Frodoh World is an experiential content creation platform headquartered in New Delhi. Founded in January 2020 by Russhabh Thakkar, the company offers marketers the tools to create what it says are engaging, interactive, and immersive content experiences.
With a proposition of ‘Don’t just get viewed, get noticed’, Frodoh World entered the space with a commitment to redefining ad viewability and user engagement through ad formats. Their specialties include Immersive and engaging Content Creation, Interactive UI/UX Approach, Mobile Advertising, Rich Media Ad Formats, User-Initiated Ads, and Media Planning and Buying.
Established four years ago, Frodoh World entered the digital advertising scene with a focus on delivering content experiences for brands across premium publishers. The company said that its adaptability is evident in its seamless transition into the Unified OTT space and its recent momentum in the Connected TV (CTV) domain.
The team at Frodoh comprises digital media experts and fosters collaborative and mutually beneficial relationships with clients and agencies. In its pursuit of innovation and global impact, Frodoh World expanded into the bustling APAC market. Recognising the unique dynamics of the Connected TV (CTV) landscape in this region, Frodoh is diligently building a robust CTV technology specifically designed for the Indian market.
Armed with technology, Frodoh World aims to make an impact in the CTV space.
Medianews4.com caught up with Russhabh R Thakkar, Founder and CEO, Frodoh
Q. How does the proposition of ‘Don’t just get viewed, get noticed’ set the agency apart from the competition?
The proposition ‘Don’t just get viewed, get noticed’ stemmed from our entry into the immersive and engaging rich media ads space. With diminishing user attention to traditional ads and decreasing CTRs, we wanted to stay ahead of the curve. This approach kept us constantly creative and relevant. In the same way, with CTV and transitions like DOOH, we are solving for attention measurement, which aligns perfectly with our tagline. It’s about not just being seen, but truly standing out and capturing attention in innovative ways.
Q. Frodoh World focusses on retail media, DOOH, and CTV. What progress has been made so far?
We have firmly established ourselves as leaders in the CTV space—no longer a challenger but a champion in the field. Clients trust us, and we are continuously building on the CTV supply each day. For DOOH, it plays a vital role in creating hyperlocal connections and serves as a digital touchpoint for a brand’s stores, while traditional OOH still holds significant value.
On the retail front, we are working on refining our approach and are bullish on the potential. First-party data, combined with our diverse mobile and CTV supply, will address many challenges. We are looking forward to launching our retail platform around March 2025.
Q. While CTV is in its early days, do you think that India will follow the West and the Asia Pacific in terms of growth trajectory?
Yes, CTV is no longer in its early days. We are already approaching 45 million households and expect this to reach 60 million by 2025. India will follow a similar growth trajectory as the West and Asia Pacific but at its own pace, with unique local nuances. The regional diversity and increasing demand for localised content will play a major role in fuelling significant growth in the Indian CTV market.
Q. What work has gone into tailoring the CTV offering specifically for India?
We have partnered with over 46+ OTT platforms and gained access to more than 100+ OEM CTV inventories. From the first boot screen to FAST channels, our strategic partnerships with OS providers have helped us increase CTV share in India across varying budgets. We are working diligently to grow CTV’s footprint, ensuring that the offering is tailored to India’s unique market needs and helping brands connect with their audiences effectively.
Q. Kindly offer examples of work done with brands to offer immersive ad experiences through CTV?
Immersive experiences in CTV are still nascent since OEMs haven’t yet provided full access for ads that can take advantage of the remote’s capabilities. However, innovative solutions are possible, like L-bands that accommodate a client’s TVC and enable a QR with a CTA.
We are also continuing to push immersive ads on mobile and ensure they are included in our campaigns, especially when re-targeting from CTV to mobile. The focus is on innovation, ensuring that there’s an element of novelty that leads to better results.
Q. Does CTV mainly work for brands targeting NCCS A major Metros? When the agency works with brands like Tata Motors, Ambuja Cement, SBI Mutual Fund, who is the TG generally?
Not at all, there are numerous OEMs operating in the less organised markets of Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. These OEMs offer budget TV options, often with independent, sophisticated operating software. This enables brands to reach diverse audiences across markets, catering to a wide array of demographics. We see significant traction in these markets, expanding beyond the typical metro-focused audience.
Q. Can CTV effectively complement traditional TV advertising? Kindly elaborate.
Absolutely. The shift from traditional to smart TVs has transformed advertising, making CTV an ideal complement to traditional TV. New-age brands like Lenskart and Boat are well-suited for CTV because it appeals to digital-first, aspirational audiences.
CTV’s ability to reach these distinct groups makes it a valuable complement to traditional TV advertising. Linear TV will continue to drive mass reach, but there’s a clear distinction between the 270 million households on traditional TV versus the 45 million on CTV. Each caters to a specific audience segment, offering brands a complementary approach to maximise their reach.
Q. Is CTV advertising growing a lot on sports, given that many properties like the IPL are free?
Yes, CTV advertising is experiencing significant growth in the sports segment, particularly with the rise of AVOD platforms. Sports in India are akin to a religion, with fans gathering at home with family and friends or in larger social settings like bars to enjoy matches on the big screen. This communal aspect makes CTV the perfect medium for household-level targeting. The large-screen experience amplifies the emotion and engagement of live sports, creating a highly impactful environment for advertisers.
Q. How is the agency using data analytics to help clients drive hyper-personalisation and target cohorts?
We leverage a diverse set of DMP partnerships to focus on refining audience cohorts and ensuring precision targeting. Our approach is to become more deterministic, moving away from probabilistic methods, by integrating audience insights with robust data sets. This refinement allows us to craft sharper messaging and effectively optimise campaigns for greater relevance and impact.
Q. Could you shed light on the company’s retail media platform and how it is growing, given that consumers search for product information on retail media during the festive season?
Stay tuned on this one for more exciting updates! In simple terms, we are working towards marrying first-party data from apps on a large scale and enabling endemic brands to seamlessly advertise across Frodoh’s CTV supply. This integration is poised to unlock significant value for both brands and consumers.
Q. How is AI helping Frodoh?
AI is instrumental in helping us plan better campaigns, refine media plans, and optimise audience cohorts. By analysing campaign data across India, APAC, and MENA, AI enables us to draw insights from diverse markets and consolidate learnings.
This helps us identify what resonates and what doesn’t, ensuring that marketers save on advertising dollars by focusing on impactful strategies. AI also allows us to optimise campaigns in real-time, enhancing outcomes for both brands and consumers.
Q. Finally, there is a point of view that often online advertisers get obsessed with metrics like views as opposed to whether the message is emotionally resonating. Is that a fair criticism?
It’s a valid point, and at Frodoh, we have addressed this by conducting our own brand lift studies specifically for CTV campaigns. These surveys are designed to be completed on the first screen itself, ensuring accurate measurement of attention and emotional resonance.
We don’t just measure views; we focus on whether the campaign’s message is truly connecting with audiences. Ultimately, we feel most accomplished when a campaign not only achieves a measurable lift in brand perception but also drives tangible business results for our clients in their target markets.
