April 2025

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Staying Rooted in a Changing World of Influence

As we step into a brand-new financial year, it brings with it renewed energy, sharper goals, and a fresh perspective on the ever-evolving marketing landscape.

In today's fast-paced media world, the essence of influence still remains deeply rooted in connection and authenticity. At the e4m Pitch CMO Summit 2025, industry leaders came together to discuss how, despite the changing platforms and growing number of content creators, true influence still comes from understanding the consumer. Our own Manas Mohan emphasized how influencers now play a central role in a brand's growth journey, often driving value where traditional media falls short.

Looking at the broader landscape, the Indian OOH (Out-of-Home) segment is making a strong comeback, with reports projecting it to reach ₹7,900 crore by 2027. Simultaneously, the pDOOH (programmatic digital out-of-home) space is gearing up to take centre stage in the digital ecosystem. Across the globe, marketing strategies are evolving too—brands like Minute Maid are reimagining their identities by teaming up with cultural powerhouses like WWE, while new insights reveal Gen Z is reshaping the path to purchase in ways that go beyond the scroll.

As we navigate these exciting transformations, one thing is clear—whether it's through a billboard, a reel, or a relatable voice online, the goal remains the same: meaningful connection.

Best wishes,

Yuvrraj Agarwaal

Chief Strategy Officer, Laqshya Media Group

CLICKTHRU

FOR STIMULATING STORIES FROM
THE WORLD OF MARKETING

Staying Rooted in a Changing World of Influence

As we step into a brand-new financial year, it brings with it renewed energy, sharper goals, and a fresh perspective on the ever-evolving marketing landscape.

As we navigate these exciting transformations, one thing is clear—whether it's through a billboard, a reel, or a relatable voice online, the goal remains the same: meaningful connection.

Best wishes,

Yuvrraj Agarwaal
Chief Strategy Officer, Laqshya Media Group

Cover Story

'The fundamentals of influence remain unchanged, no matter the time'

The evolving nature of influence in today's content-saturated environment was discussed by a panel of marketing leaders at the e4m Pitch CMO Summit Mumbai 2025. The discussion centred on how brands are strategically leveraging different types of influencers to connect with diverse consumer segments while maintaining authenticity.

The panellists included Kunal Sharma, Head of Marketing & Business head - Modern Trade and E-commerce at KRBL Limited; Manas Mohan, CDDO - Laqshya Media & CEO - Digitalabs at Laqshya Media Group; Nidhi Rastogi, Marketing Director at Uniqlo India; Shwetha Iyer, SVP and Head of Marketing at Kissht; Tushar Malhotra, Director - Sales and Marketing at Bisleri International; and Zoher Kapuswala, Chief Marketing Officer at Ferrero Rocher India. The session was chaired by Esha Nagar, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of The Pegboard.

The discussion opened with Nagar addressing the changing nature of influence in today's cluttered information landscape. "What does influence—or being an influencer—really mean when information is abundant, cluttered, and trust is rare? If I were to sum it up with a quote from 'Influence', 'it's not about manipulation but about understanding what drives the user'." With that, she invited all the panellists to share what 'influence' means to them.

Mohan highlighted the role of media in shaping influencers. "Media created influencers, and as media evolved, so did the types of influencers. With social media, where the velocity is more frantic, you have an explosion of influencers. Earlier, when the pace was slower, there were fewer."

He also highlighted the distinction between brand ambassadors and influencers, emphasizing that influencers play a crucial role in a brand's lifecycle. From a business standpoint, he noted, “If I don't make money from influencers, I don't know where else to—media alone doesn't allow it anymore.”

Indian Marketing News

OOH Advertising segment to reach INR 7,900 crore by 2027, says EY Report

A recent report by EY analyzing the Indian Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising sector says the share of Digital OOH (DOOH) out of the total OOH revenues is expected to grow from the current 12% to 17% by 2027, with a CAGR of 24%. Read More

OOH Advertising segment to reach INR 7,900 crore by 2027, says EY Report

pDOOH set to become dominant player in the broader digital ecosystem: Gulab Patil

Lemma's Gulab Patil outlines the next evolution of DOOH, where programmatic adtech bridges the gap between outdoor presence and tangible results Read More

How instant delivery is rewiring urban retail

Indian startups are revolutionizing fashion e-commerce by offering hyperlocal speed, shrinking delivery times to as little as 30 minutes. Companies like Slikk Club and Myntra MNow Read More

