MAM
Yahoo APAC teams with Wharton Future of Advertising Program
NEW DELHI: Yahoo Asia Pacific is collaborating with the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Future of Advertising Program (WFoA) to jointly develop an industry framework for native advertising, a rapidly emerging form of digital advertising. The framework will act as a guideline for maximising the effectiveness of native advertising.
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Online advertising is evolving with less obtrusive formats such as native ads, which have high engagement rates because they blend advertising seamlessly with the digital content environment. The collaboration between Yahoo and Wharton will include selective crowd-sourcing of ideas and innovations for native advertising, both online and through roundtable discussions with practitioners, thought leaders and social scientists globally. Wharton and Yahoo kick started the process by hosting an invitation-only roundtable recently in Singapore and discussed the future trends and likely direction of native advertising. Yahoo will also tap into the WFoA Global Advisory Board comprising more than 80 thought leaders from the world’s most innovative advertising agencies, technology companies and research institutes.
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“We‘re proud to be leading the discussion on the future of native advertising amongst advertisers, publishers and agencies to develop an industry framework around this emerging trend. Working together with Wharton, we will create a reference point on how native advertising is defined and measured in the marketplace,” said Yahoo India-SE Asia and head of advertising solutions Asia Pacific MD Yvonne Chang.
Commenting on the partnership, Jerry Wind, Professor of Marketing at Wharton and Academic director of the Wharton Future of Advertising Program, said, “We are excited to work on such a groundbreaking venture with Yahoo.” He added, “At Wharton we have a deep and committed interest in the future of digital advertising and how it will evolve over the years to come. Our collaboration with the Yahoo team will strengthen the output of a native advertising framework by matching professional experience with our academic rigor.”
According to industry reports, native advertising is the fastest growing segment of online advertising. eMarketer estimates that native ad spending in 2012 reached $1.63 billion and will increase to $2.85 billion by 2014.
MAM
Nikita Kandhari expands role at Prime Video India
Senior leader now heads content marketing for hindi slate while retaining principal position.
MUMBAI: Nikita Kandhari just levelled up her Prime Video game because when you’re already scripting hits, the next move is to own the whole Hindi storyline. Nikita Kandhari has taken on an expanded leadership role at Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios, now heading content marketing for the Hindi slate covering original series, movies, and licensed titles while continuing as principal for content marketing.
Announcing the move on LinkedIn, Kandhari wrote, “I’m excited to share that I’m stepping into an expanded role, leading content marketing for the Hindi slate… The past year has been an intense period of learning across building new IPs, shaping campaigns, and working more closely than ever with cross-functional teams. I’m grateful for the trust, mentorship, and collaboration that made that growth possible.”
In her broader mandate, Kandhari will shape integrated, audience-first marketing strategies for Prime Video’s growing Hindi content portfolio, aiming to deepen engagement with India’s booming streaming viewers through thoughtful, culturally attuned campaigns.
Kandhari brings nearly two decades of experience across media, FMCG, and advertising. Before Amazon, she held key roles at Netflix, Hotstar, Unilever, Ogilvy & Mather, and began her career in 2008 as a Research Analyst at The Nielsen Company. She holds an MBA in Marketing and Strategy/Leadership from the Indian School of Business.
Her expanded remit arrives as Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios continue to scale their Hindi originals and licensed offerings in one of the world’s most competitive and fast-growing streaming markets. For a platform betting big on regional storytelling, placing someone with Kandhari’s blend of strategic depth, creative campaign experience, and cross-industry insight at the helm feels like the perfect plot twist to keep viewers hooked.
