Authored by Ishank Joshi - MD & CEO, Mobavenue

An array of digital touchpoints and the rise of hyper-connectivity have led to engaging modern consumers, both a challenge and a lucrative opportunity for marketers. It’s no longer a matter of just “reaching” an audience but delivering “personalized interactions” while maintaining their privacy. 

Advancements in advertising technology (Adtech), particularly programmatic advertising powered by AI and advanced machine learning, have revolutionized how brands connect with their target audiences—enabling omnichannel awareness, tailored engagement, and loyalty-building while driving digital growth beyond walled gardens. By creating personalized ad experiences that feel seamless rather than intrusive, brands can now interact with consumers where they spend their time, making these technologies a core part of modern marketing strategies.

The Hyper-Connected Consumer and the Modern Marketing Landscape 

Today’s consumer shuffles in a world of infinite content across platforms. This is where marketers face the challenge of connecting with an audience that is always “on” but increasingly difficult to engage with. The sheer volume of choices means a brand’s message isn’t just competing against competitors—it’s contending for attention. According to a recent report from IAMAI and Kantar, India will have 900 million internet users by 2025, giving marketers the opportunity to deliver personalized engagement that can cut through the noise. 

This hyper-connected consumption also means consumers demand more. They’re no longer okay with generic brand communication. They expect relevance. They expect personalization. And they expect this on their terms. For marketers, this means two critical shifts: First, a move from impressions to intent. Beyond increasing visibility, marketers need to engage consumers in ways that drive measurable action. Second, leveraging the full consumer funnel (from awareness and engagement to retention) requires a coordinated and tech-driven approach.

Building Awareness through the Big Screen

Connected TV (CTV), along with Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) and Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising, has become a rising medium in capturing consumer attention. Recent projections indicate that by 2025, India’s CTV consumption is expected to reach 60 million households. Unlike linear TV, programmatic CTV advertising delivers actionable insights that marketers can use to craft targeted campaigns that convey a brand story in interactive ad formats to the household, which is most likely to find a product or service relevant.

Similarly, DOOH and OOH offer unique opportunities to engage audiences. DOOH combines digital capabilities with high-impact visuals, delivering dynamic, hyperlocal messaging that reaches consumers on the go. Traditional OOH formats like billboards and transit ads are now enhanced with digital interactivity, creating more engaging and memorable experiences for viewers.

Beyond reach, all three platforms—CTV, DOOH, and OOH—offer interactivity to bring brands closer to their consumers. Think QR codes on screens, interactive polls, or contextual ad placements that resonate with the surrounding environment or the content viewers are engaged in. Together, these platforms deliver innovative ways to boost recall, drive conversion, and strengthen brand affinity.

Tapping Into the Rising Retail Media Frontier

According to recent projections by Dentsu, advertising on e-retail platforms reached a market size of INR 11,293 crore, accounting for 22.93% of total digital media spending and growing at a rate of 23.43% over 2023. By leveraging retailers' first-party data, brands can deliver highly personalized ads to engaged shoppers, ensuring relevance and impact. 

Additionally, retail media provides unparalleled access to the lower funnel, enabling conversion-focused campaigns that seamlessly integrate into the shopper's path to purchase—where brands can turn engagement into actionable outcomes. With programmatic capabilities, retail media enables precise targeting, real-time optimization, and measurable outcomes. These amplify brand visibility and drive conversion rates, making it an indispensable tool for full-funnel marketing strategies.

Prioritizing Full Funnel Consumer Journeys

Industry projections estimate global programmatic ad spending to rise to 800 billion USD by 2028. It is only gaining momentum by driving meaningful engagement in customer journeys. Customers expect cohesive brand experiences, and programmatic advertising ensures a brand remains visible and delivers seamless interactions across touchpoints. One of the standout advantages is its reliance on real-time insights and AI & ML-driven strategies. Adtech platforms can precisely engage high-intent audiences and acquire long-term users.

When it comes to customer retention, programmatic retargeting excels at building long-term customer loyalty. For example, retargeting ads can dynamically recommend products based on past shopping history, retarget users who left items in their cart, turn intent into action, and even bring back lapsed users. From awareness and engagement to acquisition and retention, programmatic advertising helps brands engage the right audience at the right time with maximum impact.

How AI and ML are Powering Smarter Engagement 

According to recent industry reports, over 80% of marketers have implemented AI in at least one key function, and for good reason. Coupled, AI & ML enable brands to analyze billions of data points and extract actionable insights that empower predictive decision-making.

Both technologies can analyze vast amounts of data, enabling personalized engagement with customers at a previously impossible level. Today, 81% of Indian consumers desire more human-like AI interaction that resonates on a deeper, personal level. This means marketers can deliver highly tailored content and offers based on individual preferences and behaviors.

In addition, AI & ML help improve campaign optimization. AI can make real-time campaign adjustments to ensure maximum impact by constantly monitoring and analyzing performance. This saves marketers time and resources while driving better results. Furthermore, AI can create more accurate buyer personas by going beyond traditional demographics and considering factors such as online behavior, purchase history, and interests—allowing marketers to gain a deeper understanding.

The Way Ahead

The hyper-connected world offers as many challenges as opportunities. For marketers, the goal is not just to adopt new tools but to understand the larger shift in consumer behavior and expectations. Success lies in balancing technology-led efficiency and driving meaningful connections.

At Mobavenue, we strongly believe in a future where brands grow not by outspending but through innovative ways to create genuine engagement in a world that demands relevance. We achieve this with our AI-powered growth marketing platforms, which support brands at every stage of their consumer journeys on connected devices, from awareness and acquisition to retention.