In the fourth episode of The Quick Call podcast by Social Samosa, CEO Hitesh Rajwani sits down with Sam Balsara , Chairman of Madison World, to discuss the Pitch Madison Advertising Report 2025, unpacking its highlights and shedding light on growth slowdowns, digital advertising trends, and the future of traditional media. Heres a breakdown of the conversation. The Indian advertising sector has been experiencing a significant deceleration in growth. From a robust 37% in 2021, growth declined to

Valentines Day is one of the most emotionally charged seasons for brands. From grand romantic gestures to heartfelt expressions of love, the day provides a unique opportunity for businesses to connect with their audiences on a deeper level. However, the fine line between genuine engagement and emotional manipulation is becoming increasingly evident. Consumers today are more discerning, and guilt-driven marketing tacticsones that make people feel they are not doing enough, not caring enough, or n

Gupshup, a conversational AI platform, has introduced AI agents aimed at supporting brands across D2C, retail, e-commerce, and FMCG sectors. The AI agents, part of the platform expanding AI Agent Library, offer pre-built and customisable solutions designed to assist businesses with customer engagement, sales processes, and operational tasks. Retailers, D2C, e-commerce platforms, and FMCG brands can use these AI agents to streamline product discovery, automate order management, manage warranty sa

Rose Day, celebrated on February 7th, marks the beginning of Valentines Week, setting the tone for love and appreciation. While traditionally associated with gifting roses to romantic partners, the essence of the day goes beyond just romance. Its a beautiful reminder to express gratitude and affection to those who make our lives special in countless ways. Building on this, Dabur Gulabari is here with its #GulabSeShukriya campaign, encouraging people to honour the everyday heroes who enrich our l

While most brands flood Valentines Day with romance and roses, one chocolate brand has spent the past five years doing the opposite by trolling the day itself. Instead of love letters and heart-shaped chocolates, Cadbury 5 Star has built an entire tradition around celebrating those whod rather skip the hype. Partnering with Ogilvy India, the brand has taken a different approach to Valentines Day, turning it into an anticipated event not for romance but for its unexpected, laugh-out-loud campaign

YouTube is expanding its generative artificial intelligence capabilities for Shorts creators, introducing new AI-powered features aimed at enhancing video production.The platform has integrated Google DeepMinds latest video generation model, Veo 2, into its Dream Screen tool. This upgrade allows creators to produce high-definition AI-generated backgrounds and standalone video clips based on text prompts. The platform said the improved Dream Screen would offer more advanced video generation capab

In a market saturated with gifting options, standing out requires more than just a wide selection it requires storytelling that feels real and resonates with consumers. The gifting industry in India, valued at USD 75.16 billion in 2024 and expected to reach USD 92.32 billion by 2030, sees intense competition, especially around Valentines Day. Yet, what truly connects consumers to a brand is the ability to evoke emotions through authentic, relatable narratives. Over the years, online gifting bra

Meta is expanding its brand safety measures by offering advertisers greater control over their ad placements through an extension of its support for third-party blocklists. Blocklists, created by brand safety and measurement providers, enable advertisers to prevent their ads from appearing alongside potentially unsuitable content. These tools also reduce the manual effort required to search for and exclude specific profiles or content categories. The platform introduced initial blocklist support

JioStar, the recently formed JV with the merger of Viacom18 and Star India, has announced the launch of JioHotstar , bringing together JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar. This coming together of brands, expansive content, and a large audience and subscriber base marks a global milestone in the streaming industry. The platform has close to 3 lac hours of entertainment, live sports coverage, and more than 50 crore users. Speaking on the launch of JioHotstar, Kiran Mani , CEO Digital, JioStar said, At

YouTube has announced new initiatives for 2025 aimed at strengthening its offerings for podcasters and creators. The platform is introducing enhanced tools for podcast content management, improved monetization options, and better audience discovery features. These updates come as YouTube seeks to compete in the growing podcasting and creator economy landscape. Boosting Podcasting on YouTube With the rise of podcast consumption, YouTube is taking significant steps to establish itself as a leading

