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In 2024, the media landscape was deeply shaped by the rapid evolution of algorithms and embedded AI. Sanchayeeta Verma, CEO of Carat India, reflected on the major trends of the year, saying, “We are entrenched in the algorithmic era of marketing. Algorithmic availability in media determines mental availability and algorithmic availability in commerce determines physical availability. For marketers, it is important to learn to master the algorithms to ensure they are in front of consumers and engaged with them throughout the purchase funnel. Crafting out the consumer journeys and planning the actions needed to have meaningful interactions are mission-critical.” She continued, “Embedded AI is now mainstream both for consumers and advertisers. For consumers, this manifests in the way they search for and consume content in both lean-back and lean-forward modes. At the same time, embedded AI, particularly in the form of Gen AI tools, has democratized the ability to quickly create and disseminate content.” Additionally, she highlighted the dominance of short-format content, stating, “Short format content, especially Reels on Steroids, commands a large share of time spent on media. Influencer-created short-format content will continue to be a key pillar for brands to reach consumers. What needs to be noted here is the dominance of the vertical video format and the creative pivot that brands need to take to adapt to this.”
Elaborating on the trends expected in 2025, Sanchayeeta said, “The deluge of content and the need to take the right actions to not drown in it, but rather masterfully surf it through content x customer journey planning. Algorithmic content also brings with it the danger of sameness and the inability to differentiate and stand out from the crowd. Brands need to curate and leverage data signals that provide the cues to engage with consumers in the right context and moment to connect with them.” She further discussed the rise of retail media, saying, “The rise of retail media and everything is commerce. We have seen the continuing rise of retail media starting with marketplaces including the Qcomm explosion. The next phase of retail media growth will be in the digitization of physical spaces and the ability to target propensity consumers in the ‘buy’ mindset. The other interesting pivot is the ability to target consumers in environments that provide both branding and performance and data mining to draw full-funnel learnings from these interactions.” Lastly, she touched on the transformative power of AI, stating, “AI will enable brands to create unique and value-creating experiences for consumers. Using the potent combination of AI x PI (people intelligence), brands will look at the next stage of riding the AI wave in media in creating bespoke AI solutions that generate intuitive and engaging interactions with consumers. Adding a martech layer will help build an engine for continued consumer value creation, engagement, and eventual maximization of customer lifetime value.”
