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Online video advertising comes of age in India
MUMBAI: India has become the fourth largest online video consumption market, aided by 50 per cent growth over the last couple of years. This sudden explosion has made video marketing an obvious choice for marketers.
“Internet is no longer the medium that brands invest in when they do not have budgets for TV. The scenario has now changed, thanks to two main factors – television has become increasingly fragmented and the youth has shifted online,” said Visa marketing director- India & South Asia Shubhranshu Singh.
The challenge rises in the fact that the medium needs to be optimised. With smartphone penetration increasing every year, generating contextual and relevant content for the medium is the main challenge. “For this medium to be used to its potential, the offline and online planners need to work hand in hand. The content creation for this medium needs to be done creatively and not simply picked from that generated for TV,” said Vdopia Media vice president Debadutta Upadhyaya, while speaking at the 8th Marketing Conclave organised by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).
In case of video marketing online, the context of the ad becomes very important. It is no longer a case where people watch the ad without an option as it appears along the side panels of its screen during a match or in between a movie or serial on TV.
Singh said, “Online, the consumer may see an ad and search about the product or conversely see the product and search for a video on it. The toggle between the viewing and search is five to ten times faster than in the offline case. This makes it very interesting.”
One point of view is the possible change in definition of the term TV itself. Now the medium may be classified as Internet screen and non Internet screen. “This is the main reason why the content for the mediums needs to be differentiated. The two media attract different audience and, thus, the same content will just not do. Also, video offers a tool for measurability which marketers look for in any medium they use.”
Additionally, content on the Internet never dies or goes offline; it only gets buried. This is one of the main reason why there is an urgency to seek creative thought process in generation of online video marketing content. “There is a certain ‘whackiness’ in online video content that is accepted which cannot be replicated on TV,” averred Singh.
Amagi Media Labs co-founder KA Srinivasan, however, refused to accept that this is a case of TV versus online video marketing. “Television penetration is only going to increase in the future. Also as we adopt new technologies, television will be able to provide targeted regional advertising options. This will give the marketers a chance to change the message according to the demography and geography,” he said.
For many, the term ‘online video’ translates to YouTube. While YouTube uses a lot of user generated content, online video marketing also includes the development of professional videos. It is the latter that marketers can use to actually market the product while the former may provide valuable insight into consumer psyche.
“India is experiencing an industrial and digital revolution simultaneously. So where one part of the country is laying down new roads and building buildings and bridges, the other part is going viral. Today, the focus is shifting from penetration to consumption,” Singh said.
While TV and print will always figure in a planner’s marketing plan, digital, specifically online video marketing, will find its own place and importance.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