Google is introducing new safety measures to protect young users, including a machine learning-based system to estimate user ages. The company has developed a model that can determine a user's age and adjust their experience accordingly. According to the company, understanding a user's age is one of the biggest challenges in implementing age-appropriate safeguards. This year, we will start testing a machine learning-based age estimation model in the U.S. This model helps us estimate whether a us

Interpublic Group (IPG) has reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024, showing a mixed performance amid challenging market conditions. Total revenue for the fourth quarter, including billable expenses, was $2.9 billion, with net revenue at $2.4 billion, reflecting an organic decrease of 1.8%. Reported net income stood at $344.5 million, while adjusted EBITA before restructuring charges and deal costs was $591.2 million, representing a 24.3% margin. Diluted earni

Fox Corp. achieved record-breaking ad sales for Super Bowl LIX, generating over $800 million in gross revenue across all platforms, including its free stream on Tubi. For the 2025 Super Bowl, which saw the Philadelphia Eagles defeat the Kansas City Chiefs in the most-watched NFL championship game to date, Fox initially sought over $7 million per ad sales and secured more than $8 million for some. This marked a significant increase from the 2023 Super Bowl on Fox, which brought in about $650 mill

What if Valentines Day came with an unexpected perk, lifetime free solo trips, but only if youre single? A little unusual, isnt it? Thats exactly what RedBus did this year, turning the traditional Valentines Day narrative on its head and making solo travellers the stars of the occasion. RedBus isnt the only brand pivoting to this narrative. Over the past few years, brands have been rewriting the Valentines Day playbook, moving away from the classic themes of romance and coupledom. Instead, they

2025 may not be a promising year for the Indian advertising industry. As is tradition, the second month of the year sees a flurry of reports from advertising giants. Media agencies dentsu , GroupM and Madison have released their forecasts for 2025, and while their projections differ slightly, all agencies agree on one thing: it is going to be a slow year for India. Madison, for one, predicted that the growth of Indias AdEx has slowed to 9% and declared it the lowest increase since 2017, calling

redBus has elevated Satheesh K Chinnappan to the role of Associate Director Digital Marketing. Previously serving as Senior Manager Digital Marketing, he steps into this position with extensive industry experience. Announcing the promotion on LinkedIn, Satheesh shared his excitement, stating, Im happy to share that Im starting a new position as Associate Director Digital Marketing at redBus! With over a decade in digital marketing, Satheesh has gained experience in SEO, online advertising, SE

Ormax Media , the insights and consulting firm for the media and entertainment industry, has launched Ormax Mpact , a 'Brand Lift Measurement tool' designed to help marketers and advertisers evaluate and optimise the impact of their media campaigns, collaborations, and innovations. With Indias media landscape becoming increasingly cluttered, measuring the effectiveness of advertising campaigns is more critical than ever. As per the firm's estimates, more than 8,000 major brand partnerships, spon

The Pitch Madison Ad Report is back with its prognosis for the year that went by and predictions for 2025. Harit Nagpal , Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Tata Play said, TV remains relevant since the recent move to Digital is because of availability of free content which is not sustainable. The main consuming middle class in India is centred firmly in TV. The highlights of the report were released to a large audience this afternoon by Sam Balsara , Chairman, Madison World. Figures

Nike made a return to Super Bowl advertising after 27 years , unveiling its So Win campaign during Super Bowl LIX . The 60-second commercial , which aired during the highly anticipated broadcast, spotlights some of the worlds most celebrated female athletes, including Caitlin Clark, ShaCarri Richardson, Aja Wilson, Jordan Chiles, and Sabrina Ionescu . Narrated by rapper Doechii , the advertisement challenges the stereotypes and limitations placed on women in sports. The tagline 'Whatever you do,

Come Valentines Week, whether you are single, taken, or somewhere in between, love is being marketed to you from every direction. And between this grand display of affection, quick commerce (Q-Com) platforms have been emerging as the real MVPs. Imagine this. Youre on your way to meet your Valentine's date, all dressed up, heart racing, only to realise you left the gift at home. Panic? Not when a 10-minute delivery can save the day. Quick commerce platforms thrive in these last-minute scenarios,