OOH bowls brands over with big reach this IPL season

Brands that leverage outdoor advertising alongside digital and TV see a 30-40% increase in brand recall, with metros and Tier-1 cities witnessing even higher engagement, say experts Read More

pDOOH set to become dominant player in the broader digital ecosystem: Gulab Patil

Lemma's Gulab Patil outlines the next evolution of DOOH, where programmatic adtech bridges the gap between outdoor presence and tangible results Read More

How instant delivery is rewiring urban retail

Indian startups are revolutionizing fashion e-commerce by offering hyperlocal speed, shrinking delivery times to as little as 30 minutes. Companies like Slikk Club and Myntra MNow Read More

OOH bowls brands over with big reach this IPL season

Brands that leverage outdoor advertising alongside digital and TV see a 30-40% increase in brand recall, with metros and Tier-1 cities witnessing even higher engagement, say experts Read More

'A-Eye' by Britannia uses AI to make retail accessible for all

The initiative, developed using Google Cloud's Vertex AI Multimodal Live platform, has been rolled out in partnership with MORE Retail and the NGO Mithra Jyoti. Read More

Auto retail sales surge over 6% in FY25: FADA

Indian auto retail sector demonstrated resilience in FY25 with a 6.46 per cent overall growth, though March saw a slight dip. Dealers are concerned about unrealistic OEM sales targets and rising inventory costs. Read More

'A-Eye' by Britannia uses AI to make retail accessible for all

The initiative, developed using Google Cloud's Vertex AI Multimodal Live platform, has been rolled out in partnership with MORE Retail and the NGO Mithra Jyoti. Read More

Auto retail sales surge over 6% in FY25: FADA

Global Marketing News

Rethinking ad metrics: why OOH deserves a seat at the table

Out-of-home (OOH) advertising has undergone a remarkable transformation since the emergence of street railway ads in the mid-19th century. Read More

Why Minute Maid is teaming with WWE to punch up its new brand platform

The sponsorship supports “Bring the Juice,” which serves as the culmination of several years of brand transformation work. Read More

Rethinking ad metrics: why OOH deserves a seat at the table

Out-of-home (OOH) advertising has undergone a remarkable transformation since the emergence of street railway ads in the mid-19th century. Read More

75% of marketers report declining returns on social media ad spend

Pouring money into social media ads isn't paying off for many marketers. As ROI shrinks, here are the alternatives that marketers are exploring to drive results.

Beyond the scroll: Research unveils Gen Z's new path to purchase

For brands looking to connect with Gen Z, traditional advertising playbooks are no longer enough. That goes double for the generation's younger cohort, Read More

Why Minute Maid is teaming with WWE to punch up its new brand platform

The sponsorship supports “Bring the Juice,” which serves as the culmination of several years of brand transformation work. Read More

75% of marketers report declining returns on social media ad spend

Pouring money into social media ads isn't paying off for many marketers. As ROI shrinks, here are the alternatives that marketers are exploring to drive results. Read More

Beyond the scroll: Research unveils Gen Z's new path to purchase

For brands looking to connect with Gen Z, traditional advertising playbooks are no longer enough. That goes double for the generation's younger cohort, Read More

Trivia

The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways launched the One Nation-One Port Process (ONOP).
Krishna Jayasankar, a 22-year-old Indian athlete studying in Texas, set a new Indian indoor shot-put record.
3. The 9th Global Technology Summit was inaugurated in New Delhi by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on 10 April 2025.
Ancient relics around 2,000 years old from the Megalithic Period were discovered in Manimoola village, Bandadukka, Kerala.
The Ministry of Finance is launching the One State-One Regional Rural Bank (RRB) policy to improve efficiency and cut costs by reducing RRBs from 43 to 28.
Rajgir, Bihar, will host the Hero Asia Cup Hockey 2025 in August.
Haryana government launched AI-powered chatbot 'Sarathi' for easy access to government documents.

Laqshya Media Group Campaigns

In March 2025, Laqshya Media Group executed various campaigns for Hitachi, Indriya, HSBC Mutual Fund, Godrej Properties, Ather, ZEE5, Titan Watches, Acko, Panasonic, Tanishq Rivaah, Universal Sompo General Insurance, Lakme, Heartfulness Institute, Acko Health, TATA AIG, Yardley, DCM Shriram, McDonald's, March, TVS, Acko Auto, Aakash Institute, and XYLYS Watches.