MAM
Spam, pop-ups affect television advertising
MUMBAI: Both new age and traditional advertisers in the US have a cause for bone picking when it comes to e-mail spam and intrusive pop-up ads. Thanks to them consumers have got into the habit of using the “delete” button with increasing frequency. They are also losing confidence in traditional forms of advertising such as television, radio.
A consumer intelligence company, PlanetFeedback’s survey of opinion leaders in the US found that consumers are increasingly using spam and pop-up ad filters to control the flow of unsolicited advertising to their computer screens, and a growing percentage are simultaneously sympathetic to technologies that filter out television commercials.
The study also found that the more spam and pop-up ads that consumers encounter, the angrier they are about all forms of advertising – online banner ads, pop-under ads, event sponsorships, even radio and television advertising.
Of the 13 per cent who have access to ad-filtering technology (e.g., TiVo and Replay TV), 60 per cent use it, amounting to a potential eight per cent overall loss in TV advertising effectiveness. A spill over effect is created. While slightly more than 10 per cent of respondents consider traditional ad forms – TV, radio and ads, billboards, and event sponsorships -“annoying,” their level of annoyance increases with amount of spam received. Nearly 55 per cent of consumers who receive more than 50 spam messages a day are more annoyed by television commercials than those who receive less spam.
Founder and chief marketing officer of PlanetFeedback Pete Blackshaw said, “Spam and intrusive online ad formats threaten the entire advertising space with a trust-eroding, acid-rain effect. We are also witnessing the emergence of a generation of well-trained ad skippers, aided by spam and pop-up filtering programmes. The combination of eroded trust in advertising and accelerated adoption of ad filters has significant financial consequences for advertisers and marketers.”
It is also interesting to note that consumers rank word-of-mouth recommendations from others as the most trusted form of advertising, followed by TV, print-ads, and permission-based e-mail. Consumers are also more willing to take drastic action to control or outlaw unsolicited emails. More than one-third support “do-not-email” regulations, 27 per cent support taxes and fines on spam, and nearly 25 per cent support outlawing spam. Less than three per cent support no action.
The study Consumer Trust in Advertising: Spam, Pop-Ups, and ROI also found:
– spam is increasing dramatically, with more than 50 per cent of panel respondents receiving more than 10 unsolicited e-mail messages (definition of spam) a day, and more than 30 per cent of panel respondents receiving 25 every day. Of those who receive spam, 47 per cent kill it immediately, 11 per cent deploy spam-killer programs, and 24 per cent read only the subject line without acting on the message.
– pop-up ads lead all ad forms in levels of annoyance and distrust, followed closely by spam and door-to-door solicitations. Nearly 90 per cent of consumers indicated they are “very annoyed” with pop-up ads, while 97 per cent of consumers feel “furious” or “angry” with pop-up ads that appear without warning on Web sites as they search the Internet. Only two per cent say they click on the ads.
Blackshaw continued elaborating on the problem by saying: “What’s striking is the sheer intensity of negative consumer emotion on this issue. While marketers are obsessed with clicks, consumers are clearly ticked. Every marketer looking to maximise returns on investment on advertising effectiveness should be running in-depth studies or focus groups on this topic.”
Brands
Big Bowl appoints Lyxel & Flamingo as social and media partner
QSR brand eyes next growth phase after crossing Rs 100 crore ARR milestone
MUMBAI: Big Bowl, one of India’s largest bowl-format quick service restaurant brands from Lenexis Foodworks, has appointed Lyxel & Flamingo (L&F) as its social and media partner as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
The partnership comes after the brand crossed the Rs 100 crore annual recurring revenue milestone in 2025 and aims to help accelerate its journey towards Rs 150 crore ARR in its fifth year since launch.
Big Bowl currently operates more than 250 kitchens across 50 cities and has emerged as a major player in India’s organised bowl-format food segment. Built around hearty portions and delivery-first convenience, the brand offers a wide mix of Indian, Chinese and fusion bowls designed for quick, affordable and portable consumption.
As urban consumers increasingly gravitate towards easy-to-carry and value-driven meal formats, the company sees the bowl category as a scalable format aligned with modern eating habits.
With the appointment of Lyxel & Flamingo, Big Bowl plans to consolidate its social media and digital media operations under a single partner. The move is intended to sharpen its digital reach, strengthen youth-focused storytelling and improve performance marketing outcomes.
Lyxel & Flamingo, one of India’s largest independent digital-first agencies, manages more than 350 brands and oversees advertising spends exceeding $100 million across its network.
Under the mandate, the agency will handle Big Bowl’s social media strategy, content development, digital performance marketing, media planning and buying, as well as campaign amplification across platforms.
Commenting on the partnership, Lenexis Foodworks founder and director Aayush Madhusudan Agrawal said, “Big Bowl has scaled rapidly to cross Rs 100 crore ARR and established itself as one of the largest bowl-format brands in the country. As a delivery-first, digitally native brand, our next phase of growth will be driven by sharper performance systems and stronger brand storytelling. Consolidating social and media with Lyxel & Flamingo allows us to integrate data, creativity and media precision as we scale towards our next revenue milestone.”
Lenexis Foodworks marketing head Vikas Iyer, added that the delivery-led category requires content, media and performance marketing to work closely together.
“With Lyxel & Flamingo, we aim to build a sharper social voice, stronger acquisition systems and measurable impact, ensuring the brand scales not just in presence but also in precision,” he said.
Lyxel & Flamingo chief executive officer Dev Batra, said the agency will combine data-driven marketing with creative storytelling to support Big Bowl’s growth. “Big Bowl brings the flavour, and L&F brings the fire. Our strategy combines data-led performance with engaging storytelling to help build a strong digital brand presence while delivering measurable business results,” he said.
With this partnership, Big Bowl is looking to strengthen its position as a digitally driven QSR brand, blending brand-building with performance marketing as it scales within India’s rapidly growing organised food delivery market.