Snap Inc. highlighted the growing role of augmented reality at the second annual India AR Day event in Mumbai, focusing on its impact on creativity, developer engagement, and the broader AR ecosystem in the country. Bobby Murphy, CTO, Snap Inc ., emphasised the companys commitment to fostering creativity and self-expression through AR innovation in India. Our mission with Snap AR is to be a platform for creativity. We develop new technology and tools to enable creators to build amazing experienc

The advertising landscape in India is constantly evolving, with programmatic playing a crucial role in helping brands reach consumers across their complex digital journeys. Programmatic transactions have grown significantly, with 42% of digital ad spending now flowing through programmatic channels, a trend expected to continue. According to The Forrester Wave report on omnichannel Demand Side Platforms (DSP), Amazon Ads offers a full-funnel DSP solution with high-yield inventory and measurable r

Global advertising spending is set to exceed $1 trillion in 2025, reflecting a 10.7 percent increase from the previous year, according to The VDO.AI, Matters of Marketing 2025 report. This growth highlights the industry's resilience, not only recovering from past disruptions but also redefining strategic priorities. With an 80 percent increase in spending compared to pre-pandemic levels, brands are focusing on innovation, authenticity, and data-driven decision-making to stay competitive in a rap

Ventes Avenues has entered into an exclusive partnership with Trophe, a company in Game Commerce (G-Commerce). The collaboration aims to integrate advertising and brand solutions within online gaming environments. According to Ventes Avenues, the partnership seeks to explore new ways for brands to engage with digital audiences through G-Commerce, focusing on interactive and consent-driven experiences. Trophe focuses on integrating brand interactions within gaming ecosystems. Unlike traditional a

The grand finale of the Agency Premier League took place under the bright lights of Astro Park, Mumbai, as Team Schbangers and Night Watchmen battled for supremacy in an electrifying box cricket showdown. The high-stakes match, played in an 8-over format, saw exceptional performances from both sides, culminating in Team Schbangers clinching the victory by 3 wickets. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Social Samosa (@officialsocialsamosa) Toss and First Innings: Opting to field first, T

YouTube has announced the expansion of its text-to-speech feature for Shorts, making the tool available to more creators as part of its latest feature update. The platform is also introducing a new video series in collaboration with the JED Foundation to promote internet safety and mental well-being among teenagers. The platform is extending its text-to-speech functionality to iOS users, following its initial launch on Android in July last year. The feature enables creators to overlay an automat

Proeases #BadalKarDekho campaign, led by Tejasswi Prakash and supported by influencers, highlighted how women are often expected to 'adjust' in various aspects of life, including their choice of period products. By encouraging conversations around this reality, the campaign aimed to drive awareness and inspire a shift towards comfort and better choices. Here is a case study on it. Category Introduction Despite being the worlds most populous nation, India has one of the lowest sanitary pad penet

On February 11, GroupM launched its annual This Year, Next Year (TYNY) report, outlining ten key trends expected to shape the advertising industry in 2025. A common theme across all the trends was the increasing influence of Artificial Intelligence. From Connected TV (CTV) to e-commerce and sports, AI has become an integral part of the industrys transformation. AI agents and integrated measurement frameworks Marketing is undergoing a major transformation, and 2025 will be the year of AI agents t

foundit , the jobs and talent platform, has announced cricketer Jasprit Bumrah as brand ambassador. This collaboration highlights the synergy between Bumrahs defining attributesprecision and speedand the platform's AI-powered job search that delivers relevant jobs. We are delighted to partner with ICCs Cricketer of the Year, Jasprit Bumrah. His exceptional performances for India in 2024 across multiple formats including winning a World Cup have not only captivated cricket enthusiasts worldwide b

The Leapfrog Network (TLF) has acquired the Instagram page Tube Indian. This strategic acquisition marks the beginning of a new chapter for both brands, focusing on growth, creativity, and audience engagement. With the acquisition, TLF is primed to expand its vast digital footprint, which generates four billion monthly impressions across platforms. TLF has integrated its entire team into its existing creative force. The synergy of fresh, innovative minds and industry veterans with over 25 years

