What Brands Can Learn From IPL’s Saturation Problem
The IPL’s scoring feats now regularly top 250 runs, yet the thrill they once sparked is fading. The league’s relentless high‑octane format mirrors ad fatigue, where constant exposure dulls emotional impact. While viewership and ad spend stay strong, the novelty that drove fan enthusiasm is eroding into background noise. Marketers are urged to treat the IPL’s saturation as a cautionary tale about balancing visibility with surprise to sustain long‑term engagement.
Quick Commerce Ad Revenue to Hit ₹4,900 Crore as FMCG Funnel Collapses
Quick‑commerce platforms in India are turning into powerful advertising channels, with ad revenue projected to hit ₹4,900 crore (≈$590 million) in 2026, up from ₹3,000 crore (≈$360 million) a year earlier. Retail media on these platforms is set to capture 15% of the country’s...
Hot Wheels Got Intelligent: Carmakers Are Device-Fying, and Tech Companies Making Cars Are Bringing Their World View with Them
Ferrari unveiled its first electric model, the Luce, priced at roughly $6,600 USD and designed with Apple‑linked firm LoveFrom, sparking a sharp share dip. In China, Xiaomi’s SU7 secured 50,000 orders in 27 minutes, while Huawei’s Maextro S800, priced above $1,200...
My Name on Your Feed
Founder‑led branding has become a mainstream tactic in India’s startup ecosystem, with founders turning themselves into media personalities to cut acquisition costs and build trust. The trend is fueled by cheaper content creation tools, rising digital ad prices, and TV...
Do Brands Play Favorites with Influencers?
Indian influencer marketing is rapidly decentralising as creators from Tier‑2 and Tier‑3 cities like Pujarini Pradhan and Sonali Vaghari attract major brands such as Audible, Netflix and beauty giants. A Kofluence report estimates the sector’s value at roughly $360‑$420 million in...
Central Consumer Protection Authority Cracks Down on Online Sale of Hazardous Chemicals, Explosive Substances
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has launched regulatory action against several Indian e‑commerce platforms for listing and advertising hazardous chemicals and explosive precursors online. Notices were sent to sites such as IndiaMART, Justdial, and Sigma‑Aldrich India, demanding details on...
Australia Consumer Inflation Slows in April, Core Creeps Higher
Australian consumer prices rose 0.4% in April, easing the annual CPI to 4.2% from 4.6% and beating median forecasts. The slowdown was largely driven by a temporary fuel tax rebate, which softened headline inflation. Meanwhile, the trimmed‑mean core inflation measure...
US Consumer Confidence Ebbs in May as Inflation Worries Mount
U.S. consumer confidence slipped to 93.1 in May, according to the Conference Board, after a 0.7‑point decline from the revised April reading of 93.8. The dip reflects heightened inflation concerns linked to the ongoing war with Iran, which offset a...
The Rise of the Anti-D2C Playbook
Direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) once powered beauty and health brands, but soaring customer‑acquisition costs and discount‑driven churn are prompting a strategic pivot. The emerging “Anti‑D2C Playbook” emphasizes credibility over cheap clicks, leveraging professional stylist advocacy to build lasting loyalty. Data from McKinsey,...
Budweiser Bets on 0.0 Growth, Global Partnerships and BudX to Deepen India Play
Budweiser is leveraging its 150‑year legacy to accelerate growth of its Budweiser 0.0 non‑alcoholic beer, a segment expanding at roughly 25‑30% annually in India. The brand is broadening the 0.0 portfolio with flavored options such as Peach and Green Apple while...
India's Marketing Sector Sees Sharp Rise in Fresher Hiring, Driven by AI and Analytics Roles: Report
India's marketing and advertising sector is witnessing a dramatic surge in entry‑level hiring, with fresher hiring intent climbing to 62% in the first half of 2026, up from just 11% a year earlier. The rise is driven by a shift...
Aman Gupta Takes Goafest 2026 on a Boat-Ride
At Goafest 2026, Boat co‑founder Aman Gupta warned brands to stop playing it safe and start listening to Gen Z, emphasizing the power of younger employees in shaping brand voice. He highlighted Boat’s early success, which stemmed from youth‑led marketing, strategic early‑talent...
Far and Wide vs Bullseye
At the ET Brand Equity ‘igNight’ event, media veterans Vikram Sakhuja and Shashi Sinha sparred over whether reach remains the primary marketing metric or if targeted, attention‑driven advertising has taken precedence. Sakhuja argued that broad reach is essential for acquiring...
Blue and Red: Amul’s New Game Plan
Amul hit a record INR 1 lakh crore (≈$12 billion) turnover in FY 2026 and rolled out 100 new products, expanding its portfolio to over 1,200 SKUs across categories from protein shakes to frozen pizza. The dairy giant reorganised its distribution into four highways—ambient, chilled,...
Shift to Pricing Feelings; Not Products
Indian marketers are moving from data‑centric targeting to emotional metadata, tagging ads by the feelings they evoke rather than just product categories. AI‑driven models now detect consumer mood in real time, enabling ads that match anxiety, ambition or nostalgia. The...