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India's booming CTV market coupled with IPL is a magnet for viewers, broadcasters, and advertisers alike. CTV reaches audiences who are no longer watching traditional cable or may never do so, making it a vital medium to connect with viewers shifting towards digital platforms. As per a Dentsu consumer study, CTV viewers have a higher engagement level with 2.2x engagement level compared to 1.4x on offline media like QR scan, coupon redemption or installs. 

Sharing his views on the digital versus TV debate, Rahul Talwar, Chief Marketing Officer, Max Life Insurance says, “Between linear TV and connected TV,  CTV would be one of those pivotal frontiers for advertisers today. We know that all traditional or newer choices of media and their outcomes are reflected on measurability. At the end of the day, a marketer is also now responsible for driving revenue."

Talwar adds, “CTV is that it not only offers a larger screen to consume content and for brands to be present in, it’s also one of those pieces where we have realized that if the viewer wants to have control in his or her hand, it allows you to have that versus say a set content that would have been available in the past. And for life insurance, which is a family conversation, we believe that CTV would be definitely playing a role. 

On the transition from linear TV to CTV, Talwar believes that there is still much more distance to cover and to reach that stage, as there is a great degree of efficiency that gets driven by linear TV. “But I equally believe that going forward, there would always be a role for a specific objective that would be fulfilled by CTV being in the media, mix in that sense."

IPL is a play that allows interactions with the viewer or with the end user in many ways. Talwar says, "At  Max Life, we have very strategically aligned ourselves with cricket for two reasons; one, because we fundamentally believe that if GenZs and millennials are two important cohorts for Max Life Insurance or life insurance in general, then to be able to leverage IPL in some shape and form is important."

IPL brings about this entire manifestation of real-life heroes, and Max Life is all about trying "to ensure that we celebrate these real life heroes or in traditional ways as we call them the breadwinners," he adds. 

"If you were to look at a last three year trend, we have always been floating around with IPL, with our strategic partnerships earlier with team Royal Challengers Bangalore, more recently with Mumbai Indians, and we have ensured that we are in a very smart way present in and around IPL to be able to ensure that we are looking at our brand mind measures moving up."

This is despite the fact that IPL as a property or as an engagement touchpoint would come in those parts of the year which are typically not that high on seasonality for this category, unlike a beverage category which would witness a peak season in the months of April and May. Life insurance tends to pick up beyond May, but despite that IPL can play an universal role. 

Max Life has also embraced the Diversity and Inclusion conversation by leveraging Women's Premier League by extending partnerships with the Mumbai Indians women’s team.    

CTV is a pivotal frontier for advertisers today: Max Life Insurance's CMO Rahul Talwar

mFilterIt has recently released an advertisement report on IPL 2024 sho which says the Services category and FMCG category ads were leading the charge to get maximum traction.  During the initial half of the IPL season, CTV experienced a surge in ad volume compared to mobile platforms across the top 5 categories: BFSI, services, food and beverages (F&B), household products, and automobiles. However, this trend exhibited a notable shift in South India, where mobile advertising matched the volume of CTV advertising. This reversal suggests a nuanced regional preference, with mobile platforms gaining equal prominence as CTV specifically in the South Indian market during this period.

As per the report, the BFSI sector has directed a 70 oercent of its advertising volume towards CTV platforms, showcasing a strong strategic focus on reaching audiences through this channel. On the other hand, the F&B sector maintained a ratio of 6:4 in favor of CTV over other platforms, indicating a preference towards leveraging CTV for advertising campaigns within this industry.

During the first 9 games spread across the mega opening weekend and weekdays of the IPL, brands unveiled new ad campaigns featuring cricket superstars and Bollywood celebrities. For matches held on weekdays, brands targeted both CTV and mobile platforms. However, during weekend matches, the report suggested that there was an aggressive focus on targeting CTV, indicating a strategic shift in advertising strategies to capitalize on higher viewership and engagement during prime weekend slots.

The report highlighted that some brands opted for a more targeted approach, focusing on precise targeting and strategic slot selection rather than high ad volume. These brands strategically placed their ads during the second innings of the matches, a period known to attract peak viewership.

The report showcased that during the opening game of IPL 2024, Fantasy Gaming and Streaming Services emerged as the frontrunners in spot wins, securing an 33 percent share of the advertising spotlight. They were closely followed by the Automobile sector, which claimed a 24 percent share, highlighting their strong presence and strategic advertising during this high-profile event. Additionally, the Food & Beverage industry captured a 12 percent share of spot wins, showcasing the diverse range of brands vying for attention and consumer engagement during this prestigious sporting event.

However, for Hindi viewers, the trend changed with Automobile ads dominating the ad duration share with 25.76 percent, followed by services ads at 18.70 percent and F&B at 14.91 percent. It was also recorded that for different devices, languages and regions, different trends were observed. For the first 9 matches in the Delhi NCR region, the Hindi audience watching on CTV, services category amounted to 32.54%, dominated by fantasy gaming ads. For mobile users, the same category held more than half of the ad duration share accounting for 51.87%.

