Traditional media isn’t dying?

Digital advertising is on the rise, but what’s key is adapting to new consumer behaviors. [Open this email in your browser]( Traditional media isn’t dying? --------------------------------------------------------------- Hello {NAME} The Covid-19 pandemic has kept most of us indoors and plugged in to our devices - a phenomenon that’s dealing a pretty severe blow to traditional methods of advertising. But it’s not all doom and gloom, as advertisers adapt to consumer behavior in the new normal. Read the full article [here]( or scroll down for a quick summary. But first, your quick bytes for today:  1️⃣ Google’s next investment in India The internet search giant is reportedly in talks to [buy a 10% stake in PolicyBazaar]( an online insurance platform in India, for US$150 million. PolicyBazaar has raised a total of [US$2.1 billion]( in disclosed funding from Tencent, Temasek, SoftaBank, and more. The deal appears to be part of Google’s plans to invest as much as US$10 billion in the country and comes after the search giant’s [US$4.5 billion investment]( in Reliance’s Jio Platforms.  2️⃣ ByteDance stepping up opposition against US ban ByteDance - amid criticism that it is bowing to American demands - is preparing to [escalate its legal and public relations battle]( against President Trump’s order to ban TikTok in the US unless it is sold. The company has been in talks with Microsoft over the sale of its global business, although sources say that a deal is unlikely to materialize.  3️⃣ Hitting pause on short-video apps in India When TikTok was first banned in India, numerous homegrown apps sprung up to fill the gap, garnering investor interest. But with Microsoft in talks to buy TikTok’s global business, investors are [staying their hand]( until a clearer picture can be painted of the app’s future in the country.  4️⃣ Swiggy enters the online grocery delivery space Indian food ordering and delivery platform Swiggy is [looking to launch InstaMart]( a chain of virtual convenience stores that can deliver grocery and household items to customers within 45 minutes. The company already operates Swiggy Stores, which lists products from nearby local shops, but the launch of its own online store will give it greater control over delivery experience and product selection.  5️⃣ Apple suppliers’ shares plummet Apple suppliers in China and Hong Kong [saw their shares plunge yesterday]( after analysts predicted that President Trump’s plans to ban WeChat in the US could lead to a sharp drop in iPhone shipments. The ban, if enacted, has far-reaching implications for the American technology giant, especially if it has to remove WeChat from its app store globally.  6️⃣ Staying safe on the road with IoT Bangalore-based vehicle rental platform Zoomcar [has launched a software stack]( that will track driver behavior and vehicle status in real time in order to prevent rash driving and reduce vehicular damage. The platform utilizes IoT and proprietary algorithms to help fleet owners reduce operating costs and enhance safety.  --------------------------------------------------------------- Advertising in the time of Covid-19 2020 is shaping up to be a painful year for traditional advertising formats thanks to the ongoing pandemic. But the crisis is heralding a shift in consumer behavior and the [advent of new opportunities](. - Digital on the rise: Brands collectively cut US$50 billion from their advertising budgets due to the pandemic, but internet formats are taking the biggest slice of what’s left over. It seems that social media spending will come out on top in 2020, with a projected growth of 9.8% year on year. - Stayin’ alive : Contrary to popular belief, traditional advertising is not dead and gone - although advertising budgets are migrating irreversibly toward digital. In terms of consumption, it seems that traditional advertising is getting a second wind - TV consumption, for one, went up by 20% to 30% in many markets in Asia in April this year. - New world order: With many people working from home, media consumption patterns for television and radio have evened out, driving advertising costs down. Additionally, out-of-home advertising, which has suffered the most as a result of the pandemic, is now primed for transformation, with digital billboards becoming a possibility. - Meeting user demands: Consumer habits have changed thanks to Covid-19. For brands to get ahead, they need to pivot quickly to target the newer viewing habits of their discerning, distracted, and time-poor consumers through creative and engaging advertising strategies. Go deeper: [Covid-19: While digital ad spending is up, primetime ads are down]( Spread the word: [Facebook]( | [Twitter]( | [Linkedin](  --------------------------------------------------------------- Helping startups leap ahead Bangalore-based ecommerce company Flipkart has [launched an accelerator program]( to support early-stage startups in India’s consumer internet technology space. - Called Flipkart Leap, the new initiative aims to help startups scale through a 16-week virtual program. Selected startups may also receive an equity-free grant of US$25,000. - Developed in line with the Indian government’s Start-Up initiative, the accelerator program is a joint collaboration between Flipkart and US-based management consulting company Zinnov. - Transforming ecommerce is the main objective of the program. Startups will be selected based on five themes: design and make for India, innovation in digital commerce, technologies to empower the retail ecosystem, supply chain management and logistics, and relevant deep-tech applications.  --------------------------------------------------------------- The Weekly Snapshot: News from Gojek, Sequoia India, TikTok, and more YouTube in Indonesia now allows GoPay as a payment option, Sequoia India appointed ex-Gojek tech chief Ajey Gore as an operating partner, and Trump banned dealings with the parent firms of TikTok and WeChat. Hear the details on all these stories and more on this week’s episode of The Weekly Snapshot. Listen here: [Spotify]( | [Apple Podcast](  --------------------------------------------------------------- Misc Happening - [Tech in Asia Virtual Conference]( from October 19 to 22. In our biggest annual event, we gather founders, decision-makers, and venture capitalists in one place to help you get all the information and make the connections you need. This year’s speakers include Rachmat Kaimuddin, CEO of Indonesian unicorn Bukalapak, and Jixun Foo, managing partner of GGV Capital. Hiring - [Data Scientist]( at Microsec (Singapore, Singapore) - [Software Engineer]( at PT Qlue Performa Indonesia (Jakarta, Indonesia) - [B2B Sales Operations]( at Flip (Jakarta, Indonesia)  --------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesdays can feel a little tepid, so share this newsletter with your friends to warm up their afternoon! If you have comments about today’s newsletter, we would love to hear them. Drop us a line [here](. 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