How misalignments impact engagement and ROI in video ads

The 9th edition of the DIGIXX Summit and Awards 2025, held in Delhi on March 20, turned the spotlight on the evolution of digital marketing in India. While AI, AR/VR, and social commerce dominated discussions, a key focus was on the challenges of video ad misalignment. A panel discussion, titled ‘Beyond Impressions: How Misalignments Impact Engagement and ROI in Video Ads’, explored the pressing issue of ad placement incongruities affecting brand engagement and return on investment. 

Moderated by Amit Rathi, Managing Director, India, Channel Factory, the panelists included: 

Abhishek Chadha, EVP – North & East, Interactive Avenues

Divyesh Gurlani, Senior VP & Business Head - APEX, Publicis Media

Karan Singh, Enterprise Marketing Manager, HP Inc.

Nitin Guleria, Head of Media - Mobile, Samsung

Shubham Verma, Media and Measurement Lead, Hygiene, Reckitt

Opening the discussion, Amit Rathi explained the concept of ad misalignment, “We often see ads appearing in contexts that don't align with the content—like a liquor ad playing before a devotional ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ video or a non-vegetarian food ad appearing alongside religious content. Such misplacements not only damage brand perception but also dilute engagement and effectiveness.” 

He further illustrated the issue citing the example of children’s content, “If a luxury car ad is shown on a Cocomelon video because the platform categorizes it under ‘music and entertainment’, the ad reach becomes redundant and ineffective.” 

Abhishek Chadha discussed the oversaturation of digital content and its impact on ad effectiveness, “Brands need to differentiate between ‘brand safety’ and ‘brand suitability.’ What is deemed safe may not necessarily be suitable. Deeper classification and contextual targeting are key.” 

He emphasised the need for advanced measurement tools, stating, “Metrics like video completion rates and CPCs can be misleading. Instead, in-content analysis and heat maps should be used to validate ad placement effectiveness.” 

Highlighting the financial consequences of misalignment, Divyesh Gurlani said, “Ad misalignment leads to wasted budgets. When ads reach irrelevant audiences, it’s a total loss for clients. The core issue lies in content tagging—platforms must refine their classification systems. AI and data-driven solutions can help optimize ad placements.” 

He stressed on the importance of dynamic targeting, saying, “Brands should continuously monitor placement insights and leverage AI-driven solutions to minimize mismatched impressions and improve campaign efficiency.” 

Karan Singh discussed the challenge of reaching B2B audiences. He said, “For HP, finding the right audience – CIOs, IT heads, and decision-makers – is difficult. Most ad platforms focus on consumer advertising, making it challenging to target niche business audiences. Misalignment results in lost brand trust and poor message comprehension.” 

He suggested AI-powered solutions, “Contextual targeting and audience segmentation tools can help B2B brands reach the right viewers at the right moment.” 

Nitin Guleria emphasized the complexities of targeting both mass and premium audiences, “With social media trends evolving daily, ensuring ads appear in the right context is difficult. Unlike traditional advertising, where brands knew their audience, today’s self-serve platforms blur the lines between mass-market and premium consumers.” 

He recommended real-time AI optimization models, “Predictive analytics and sentiment analysis can help brands optimize campaigns dynamically, ensuring they reach the right audience segments.” 

Shubham Verma emphasized the role of data in tackling misalignment, stating, “For hygiene brands at Reckitt, ads must appear in contexts that resonate with our target audience. Misalignment not only wastes ad spend but also affects credibility. AI-driven contextual targeting and dynamic ad placements are the future.” 

He underscored the need for post-campaign analysis: “Beyond ad setup, brands must analyze performance metrics, run A/B tests, and refine strategies based on audience engagement data.”