Household product manufacturers, particularly those specializing in air conditioners (ACs) and fans, have adopted an aggressive advertising strategy, targeting both North and South India markets extensively. This focused approach has resulted in these brands generating over 70% of their total ad volume from these regions.

Amit Relan, Co-Founder and CEO, mFilterIt, said, “The IPL 2024 continues to be a prime advertising attraction across the nation. Our analysis of the advertisements during the initial matches provides an insightful look into how different sectors are strategically vying for consumer attention across regions, languages, and ad formats. The BFSI sector demonstrated a strong focus on reaching audiences effectively through CTV platforms. However, we also witnessed service platforms, fantasy gaming, streaming services, and FMCG brands making a notable impact. A distinct trend that emerged was the nuanced regional preferences, with mobile advertising gaining prominence in South India, highlighting the importance of localized ad strategies as marketers aim to sharpen their outreach and unlock better ROI during this marquee sporting event.”

The report also suggested that the advertising was not limited to just ads between overs and breaks, brands also targeted viewers during the match with banner ads. For the mobile app stream, BFSI ads were leading the Banner advertisements with an average of 30 percent and above share across native languages and regions.

However, in the report, the banner ads presented a very different picture in the IPL advertising arena. Most of the banner ads were the continuation of the ads campaign with spots covering similar themes. The leading brands in banner ads were from the telecom industry highlighting new services or products. It was recorded that for English language viewers in Bengaluru, Telecom products led the banner ad duration share, with a 30.12 percent share on CTV but did not target the mobile viewers.

In CTV banner ads, Telecomm ads dominated with ads from major phone brands made their presence felt during IPL. 30.35 % in Delhi NCR and 32.18% in Mumbai, for English streams. For mobile devices, BFSI was leading with a 28.81% share.

BFSI allocates 70 percent of ad volume to CTV platforms: Report

The 2024 IPL is experiencing a surging wave of viewers on Connected TV, and this it's just the beginning. JioCinema has been aiming for a massive jump in viewership compared to 2023, with a target exceeding 650 million. A significant portion of this growth is likely on CTV, considering their platform focus and the strategic shift of advertisers towards CTV for IPL 2024. 

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 is expected to witness a wide range of brands participating in the tournament, with a mix of large and growing brands. The Tata Group has secured the title sponsorship rights for this season of Indian Premier League (IPL). 

Other prominent sponsors include Dream11, Vimal, Asian Paints, Charged by Thumsup, Joy Personal Care, Dettol, and Amul. These brands have partnered with Disney Star, for various sponsorship deals.

“This trend aligns perfectly with India's booming CTV market, a magnet for viewers, broadcasters, and advertisers alike. Therefore, all signs point towards a substantial increase on top of the ongoing CTV viewership surge for the 2024 IPL if compared to 2023. This could reshape how Indians consume live sports and pave the way for further innovation in the CTV landscape, says Russhabh R Thakkar, Founder and CEO, Frodoh World.

Vinay Singh, co-founder of  Digixpressions points out that the penetration of CTV will also be witnessed in the Tier 2, 3 markets are consumers are now increasingly using CTV to watch shows in their preferred language.

Rupali Chavan, Senior VP, Mudramax believes that YouTube and Finecast are quoting higher, on a conservative level the number will hit moderate size of 45-50millionn devices. Out of a possible 75 million devices, 40 million will watch it on 4k, the average time per match will be 90 minutes.Not only premium, but also elite audiences by the medium of 4K feed on CTV, which is even more expensive as a TV which is backed by a stable and high-speed broadband to provide zero buffering. If we compare HD vs CTV, CTV devices tuned in during IPL were higher than HD devices, states Chavan.

<strong>CTV vs linear</strong>

CTV reaches audiences who are no longer watching traditional cable or may never do so, making it a vital medium to connect with viewers shifting towards digital platforms.

As per a Dentsu consumer study, CTV viewers have a higher engagement level with 2.2x engagement level compared to 1.4x on offline media like QR scan, coupon redemption or installs.

Chavan highlights CTV’s dynamic ad insertion, which makes it easier to provide customized advertisements in real-time, based on match moments. CTV can also run in 12 languages.

Singh says, “CTV offers a more engaging and interactive viewing experience than traditional TV commercials, with features like clickable overlays, interactive polls, and gamification elements that enhance viewer participation and create memorable brand experiences. It offers precise and cost-effective audience targeting, allowing advertisers to reach specific demographics more effectively than traditional linear TV.

He adds, “CTV enables advertisers ti measure results in real-time, providing immediate feedback on ad performance and allowing for adjustments to be made swiftly for optimal outcomes. Interactive Features: It provides greater interactivity through apps, voice commands, and interactive content, enhancing viewer engagement and interaction with the advertising content.”

Thkkar points out that the allure of CTV lies in its targeted advertising based on demographics and interests, allowing brands to connect with the most relevant IPL viewers. Additionally, CTV offers measurable results, interactive features for a more engaging experience, and potentially cost-effective reach compared to traditional TV advertising. This makes CTV a powerful tool for brands to maximize their impact during the IPL season.





IPL 2024 fuels CTV boom in India as more advertisers harness its strength over linear TV

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