Meta is re-aligning its workforce to prioritise AI development, cutting around 4,000 jobs while hiring more AI engineers, Business Insider has reported. The company plans to eliminate about 5% of its global workforce to focus on AI advancements. CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated in an internal memo that the company is raising performance standards and will replace these roles with new hires, particularly in machine learning. This shift comes as Meta seeks to accelerate its AI efforts amid growing compe

Remember when actor and Bold Care co-founder Ranveer Singh and adult film actor Johnny Sins teamed up to talk about mens sexual health in 2024? Launched around Valentines Day 2024, Bold Cares #TakeBoldCareofHer campaign blended humour in the otherwise taboo conversation, sparking conversations and capturing the audience's attention. The campaign took a satirical approach, parodying the over-the-top drama of Indian daily soaps. In the film, Singh questions his on-screen brother Johnny's wife abou

Day 5 Social Samosas Agency Premier League witnessed an electrifying series of matches as teams clashed for ultimate supremacy in badminton. From intense singles showdowns to high-energy mixed doubles, the tournament showcased talent, determination, and sportsmanship at its finest Collective Artists Network bagged the winner trophy in an epic Mens Singles battle against FCB Smash Squad. Dhruv from Collective Artists emerged as the Player of the Tournament. Some of the standout players were Nisha

Day 4 of Social Samosas Agency Premier League witnessed 16 teams colliding in intense matches of football for the coveted trophy. After three intense days of cricket, the latest edition to APLfootballtook centre stage as teams gathered in their jerseys and football shoes. The tournament featured group stage matches where agencies, divided in four groups, contested for the top spot to qualify for the semi-finals. As the day progressed, teams engaged in fierce games as players showcased their skil

Business-to-business advertisers can now target high-value audiences within Quora 's 400 million monthly unique visitors globally and 100 million monthly unique visitors in India. The platform has announced a strategic partnership with Bombora , launching B2B audience targeting, including Account-Based Marketing (ABM) capabilities, on the knowledge-sharing platform. Through this partnership, advertisers can access Bombora's comprehensive data covering more than 450 B2B audience segments directly

Digidarts, a 360 performance marketing agency with over a decade of experience, has secured the digital mandate for Dabur, an FMCG brand. The agency has partnered with the brand to leverage the sector's growth driven by urbanisation, rising incomes, and digital transformation. By partnering with the agency, the brand aims to fuse its traditional marketing legacy with innovative 360 digital solutions for the constantly changing customer base. This collaboration signifies a shared vision to levera

Entrepreneur Manish Kumar , founder of SS Yoga App by Shilpa Shetty Kundra and Digi-Osmosis, has announced his new Artificial-Intelligence venture Videos4Businesses. V4B is an end-to-end AI-powered content agency that specialises in creating branded content without the need for actors or video-shoots. Blending production technologies like motion capture, CGI, Unreal Engine, and multiple AI-platforms; V4B is touted to deliver scalable, cost-effective and quick business content solutions. Its cust

Ogilvy announced the elevation of Sujoy Roy and Nitin Srivastava as Chief Creative Officers for Ogilvy Gurugram. Kainaz Karmakar , Harshad Rajadhyaksha and Sukesh Nayak , Chief Creative Officers, Ogilvy India: Sujoy and Nitin are Ogilvy stalwarts. Over the years both have created a stellar body of brave work that has helped grow business and reputation for their partners. Their benchmark setting work across mediums has created impact and earned numerous recognitions locally and globally. But mo

Lodestar UM, a global media agency network of IPG Mediabrands, launched its new Full Colour Media proposition and philosophy. Full Colour Media heralds a new set of behaviours, approach and products across Lodestar UMs global network embedding a growth mindset across the organisation. Full Colour Media is an omni-channel planning proposition designed to combat the existential threat of brands becoming bland. It unlocks the power of human ingenuity in a world where AIs normative mechanic threate

Omnicom Media Group agency OMD Worldwide has unveiled a new positioning staking its claim as the media partner with the vision, expertise, technology and scale to help brands deliver incremental sales and grow share in an increasingly dynamic business and consumer environment: We Create Whats Next. Supported by a brand refresh enabled by Canva that features a contemporized version of its classic red logo, We Create Whats Next underscores OMDs capacity to leverage shifts in how consumers discov

