Lock screen marketing to gain traction in 2023: Vasuta Agarwal

The start of a new year is seen as bringing in new operational efficiencies, stronger strategies, a far greater emphasis on building deep bonds with various stakeholders and consumers. In keeping with the current market ecosystem, technology and a human approach are seen as going hand in hand.

As 2023 kicks off, Adgully has approached key industry leaders to Crystal Gaze into 2023, as part of our annual Trending Now series, to highlight the major trends and developments that they see dominating the industry in the year ahead.

Vasuta Agarwal, Chief Business Officer, Consumer Platform Advertising, InMobi shares about the key trends that will dominate the advertising industry in 2023, her expectations and much more.

Key trends dominating the Advertising industry in 2023

There are several key trends that are likely to dominate the advertising industry in 2023 and beyond.

One key trend that is expected to continue is brands seeking to understand their target audience much better and thereby, creating more targeted and contextual campaigns that maximise ROAS with each investment they make.

‘Innovation’ will also continue to be a driving force in the industry, with advertisers seeking new and creative ways to engage with consumers and stand out in a crowded market. This may include the use of emerging technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality, as well as the adoption of new marketing channels.

Speaking of new channels, another trend that is expected to gain traction in 2023 is ‘lock screen marketing’, which allows brands to reach consumers directly on their lock screens through personalised content. This is likely to be particularly effective for reaching the mobile-first connected consumer across the diverse regions of the Indian subcontinent.

Finally, there is a growing focus on ‘data and identity’ in the advertising industry as brands seek to better engage their customers across the lifecycle with the impending deprecation of third-party cookies by Google.

Major expectations

I expect brands to do 3 big things in 2023.

Firstly, as brands aim to maximise returns with every penny they spend, they’ll naturally gravitate to marketing channels that help reach and engage with consumers where they are. Here is where adoption of lock screen marketing could not only peak, but also has the potential to create a new category for brands and marketers to learn about and specialise in.

The other aspect that I expect brands to figure out is their strategy and investments in gaming advertising. As a channel that solves for both the laid-back and lean-in form of entertainment, gaming is the biggest engagement channel for brands today. With the advent of lock screen marketing, brands can easily get started and navigate the world of gaming advertising.

Finally, I expect brands to make rapid investments into building their privacy-first advertising tech stack and partnerships. While Apple’s deprecation of the IDFA and its implementation of the App Tracking Transparency framework hasn’t had much impact in India, the impending deprecation of cookies and advertising IDs by Google will need brands to be extra prepared.