Why WhatsApp is the next big thing for advertisers

With close to 300 million users, WhatsApp status story advertising will be a more formal and organised way for bigger brands, say industry experts

e4m by Tasmayee Laha Roy
Published: Aug 2, 2019 8:16 AM  | 3 min read
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Ever since Facebook spoke about introducing advertising in WhatsApp status stories by 2020 at their Marketing Summit in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, marketers and digital experts have been evaluating the scope of the platform.

The digital space is already cluttered with inventory, so why are marketers excited about WhatsApp ads? The clear answer is ‘reach’. “With an estimated user base of over 300 million users, WhatsApp has been the holy grail for brands they have been waiting to get on to,” said Sabyasachi Mitter, Founder and Managing Director at digital marketing agency Fulcro. 

“Let’s assume there are some 300 million active users who spend 10 minutes of average time on the app. Even if we take half of them and let’s say they view about 10 statuses in a week, and if the percentage of ads inserted is a 10 per cent, we are talking an opportunity of 150 million impressions. And that is a very low estimate. WhatsApp story ads have 2-3 times the opportunity that Instagram story provides advertisers,” Mitter added.  

WhatsApp, which is already being heavily used by brands like Swiggy, BookMyShow, Cleartrip, MakeMyTrip, Zomato and Quick Ride for notifications, live tracking and other services. Thus, experts say it is already being used as an advertising platform. 

“There are plenty of small brands that put out product pictures on the platform and also sell them through WhatsApp. Status story advertising will only be a more formal and organised way for bigger brands to put out ads,” said Pranabir Singh, Director, Media Planning at media agency DCMN.

What could be the rates for advertising on WhatsApp? According to experts, close to Rs 2 crore is spent annually by brands only on SMS marketing and WhatsApp would sure be eyeing for a bigger chunk.


On advertising costs, Mitter said, “WhatsApp, in all probabilities, would be added to the same business manager console that is used by brands to advertise on Facebook and Instagram. The rates should also be pretty much the same.”

According to experts, Facebook advertising starts at Rs 40 a day and can go up to lakhs, depending on the product and the targeted demographics and reach.

But who will be using WhatsApp ads? “Initially, the most suitable category for advertising on WhatsApp will be brands in the B2C category like FMCG, Food, Retail and e-commerce. It will be hard for non-consumer facing brands to effectively leverage WhatsApp advertising. The answer to this question also depends heavily on what kind of ads WhatsApp will allow -  will the ads allow users to submit data, or will they be purely meant for giving out information,” said Adhvith Dhuddu, CEO of creative ad tech agency AliveNow.

Elaborating further on WhatsApp ad inventory, Dhuddu said: “There might also be some premium inventory available that large brands might buy which come at a higher price, like how the YouTube masthead is considered premium inventory on YT. If you ask all the marketers, this is the next big platform they're waiting for to open up. WhatsApp is going to be the next big platform for marketing, not just among youngsters but especially among audience aged above 50. This is because the young crowd is more active on Instagram and Facebook. Think about our own parents, aunts and  uncles, if they're 50/55+ they are comparatively more active on WhatsApp than Facebook or Insta.”

For most digital marketers, as long as the user experience is not disturbed and privacy concerns are addressed, brands have a huge opportunity to leverage WhatsApp ads in India. In the digital/online ads ecosystem, they said WhatsApp ads is the next big thing that brands are waiting for. 
 

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E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur

The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:15 PM  | 1 min read
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With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.

The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.

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Swapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out

The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:07 PM  | 1 min read
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Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."

The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."

COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.

Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.

He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

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Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK

Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 11:48 AM  | 1 min read
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e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.

Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.

According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.

As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.

A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.

Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.

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Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall

The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 10:54 AM  | 1 min read
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Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.

“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.

“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.

"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."

"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."

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KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias

Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 24, 2023 3:35 PM  | 1 min read
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KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.

Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy

Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.

Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."

Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."

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