Tectonic shifts towards digital have helped digital advertising grow from 35% to over 60%: Arun Srinivas

In the ever-evolving world of digital marketing and business growth, staying ahead of trends and adopting innovative strategies is crucial for success. Social Samosa Network’s CEO Hitesh Rajwani recently caught up with Arun Srinivas, Director & Head of Ads Business (India) at Meta.

Srinivas delved into the various aspects of digital advertising and marketing, from the current state of digital advertising and marketing, the right mix of TV and digital into brand marketing strategies, and the trends which are shaping the advertising and marketing (A&M) industry in the current era. 

One of the highlights of the conversation was Srinivas’ emphasis on digitization in the country. He mentioned that over the last three years, short-form video has taken off significantly with Reels being the fastest-growing surface across the world for Meta in terms of both time and engagement. 

More than 50% of our time spent on Instagram is Reels globally. These trends show that consumers are gravitating towards digital mediums, according to him. Srinivas also shared that creators as an economy have grown, especially with surfaces like Reels, allowing them to express themselves with video. 

“We see tectonic shifts towards digital, which has helped digital advertising grow from 35% of the overall ad industry pre-pandemic to well over 60%,” he pointed out. 

Talking about whether digital is still a stepchild in brand marketing, Srinivas mentioned that many brands today are digitally native, like those in the D2C and marketplace landscapes, which think digital and performance marketing from the start. Traditional sectors like CPG, auto, and banking have relied on TV but are recognizing that digital can be larger than TV and offers benefits TV doesn't. 

“The challenge is managing both mediums as the language is very different.”

Interestingly, Srinivas pointed out that different brands are at different stages when it comes to deciding their media mix. He noted that digital's reach has multiplied over the years, and brands are figuring out how to create content specifically for this medium. When they do, the ROI is even higher.

He also commented, “Brands that create bespoke creatives for digital see higher ROI. Many brands today achieve objectives by just getting their brand out there, but the next step is making consumers understand the brand, which will increase consideration and other metrics.”

Additionally, Srinivas shared his insights into the growth of digital-first-D2C brands growth, inventories or media opportunities that brands are finding success with Meta ecosystem, best practices to drive digital ROI for brands and more. 

Watch the video to learn more.