Week at a glance: Meta’s policy; Festive gear-up; Sports sponsorship; Programmatic talk

Dear friends,

The extended festive season in India commenced with Raksha Bandhan this week. Marketers are bullish on market recovery and a bumper festive season this year. It will be interesting to see which way the festive winds blow.

On Tuesday, Meta announced that it has updated its Whatsapp business messaging policy to allow ads related to alcohol, online gambling and over-the-counter drugs in India, APAC and LATAM. This raised many eyebrows since alcohol advertising is banned in India, moreover online gambling ads are also highly regulated. On Friday, Meta clarified that the announcement was for the global markets and affirmed that India is not among the alcohol-allowed countries on Whatsapp business messaging.

Whatsapp business messaging policy updated: No alcohol ads; RMG allowed

Festive season begins

Raksha Bandhan, being celebrated today, marks the beginning of the extended festive season in India. Over the years, this festival celebrating the eternal bond between brothers and sisters has become a huge opportunity for brands to connect with consumers on a personal level.

Raksha Bandhan blitz: Investments shifting to digital, but TV & print remain crucial

Mondelez’s Nitin Saini on immersive storytelling & creating memories this Raksha Bandhan

Raksha Bandhan revelry: Brands weave magic with their 'knot-so-traditional' campaigns

Walk the programmatic talk

In this exclusive Ag Talk interaction with Adgully, Ramya Parashar, Chief Operating Officer, MiQ, delves into the current state of the programmatic sector in India. She also discusses the specific technologies MiQ has developed to stay ahead in the competitive landscape, how the company is leveraging AI and Generative AI to enhance campaign performance for clients, advancements in CTV advertising, and more.

Programmatic landscape is likely to see further consolidation: Ramya Parashar, COO, MiQ

New era of engagement

Forget the red carpet. The new Hollywood is a virtual playground where Gen Z enjoys the ride with their beloved movie characters to their heart’s content. Warner Bros is leading the charge, turning ‘Beetlejuice 2’ into a Roblox adventure.

The movie marketing razzmatazz: Buckle up for the digital ride

Q&A: Manish Bhatt, Scarecrow Communications

In an exclusive interaction with Adgully, Manish Bhatt, Founder and Director, Scarecrow Communications, speaks at length about the conceptualization and creative thought behind the campaign for Gopal Snacks’ Cristos, a sub-brand aimed at the Gen Z, millennials, and urban youth. He also shares insights on how the increasing use of AI is impacting the thought process in advertising and creative agencies.

Manish Bhatt on building a lasting brand world for Gopal Snacks’ brand Cristos

Sports sponsorship – Big Vs Small

Major sporting events such as the IPL, Olympics, FIFA, have always dominated viewership and revenues. However, this concentrated attention can create challenges for smaller tournaments and less prominent events, which may struggle to attract the same level of viewer interest and sponsorship monies.

Big ticket event Vs smaller leagues – Experts weigh in on maximising brand strategies

Paytm, Zomato acquisition deal

Paytm and Zomato are said to have entered a deal under which Zomato will buy the movie and events ticketing businesses of Paytm for an all cash deal of Rs 2,048 crore. This purchase will fortify Zomato’s market presence as it looks to expand its business beyond food delivery. Meanwhile, with this sale Paytm will be focussing on its core payments and financial services operations.

Zomato to acquire Paytm’s entertainment ticketing business for Rs 2,048 cr

Until next week...

Shanta Saikia

Editor

Adgully

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