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Digital, live commerce was significant in 2022 and will be so in 2023 too
Mumbai: From the digital medium booming to the metaverse, NFTs, web 3.0, and blockchain becoming the new buzzwords, several trends took shape in the year that went by.
With 2022 coming to an end, Indiantelevision.com had a chat with Wunderman Thompson South Asia CEO Shamsuddin Jasani, aka Shams, on the trends that topped the charts of 2022 and which the industry is likely to witness in 2023.
Digital
Even though it was much expected and a lot has been spoken about it, but guess the digital trend caught up more swiftly than anybody thought it ever could. Shams says, “This was the year where digital overtook tradition from the perspective of advertising spends for the first year. This was coming, but I think the pandemic accelerated in terms of consumption.”
Commerce
According to him, “Live commerce, I think that’s something which is coming up – social commerce was a big buzzword and it is still going to be a big buzzword. I think live commerce, where people are showcasing the products live and there’s a live community that is buying something, that is going to happen.”
He goes on, enthusiastically, “I think next year, you will see a lot more being done on e-commerce and a lot more innovations that are happening in commerce, because I think that is where people are spending more and more time. So, of course, people are consuming video content, and people are consuming audio content, but I think an increasing amount of time is being spent on e-commerce platforms. So you will also see a lot of innovations happening on the commerce platform from an advertising perspective, not just from an autonomous perspective because the time spent on a lot of Flipkart or Amazon or even a food app is now substantially more than what it was. So I think, and this is a completely off-the-cuff thing, that you could see some great things happening in the entire commerce ecosystem.”
ONDC
All of us are well aware that the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) has been set up by the government to develop open e-commerce. It is a set of specifications designed to foster open interchange and connections between shoppers, technology platforms, and retailers.
Speaking on the same, Shams cites, “I think the new big thing that’s going to happen next year is how do we latch on to the very important ONDC, which the government is backing in a very big way. That is going to be very, very interesting for 2023. And how the ONDC plays a role for marketers and brands is going to be very, very interesting. So, the entire thing is going to be very interesting for the entire commerce market from the perspective of how you have a D2C role, how you have a marketplace role, and how, where, and when ONDC comes into play, and as a brand, how do you see this entire end-to-end commerce ecosystem being most critical.”
Technology like the metaverse, web 3.0, and 5G
He is of the view that one of the other big things that have happened is that ecosystems are coming up, like the metaverse, web 3.0, and 5G, which is coming up next year. He points out, “How we as brands and agencies will be up the curve? Clients and consumers are going to adopt it. How can we also try to be there with them is another trend that I think is visible to us?”
Elucidating on the metaverse phenomenon, Shams states, “It’s like there is a technology, and it is up to you to use that technology. I think this year the buzzword was metaverse, and people were talking about it. And I don’t know if it’s innovation, but it is more in terms of actually just exploring the entire metaverse that is there. Next year, you will see a little more relevance creeping into the metaverse, and much more being done on it that’s there.”
Influencers to content creators
He also discusses the change from influencers to content creators. “So the whole buzzword has changed from saying that these are influencers to content creators. People are no longer interested in influencers posting something online and being influenced by it – they want people to create content, and then people are consuming that content. So I think the whole transformation of addressing them as influencers to content creators, I think that’s another shift that’s happened, and hence, how as advertisers as marketers, are we working with content creators, I think that’s a trend, which is big now, and which is going to be very big in 2023, as well, as is the entire content-creating community,” he wraps up.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
