iWorld
VI’s people-first initiative helps reunite families at Kumbh Mela
MUMBAI: At every Kumbh Mela, thousands of people become separated from their families in the vast crowds. In 2013, around 70,000 individuals were reported lost at Prayagraj Kumbh. This year presents similar challenges, with over 250 people reportedly lost within the first few hours of the event’s opening day.
To address this issue, India’s leading telecom operator, VI, has introduced the ‘VI Number Rakshak’ initiative, ensuring that no one feels lost or disconnected. Recognising that many, especially the elderly and children, may not own mobile phones or struggle to recall contact numbers, VI has set up a dedicated booth near Swami Ramanand Acharya Shibir akhada.
At this booth, pilgrims can receive complimentary Rudraksh and Tulsi bracelets engraved with emergency contact numbers of family members or companions. This simple yet effective solution provides a reliable means of reconnecting without the need for mobile phones or internet access.
Speaking on the initiative, VI chief marketing officer Avneesh Khosla highlighted the company’s commitment to people-first solutions. “VI Number Rakshak showcases how the simplest ideas can make a significant impact. We are not just a telecom provider, but a people-first partner, ensuring connectivity when it matters most,” he said.
VI Number Rakshak aligns with VI’s broader philosophy of ‘Be Someone’s We’, which promotes fostering connections and collective care—previously highlighted in campaigns addressing urban loneliness among youth and senior citizens.
In addition, VI has significantly bolstered its network infrastructure at the Maha Kumbh, installing 30 new sites at Triveni Sangam, along with 40 high-powered small-cell and macro sites across key locations. The company has also deployed 32 km of fibre to enhance backhaul connectivity, ensuring seamless voice calls, uninterrupted video streaming, and high-speed data access for VI users in the densely crowded areas.
iWorld
Meta introduces new AI tools to boost discovery-to-purchase journey
From shoppable Reels to generative video, platforms get smarter at turning attention into sales.
MUMBAI: Meta is turning “scroll and stop” into “scroll, stop, and shop” and it’s using AI to make the whole journey feel almost effortless. The company has announced several new tools and enhancements designed to help brands guide people from discovery to purchase more effectively, while delivering more relevant and personalised experiences across its platforms.
Creators can now add product links more broadly on Instagram Reels, turning their content into shoppable moments. Businesses in 22 countries, including India, will soon be able to share their product catalogues with creators, opening up a new sales channel for brands and fresh monetisation opportunities for creators.
The Creator Marketplace has also been upgraded with enhanced target audience filtering, integrated with Ads Manager. This helps businesses quickly find creators who are a strong match for their goals. Campaigns using Partnership Ads deliver, on average, 19 per cent lower CPAs, 13 per cent higher click-through rates, and 71 per cent higher median brand lift.
Meta is expanding Reels Trending Ads inventory with new content categories including TV & Movies, Travel, Business, Finance & Investments. According to Meta’s analysis of 59 studies, Reels Trending Ads delivered an incremental 6.6 percentage point Ad Recall lift compared to control groups.
AI-Powered Shopping Enhancements
- Product Set Optimisation is now in testing, allowing retail media networks to promote specific products with detailed reporting. Early results show 17 per cent lower median seller cost per purchase.
- Product Showcase is being expanded so marketers can upload one image or video and let Meta’s AI automatically add relevant products as a carousel when it improves performance.
Meta is expanding its generative AI capabilities with:
- UGC-style videos featuring avatars and voiceovers
- Easier voiceover translation and text overlay translation in a single streamlined flow
- New tools to automatically turn product catalogues into dynamic video ads for Reels
Early testing of the Advantage+ creative video generation tool showed a 10 per cent increase in CTR and 8 per cent increase in CVR on average. Campaigns using catalog product video saw 20 per cent more conversions per dollar, while Reels placements with catalog product video delivered 33 per cent higher incremental conversions.
Industry voices welcomed the updates. Vikas Chawla of Social Beat called Partnership Ads a “flywheel” for authentic content that converts. Niti Kumar of Spark Foundry and Sadhvi Dhawan of Blink Digital highlighted the power of Reels Trending Ads for cultural relevance and guaranteed share of voice. Ramasish Bhowmik of Adbuffs noted that Meta’s GenAI tools are giving teams a clear competitive edge.
In a world where attention is fleeting but shopping intent can spark in seconds, Meta is betting that smarter AI will help brands turn discovery into decisions faster than ever. The message is clear: the future of advertising isn’t just about reaching people, it’s about reaching them at exactly the right moment, with exactly the right product.
