s leading online travel company, has teamed up with OpenAI to bring a fresh twist to AI-driven travel planning. The collaboration integrates OpenAI’s APIs into MakeMyTrip’s app, making it easier than ever for travellers to move from chatting about dream trips to booking them.
The move centres around MakeMyTrip’s Myra interface, a GenAI trip planning assistant that now handles over 50,000 conversations a day in languages ranging from English and Hindi to Tamil, Telugu and Bengali. Myra helps travellers explore options, create itineraries and book flights, hotels and extras without the usual hassle of searching and filtering.
MakeMyTrip co-founder and group CEO Rajesh Magow said, “With OpenAI, we turn curiosity into confident decisions. When travellers start their journey through conversation, MakeMyTrip becomes a seamless extension of that discovery process. AI combined with our travel data makes it possible to deliver personalised, bookable options at scale.”
OpenAI managing director- international Oliver Jay added, “MakeMyTrip is showing how AI can make travel planning feel more like a conversation than a chore. Advanced AI isn’t just about back-end efficiencies, it’s about transforming the way travellers experience and engage with the platform.”
MakeMyTrip has long invested in AI across the travel lifecycle, from inspiration and discovery to booking and post-sales support. Nearly half of Myra’s queries now come from tier-2 and smaller cities, and voice interactions are booming outside metros, making AI travel assistance more accessible than ever.
With this partnership, MakeMyTrip is not just keeping up with AI trends, it’s aiming to lead the way, turning every traveller’s whim into a smooth, bookable adventure.
