Mumbai: At Brew 2025, organised by GroupM, the first session titled ‘Unlocking India’s Experience Economy: Where Brands Meet Culture’ featured a discussion on the changing digital content landscape. One of the panellists, Namrata Keswani, Head of Industry, CreativeWorks, Google India, highlighted the evolving nature of user engagement on YouTube. She noted that user experience is shifting from passive viewing to immersive and experiential interactions.
Moderator Vinit Karnik, Managing Director – Content, Entertainment and Sports at GroupM, asked Keswani how content is evolving from the perspective of brands collaborating with creators. He noted that consumers are spending significant time on YouTube.
Keswani responded, “It’s a fantastic evolution that we’re seeing in India right now. It’s very exciting. At the heart of it, a platform like YouTube will always have creators. But the user experience is changing from passive viewing to immersive and experiential viewing.”
She elaborated that creators today are empowered with multiple ways to interact with their audience. These include livestreams with Q&A sessions and dynamic content that engages followers in real time. “This momentum builds an experiential economy,” she said. Creators can build anticipation for new content or product launches and leverage viral trends using Shorts for quick engagement.
“At the end of it, the creator is building a community and, therefore, fabricating culture. It’s beyond just passive viewing; there’s a sense of belonging. Viewers exchange sentiments and opinions in the comments, making it highly immersive,” she added. According to her, creators are exporting Indian culture globally, representing diverse roots and perspectives.
Another panellist, Rohit Jindal, Co-founder of MyGate, also shared insights. Karnik remarked that MyGate has become an essential part of life in most housing societies, bridging the gap between content activation and direct community experiences.
Jindal explained that MyGate, which began in 2016, is now present in 30,000 communities across India, reaching 15 million daily users. He attributed its popularity to its ability to foster a sense of community. “Every society has a culture—shared beliefs, celebrations, and collaborative events. With MyGate, communication is faster, and digital tools now enhance physical events,” he said.
He cited examples like Holi celebrations, which require coordination among thousands. MyGate facilitates this by ensuring information dissemination and participation. Post-COVID, community events have become more popular, especially as new housing developments host 4,000 to 5,000 families with amenities like amphitheatres and open grounds.
“Large-scale festivals and musical events are now possible within communities. Brands are leveraging these events to interact with residents, tell their stories, and build belonging,” Jindal said. He emphasised that brands now showcase values and engage deeply with local communities through these events.
With the rise of such unconventional forms of advertising, Karnik asked Keswani how YouTube manages this evolving ecosystem from a creator and platform perspective, especially as digital advertising challenges traditional models.
Keswani stressed the importance of creators in today’s media landscape. “Creators are the true A-listers now. Diljit was the first Indian to sing at Coachella. They’re not just internet famous—they’re real famous. The lines have blurred.”
She shared three key tips for brands working with creators:
- Audience Alignment: Brands should look beyond follower counts and align with creators’ content, tone, and audience. “The creator is not just your campaign ambassador. They represent your target audience and influence them,” she said.
- True Collaboration: Brands should give creators messaging guidelines but not control the content. “Let creators express the message in their own voice. It’s not conventional advertising; it should feel native to the platform,” she explained.
- Transparency: Keswani emphasised honesty in brand partnerships. “Everyone knows there’s a commercial aspect. Be upfront about it, but allow the creator to maintain authenticity.”
Together, the panellists painted a picture of an experience-driven, community-led, and creator-powered digital economy where immersive engagement and cultural relevance are key to brand success.
