e-commerce
Disney+ Hotstar survey shows surge in budget over last year
Mumbai: As the festive season approaches, Indian consumers are gearing up for a significant shopping spree, as revealed by the positive spending sentiment observed in the third edition of Disney+ Hotstar’s Festive Shopping Sentiment Survey. The survey reflects strong consumer confidence, with shoppers expected to boost their spending by a remarkable 47 per cent compared to last year. Millennials are predicted to lead the charge, with women shoppers notably increasing their budgets by 70 per cent over the previous year, focusing on multiple categories including clothing, mobile phones, food, and beauty products.
Key Findings:
. Increased spending capacity: Improved spending capacity will drive higher expenditures this festive season
. Millennial vs. Gen Z spending: Millennials are expected to spend more compared to Gen Z
. Women shoppers: Women shoppers will increase their budget by 70 per cent compared to last year and shop across more than two categories
. Top categories: Festive shopping baskets will comprise clothing, mobile, food, and beauty products
. Upgrading technology: Consumers are looking to upgrade to 5G-enabled mobile phones and smart TVs this festive season
. Preference for online shopping: 59 per cent of consumers prefer to shop online
. Influence of online video ads: Online video ads will be the top information source, with 58 per cent of consumers discovering brands and services through these platforms
. Digital payment preferences: 67 per cent preference for digital payment options, with UPI leading the way
Disney+ Hotstar head of ads Dhruv Dhawan commented, “We are excited about the upcoming festive season, given the positive consumer sentiment reflected in the survey. Disney+ Hotstar’s wide array of shows and movies across languages offers the perfect platform for brands to connect with consumers as they plan their festive shopping. Our
platform is uniquely positioned to spotlight brands and their offerings through our innovative ad formats and comprehensive targeting options.”
For the upcoming festive season, Disney+ Hotstar has an exciting line-up of shows across English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam, as well as marquee live sports tournaments including the Premier League, the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, and Pro Kabaddi league, making it the platform of choice for advertisers to engage with their consumers. Additionally, the platform offers festive packages for top-watched shows in multiple languages, simplifying campaign planning for advertisers. With innovative ad formats and over 1,000 targeting options, advertisers looking to capitalise on the festive fever will be spoilt for choice on Disney+ Hotstar.
https://discover.hotstar.com/festive-report-2024/
e-commerce
American Express to acquire AI startup Hyper to boost automation
Deal targets expense management as AI reshapes corporate spending tools.
MUMBAI: From receipts to robots, the expense sheet is getting a brain upgrade as American Express moves to bring artificial intelligence into the heart of corporate spending. The company has announced plans to acquire Hyper, a relatively young but fast-rising startup founded in 2022 that builds AI-powered agents capable of organising expenses, generating reports, verifying compliance with budgets and policies, and nudging users with timely reminders. The deal, expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, underscores a growing shift among financial institutions to automate traditionally manual, time-heavy workflows.
Hyper counts Sam Altman among its backers, adding a layer of Silicon Valley credibility to the acquisition. While financial details remain undisclosed, the strategic intent is clear: deepen automation capabilities and sharpen American Express’s position in the competitive corporate spending ecosystem.
The two companies are not strangers. They previously collaborated in 2024 on a co-branded credit card product, suggesting that the acquisition is less a cold buy and more an extension of an existing relationship. With this move, American Express is effectively bringing that capability in-house, aiming to embed AI directly into its commercial services stack.
Chief executive Stephen Squeri had already signalled the direction of travel in a recent shareholder letter, describing AI as a “structural shift” in how businesses operate. The Hyper acquisition appears to be a direct response to that shift, particularly in expense management, where processes such as approvals, compliance checks and reporting remain ripe for automation.
Alongside the acquisition, the company is also expanding its product suite. A recently launched business credit card offers cashback and benefits at an annual fee of $295, with another card expected later this year moves that complement its broader push into commercial services.
Taken together, the strategy points to a future where managing expenses may require fewer spreadsheets and more algorithms. For American Express, the bet is simple, if businesses are rethinking how work gets done, the tools that power that work need to evolve just as quickly.
