iWorld
IAMAI’s India Affiliate Summit gets underway on 25 Aug
Mumbai: The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) is organising the seventh edition of India Affiliate Summit (IAS) on 25 August. The event will witness about 3,000 delegates from different spheres of the affiliate marketing industry including online publishers, bloggers, traffic sources, retailers, networks, and technology firms. Over 700 global companies and 50 exhibitors will converge at the conference.
Among the key speakers will be vCommission, CEO, Parul Bhargava; Craig Campbell SEO, SEO trainer and consultant, Craig Campbell; Bright Leads Media, founder, Hassan Aanbar; Acceleration Partners, founder and CEO, Robert Glazer; Cashkaro, co-founder, Rohan Bhargava; Ferns N Petals, head – digital marketing, Sai Tota; Max Life Insurance, CVP – e-commerce and digital marketing Aditya Satpute; HDFC Bank, VP and head- digital, content and social media marketing, Jahid Ahmed; Godrej Consumer Products, VP and head – digital, Pankaj Parihar; and Lendinkart, director – marketing, Nijish Nair.
Some of the key topics of discussion at the summit will include ‘How to build a multi-million-pound affiliate empire?’, ‘Is performance marketing a win-win deal or has a flip side?’, ‘Growing role of affiliate marketing in fintech domain’, ‘How are influencers changing the affiliate marketing fame?’, ‘Implementing affiliate marketing in mobile gaming’, and ‘GenZ, the social media generation – vital audience for affiliates’.
According to reports, affiliate marketing continues to grow at 10 per cent year-on-year, thanks to the boom in online. Today, most of the brands and online marketplaces are partnering with the affiliates as they increase their bandwidth in the business of gaining more customers.
One of the keynote speakers, Parul Bhargava said, “India Affiliate Summit is an event very close to my heart – being the only affiliate/performance-centric event in the country. The event historically has experienced great brainstorming and networking by and with stalwarts of affiliates from our country who contribute to the global industry. Since the pandemic restricted our travels, it’s amazing to see how IAMAI is working so hard to ensure the affiliate industry comes together virtually every year with great insights on how affiliate trends are emerging.”
“Indian e-commerce has seen massive growth and a shift in consumer behaviour over the last two years,” said Rohan Bhargava. “With D2C brands gaining popularity, CashKaro and EarnKaro have witnessed the same trends in sales and high ROI we drive for our partners like MamaEarth, MCaffeine and Ustraa. Cashback, rewards and affiliate programs are definitely the place to be right now for real results. I am really excited to explore this further with other players in the space at the India Affiliate Summit.”
“Having the second-largest e-commerce market in the world and with digital shoppers increasing, India has seen immense growth in affiliate marketing in the last one-and-a-half year,” Admitad Affiliate India’s country manager, Neha Kulwal remarked. “With inventories like content sites, influencers, loyalty partners being capitalised by brands via affiliate marketing, it is imperative for brands to launch their affiliate programs to maximise growth. In line with e-commerce, other sectors such as fintech, online education, and many more have added affiliate channels into their advertising mix.”
“Affiliate marketing has become an integral part of our growth strategy and the event is a great platform to discuss ideas and best practices. The affiliate ecosystem in India is still at a nascent stage. As the ecosystem matures, media tie-ups could transform into strategic win-win business partnerships in the future,” added Aditya Satpute.
iWorld
JioHotstar enters micro-drama space with 100 shows under Tadka banner
Short-form push targets 300M users as content meets commerce in new format
MUMBAI: JioStar has made a bold play in India’s fast-growing micro-drama space, rolling out over 100 short-form shows under its new Tadka banner on JioHotstar, timed with the massive viewership surge of the Indian Premier League 2026.
The scale of the launch signals clear intent. Rather than testing the waters, the company has dived in headfirst, releasing a wide slate of content on day one. Each show is designed for quick consumption, with episodes running 60 to 90 seconds in a vertical format tailored for mobile-first audiences.
The move comes as India’s micro-drama market, currently valued at around $300 million, is projected to grow tenfold to over $3 billion by 2030. Globally, the format has already proven its mettle, with China’s micro-drama sector recording explosive growth in recent years.
What sets this rollout apart is its built-in monetisation strategy. The shows are free to watch and ad-supported, with brand integrations woven directly into storylines from the outset. It reflects a broader shift where content and commerce are increasingly intertwined, rather than operating in silos.
The timing is equally strategic. With more than 300 million users already tuning in for IPL action, JioHotstar is effectively turning cricket’s biggest stage into a discovery engine for its new format.
The company is not entering an empty arena. Early movers like Kuku TV, MX Player and platforms backed by Zee Entertainment Enterprises have already laid the groundwork, building audiences and validating demand for snackable storytelling.
Now, with scale, distribution and advertiser interest aligning, the big players are stepping in. For JioStar, Tadka may well serve as a proving ground for the next evolution of digital entertainment, where every minute counts and every second sells.
If the bet pays off, India’s next big content wave might just arrive in under 90 seconds.
