iWorld
Airtel Cellular had highest TV ad insertions during ’16 Diwali
BENGALURU: Diwali week in 2016 was week 44 – between Saturday, 29 October 2016 and Friday 4 November 2016. Airtel Cellular Phone Service (Airtel Cellular) was the top advertiser on television as per Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) data of top 10 brands across genre: All India (U+R): 4+ Individuals with 9,370 insertions or spots. Further, Airtel Cellular also had the highest insertions in the week leading to and the after Diwali. For week 43, as per BARC data, Airtel Cellular topped the charts with 9,229 insertions and for week 45 with an even higher 10,387 insertions.
A total number of 83,178; 72,073; and 74,513 ad insertions were shared by the top ten brands in terms of number of insertions per weekin weeks 43, 44 and 45 respectively. Please refer to figure A below for the top 10 brands in terms of TV ad spots.
As is obvious, only FMCG, Mobile (including services) and online brands are in the top 10 list in terms of number of ad insertions in all the three weeks. Week 43 also saw a small presence from auto, jewellery and food brands while week 44 saw the exit of auto brands from the top 10 brands list in terms of number of ad insertions. Week 45 saw jewellery and food brands also exit from the list. Online brands tripled their presence in week 45 in number of brands to three from only one in weeks 43 and 44 as well as in terms of percentage of total number of insertions by the top 10 brands from 9.29 percent and 9.1 percent in weeks 43 and 44 to 28 percent in week 45. Of note is the fact that Patanjali, which was consistently among the top 10 brands in terms of insertions during weeks 40,41 and 42, was absent from the lists in week 43, 44 and 45.
iWorld
Frodoh, Chaupal introduce non-intrusive first-screen ads for OTT platforms
New ad-tech layer unlocks revenue without interrupting OTT viewing
MUMBAI: Frodoh has partnered with regional OTT platform Chaupal to roll out what it calls an industry-first “first-screen” monetisation framework, aimed at helping subscription-led streaming services generate additional revenue without interrupting content viewing.
The new model focuses on connected TV home screens, introducing ad formats that sit within the discovery layer rather than the content itself. In simple terms, viewers may notice subtle brand placements while browsing, but once they hit play, the experience remains ad-free.
The technology is designed to tap into high-attention areas such as session depth, viewing intent and discovery behaviour, turning previously unused interface space into monetisable real estate. For OTT platforms, this opens up a fresh revenue stream without diluting the premium experience that subscribers expect.
Chaupal chief executive officer Sandeep Bansal said the move balances growth with user trust. “By partnering with Frodoh, we are introducing a sophisticated ‘first-screen’ monetisation layer that integrates seamlessly into our UI, ensuring discovery remains native and non-intrusive while keeping content consumption ad-free.”
From Frodoh’s side, the pitch is clear: expand the ad pie without cluttering the screen. Frodoh founder and chief executive officer Russhabh R Thakkar said the framework creates a new category of advertising by unlocking high-visibility home screen inventory that was previously untapped.
Industry watchers see this as part of a broader shift in OTT monetisation strategies, especially as subscription platforms look to diversify revenue without risking churn. With connected TV usage rising steadily, the home screen is quickly becoming the next battleground for attention.
If the model scales, this partnership could signal a subtle but significant shift in how OTT platforms monetise, proving that sometimes, the most valuable ad space is the one you see before the show even begins.
