MAM
Online education, video streaming platforms dominate YouTube ads during lockdown
DELHI: Brands that have their whole service-chain online were the most proactive while advertising on YouTube during the Covid2019 lockdown, a recent study by Germin8, a social media intelligence company, revealed in its "The Surge of YouTube Ads amidst COVID-19" report.
Germin8 CEO-founder Ranjit Nair told Indiantelevision.com that the survey was done by the Germin8 team, who reviewed a sample of 200 real-time video ads over a
period of one week. These ads were collected from the videos that were listed either on the home or trending section of YouTube and from multiple browsers so as to minimize the user bias.
He added, “As the ads on YouTube are mostly programmatic and is based on user-behaviour, we tried to cut in that bias by asking our team to log out of
YouTube and access the videos for a better, clear, and unbiased data. However, these samples still talk of the YouTube ads present in metro cities and the data can’t be used to predict or discuss the types of ads in rural and other areas.”
Further, each ad was studied to understand the context and also about the organizations actively investing in them during the Covid2019-related lockdown. The ads were
segmented under themes, sectors, frequency, and Covid2019’s influence in their communication. The report was written by a team of research analysts to ensure greater clarity of data.
As per the report, two sectors dominated the YouTube ad section: Online education and video streaming platforms.
Online education websites like Udemy, Unacademy, upGrad, Greatlearning, Datacamp. Udemy had the highest number of ads and on courses like Sketching, Python, personality development. In many ads, it ran an offer of 90 per cent discount on courses catering to the needs of students as well as working professionals. Netflix and Amazon Prime had the highest number of ads. Netflix had the maximum Share of Voice. They invested heavily in promoting their series like Locke & Key, Ghost Stories, 6 Underground, and Sex Education.
In the research it was also observed that some organizations used Covid2019-related communication in their ads, urging people to stay home. Out of 65 distinct
organizations, nine have created their ad content around Covid2019. It can be observed that the organizations that deal offline ran more ads using the pandemic factor when compared to the ones who provide online services. For example, Asian Paints is running the #StayHomeStaySafe ad campaign; Vodafone ads urged users to ‘Stay home, stay safe, stay connected’. Nivea India is encouraging viewers to play with their kids at home. While Amul ad showed homemade food recipes in regional language.
MAM
Beacon Group appoints Dr Rajesh Patel as Group CEO
36-year healthcare veteran to lead Beacon Diagnostics, Vector Biotek, Biogeny.
MUMBAI: A new chief, a fresh diagnosis and a sharper prescription for growth. Beacon Group has appointed Dr Rajesh Patel as its Group Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1, 2026, signalling a decisive push to scale its presence in the diagnostics and IVD space. Patel steps into the role with 36 years of experience across the healthcare and diagnostics industry, bringing a career shaped by leadership roles spanning sales, marketing, business development and operational strategy. His mandate is both expansive and precise: to steer the group’s overall strategic direction while tightening coordination across its three core entities Beacon Diagnostics, Vector Biotek and Biogeny Diagnostics.
In practical terms, that means driving cross-company synergies, accelerating market expansion and strengthening organisational capability areas increasingly critical as diagnostic players compete for scale in a fragmented yet rapidly evolving healthcare ecosystem. The group is positioning itself to capture unmet demand across chain laboratories, key accounts and standalone labs, segments that remain underserved despite growing diagnostic needs.
The appointment comes at a time when the In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) sector in India is entering a more competitive and innovation-led phase, with companies focusing not just on product pipelines but also on service delivery, integration and customer-centric models. Beacon’s leadership appears to be betting that Patel’s execution-focused approach can help translate ambition into operational momentum.
Welcoming the appointment, Chairman Dr D K Joshi described Patel’s induction as a strategic move aligned with the group’s long-term vision, emphasising the role of leadership depth in navigating the next phase of growth.
For Beacon Group, the message is clear, in a sector where precision matters, leadership is the new differentiator—and this appointment is intended to set the tone for what comes next.
