Personalisation in Mobile Advertising: Balancing Engagement and Privacy

The 8th edition of the MOBEXX Summit 2024, held in Delhi on November 27, brought together thought leaders from diverse industries to explore one of the most dynamic facets of mobile advertising – ‘Personalisation in Mobile Advertising: Balancing Engagement and Privacy’. The panel discussion was chaired by Jayant Basantani, Vice President of India Business, Mobavenue, and the distinguished panellists included:

• Himanshu Sirohi, Head of Digital Marketing, Apollo247
• Jitendra Choudhary, GM - Growth, Honasa Consumer
• Nikita Malhotra Singh, Global Head of Digital, Woodland
• Veda Bashishtha, Digital Marketing Lead, McNROE (Wild Stone & Secret Temptation)

Jayant Basantani commenced the discussion by highlighting the panel’s diverse representation, spanning industries from healthcare to grooming and legacy brands. He posed a compelling question, “With every user being so unique today, how challenging is it to reach the right audience? How does personalisation play a role, especially in ensuring the right messaging lands with the right person?”

Apollo247’s Himanshu Sirohi emphasised the complexity of personalisation in healthcare due to the sensitive nature of user data. He said, “Apollo, as a 40-year-old company, works with vast volumes of structured and unstructured data across legacy and new systems. Personalisation for us is not just digital, but omni-channel – seamlessly integrating offline and online interactions.”

Sirohi provided an example of how the Apollo ecosystem aligns data, stating, “Imagine a customer buying diabetes medicine online through our app. When they visit a pharmacy, the store staff should access their purchase history to suggest relevant products, enhancing the user experience across touchpoints.” He stressed that personalisation must remain 360-degree, respecting customer privacy while leveraging insights to drive meaningful engagement.

For Veda Bashishtha, the essence of digital personalisation lies in targeted communication. She remarked, “Personalisation has solved numerous problems, especially in retaining customers. Using a customer’s name in communications or tailoring messages to their preferences creates a lasting impact.”

She, however, cautioned against overuse, stating that overly aggressive personalisation could frustrate users. “Effective personalisation lies in balance, avoiding a hard-sell approach while focusing on meaningful engagement,” she added.

Nikita Malhotra Singh offered a fresh perspective on personalisation, describing it as the “wow factor” that builds emotional connections. She said, “The magic happens when a customer feels, ‘This brand gets me’. Even when structured data is unavailable, brands can creatively leverage details like weather or device type to craft personalised experiences.”

Singh emphasised on the need to approach personalisation humanely, saying, “Data is crucial, but the real unlock lies in doing more with less – making the customer feel seen and understood, even with limited inputs.”

Jitendra Choudhary of Honasa Consumer highlighted the importance of precise targeting across his company’s portfolio of diverse brands, including Mamaearth. He explained, “For us, personalisation revolves around three key pillars: awareness for new users, leveraging first-party data for delightful communication, and ensuring a seamless platform experience for returning customers.”

Choudhary underscored how AI plays a role in personalisation, but cautioned against reliance on automated processes alone. “While AI pushes capabilities forward, we’re also revisiting traditional methods to identify triggers and refine user segmentation for better outcomes,” he added.

Basantani steered the discussion towards the critical issue of privacy, asking how brands ensure user engagement without overstepping boundaries.

Sirohi provided an example from Apollo247, stating, “Health is incredibly personal. Imagine someone purchasing a sexual wellness product and being retargeted through a family-shared device like a smart TV or Alexa. It’s crucial to draw clear boundaries between personalisation and privacy to avoid breaching user trust.”

Veda Bashishtha added that transparency and consent are pivotal. “Consent is critical, especially when using platforms like WhatsApp. Giving users control to opt out through features like unsubscribe links ensures boundaries aren’t crossed,” she stressed.

Looking ahead, Nikita Malhotra Singh offered a bold vision, stating, “We haven’t hit the peak of AI yet. The future may involve seeing our own faces in ads – a deeply personalised, but potentially dystopian scenario. The challenge lies in achieving this without scaring customers away.”

Choudhary echoed the sentiment, noting, “AI engines often know users better than they know themselves. Brands must harness these capabilities to stay competitive while remaining mindful of the user experience.”

Also Read: Future of fitness e-commerce industry is all about personalisation: Pallav Bihani