Dentsu India has announced two leadership appointments, underscoring its commitment to innovation and growth across the Marketing, Technology, and Consulting landscape. Sujata Dwibedy has been promoted to CEO of dentsu X while Jose Leon takes on the role of CEO, Retail Media Business. These appointments illustrate the networks vision to push boundaries, redefine possibilities, and deepen client partnerships, aligned with the ambition to Innovate to Impact and the #OneDentsu philosophy. Both Dwib

Google has introduced new integrations for its Campaign Manager 360 platform, enhancing ad creation, tracking, and placement options for advertisers and agencies. The updates include partnerships with Adobe and Typeface to improve ad creative capabilities. Adobes integration allows seamless transfer of creative assets from Adobe to Campaign Manager 360, enabling teams to scale content using AI-powered tools. Typeface, an AI platform, will help advertisers generate custom content for their campai

The Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 have been one of the most closely watched political battles in recent times. Voting concluded on February 5, recording a turnout of 60.39%, and results are set to be announced on February 8. With exit polls predicting a return of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies to power after 27 years, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is projected to finish second, while the Indian National Congress (INC) is expected to lag behind. Beyond the political landscape, these

OpenAI has undergone a complete rebrand, introducing a refreshed typeface, logo, and colour palette. While the differences in the redrawn logo may be subtle, a side-by-side comparison reveals a slightly larger central space and cleaner lines in the updated 'blossom' design. Originally crafted by OpenAI co-founders Greg Brockman and Ilya Sutskever, the logo redesign was handled by an in-house team led by Veit Moeller and Shannon Jager, aiming for a more 'organic and human' identity. As part of th

Meta is introducing new tools to help businesses improve campaign performance through advanced AI innovations and experimentally proven recommendations. Streamlined campaign setup Meta is testing a new streamlined campaign setup . This will enable all sales, app, and leads campaigns to leverage the AI-driven optimisations used in Advantage+ shopping and app campaigns . Businesses will continue to have access to Metas full range of advertising tools. To highlight when AI optimisations are applied

Zomato has announced that its parent company will be renamed Eternal Ltd , following approval from its board of directors. The change still requires approval from shareholders, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, and other regulatory bodies. In an official filing, the company stated, We would like to inform that the board of directors of the company, vide resolution dated February 6, 2025, has approved the change in the name of the company from Zomato Limited to Eternal Limited. Founder and CEO D

SW Network has officially announced the launch of SW Growth Labs, its new growth-oriented vertical curated to elevate brands through tailored strategies for robust ROI delivery. SW Growth Labs will provide specialised services in performance marketing, media buying, detailed analytics, search engine optimisation & website development. For years, SW Network has provided multiple services, from media buying and branding to lead generation and D2C growth. SW Growth Labs will focus on delivering mea

Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, has released its fourth-quarter earnings report for 2024 , showcasing notable growth in both user engagement and revenue. The platform's daily active users (DAUs) reached 453 million, marking a 9% increase from the previous year and slightly surpassing market projections. Financially, Snap reported a revenue of $1.56 billion for the quarter, a 14% rise compared to the same period last year. This figure marginally exceeded analysts' expectations. The com

BAJAJ has appointed Mumbai based Tilt Brand Solutions for the brand and communication management of their Consumer Appliances and Lighting portfolios. Devika Sachdev , Head of Advertising & Brand Management, Bajaj Electricals says, Were happy to have Tilt Brand Solutions onboard as true partners in this pivotal phase of the brand growth. Their passion for the brand and innovative approach will help us craft meaningful solutions and experiences that not only resonate with todays discerning consum

With the conclusion of Day 2 of Social Samosas Agency Premier League, the competition has intensified, with teams delivering even more thrilling performances. As agencies continue to showcase their talent and sportsmanship, the race for the top spots is heating up. Heres a look at the latest highlights! Mudasir Bhat of Smalltown Dreams leads the batting charts with 158 runs, including three half-centuries, followed by Rahul of Team Oktobuzz with 89 runs and Sahil of Havas Rising Stars with 83 ru