The acquisition of MX Player by Amazon has set the stage for a transformative shift in India’s AVOD (advertising-based video-on-demand) landscape. As one of the largest free streaming platforms, MX Player now benefits from Amazon’s vast ecosystem, integrating across Prime Video, Fire TV, the Amazon Shopping App, and advanced ad technology.
In this exclusive conversation, Karan Bedi, Head of Amazon MX Player, and Girish Prabhu, Head of Amazon Ads India & Amazon MX Player, delve into the platform’s seamless integration within Amazon, its massive pan-India reach, and how it is redefining the way brands engage with consumers. They discuss the unique value proposition of MX Player as the only free premium content destination in India, the growing opportunities for advertisers—including SMBs—through innovative solutions like Sponsored TV, and the platform’s role in bridging entertainment with commerce.
With over 100 new shows being added and the ability to offer targeted, outcome-driven advertising, Amazon MX Player is creating a new paradigm where brands can go beyond impressions to measurable impact. From attracting diverse advertisers, including real estate, automobiles, and regional brands, to leveraging Amazon’s vast consumer insights for precision marketing, this conversation offers a deep dive into the next frontier of digital entertainment and advertising.
Join us as Karan Bedi and Girish Prabhu reveal why the MX Player and Amazon combination is a ‘’One Plus One is Eleven’’ opportunity for both users and advertisers.
Q: Can you explain the significant impact of MX Player being acquired and what kind of changes it has brought?
Karan Bedi: The acquisition of MX Player by Amazon has had a significant impact, and the integration has been seamless. Typically, M&A transactions take years for smooth integration, but we managed to complete it within a few months. Three major things have happened as a result. First, while MX Player already had a large reach, it is now distributed across the entire Amazon ecosystem, including Prime Video, the Amazon Shopping App, Fire TV, and other connected platforms. Second, Amazon’s advanced ad technology is now being leveraged to drive better outcomes for advertisers, making our platform even more valuable. Third, MX Player’s strong content franchises, like Aashram and Bhakshak, have been complemented by new franchises like Poojyol Kainai and Kutter Gu, which have performed exceptionally well and are gearing up for multiple seasons. This acquisition has created a powerful combination where one plus one is not just two—it’s eleven.
Q: What is the current AVOD market scenario, and where does Amazon MX Player stand?
Karan Bedi: Amazon MX Player is the only free, premium entertainment platform in the market. Other platforms follow a freemium approach, where content is gated behind paywalls or restrictions, whereas we provide high-quality entertainment for free. The platform also offers the largest diversity in content for users and audience segments for advertisers. We showcased this diversity at our recent event, covering genres from action and drama to reality shows and college romance. This variety ensures that both users and advertisers benefit from a wide range of content and audience segments, making us a unique player in the AVOD space.
Q: How does Amazon MX Player’s ‘always free, always entertaining’ model provide value to advertisers while maintaining an engaging experience for users?
Girish Prabhu: The model offers two key advantages: high-quality premium content and wide distribution. The biggest benefit of the acquisition has been expanding our reach beyond e-commerce audiences to a pan-India presence. Earlier, our audience primarily consisted of shoppers, but now we have viewership across the country. This expanded reach benefits advertisers significantly.
For brands selling on Amazon, it allows them to drive awareness and link it back to shopping intent. Unlike traditional advertising platforms, where advertisers only get impressions without insights into consumer behavior, Amazon MX Player enables brands to track the entire consumer journey, from awareness to purchase.
For brands that do not sell on Amazon—such as banks, insurance providers, and automotive brands—this platform offers new opportunities. Since these brands rely on dealer networks and regional presence, we now provide them with advertising solutions that help them connect with relevant audiences. Our advanced ad technology allows advertisers to optimize their strategy by leveraging consumer behavior and household data, providing a much sharper approach to advertising.
Q: With the addition of 100+ shows, what kind of incremental value do you foresee in terms of ad revenue?
Karan Bedi: Incremental value is determined by our ability to work with brands and meet advertiser demand. Previously, our focus was on shopping-oriented advertising, driving awareness, consideration, and purchases. With MX Player’s integration, we now offer a larger scale of awareness generation. The reach of MX Player surpasses even the biggest GEC channels in India, which is a game-changer.
This expanded reach has also brought in a more diverse set of advertisers. Different brands have different objectives, and our platform enables them to connect with specific audiences in various ways. Advertisers can simply place ads in our content or integrate deeply with it, making brand placements more relevant and engaging.
Q: How has the response from advertisers and brands been so far?
Girish Prabhu: The response has been overwhelmingly positive. This was the first time we showcased the full scale of our platform, combining technology, vision, user experience, and reach. Advertisers who previously viewed Amazon only as an e-commerce advertising platform now see a much broader canvas. The diversity of content has also attracted new categories of brands. For example, Mitti, a show about an agricultural entrepreneur, has drawn interest from tractor and agricultural equipment manufacturers—brands that never considered Amazon as an advertising platform before.
Q: How can smaller brands, such as PSR Silks from Karnataka, engage with Amazon MX Player?
Girish Prabhu: Smaller brands have multiple opportunities to engage with Amazon MX Player. They can advertise on Amazon itself, targeting relevant searches such as “silk sarees” or “gift sarees.” Additionally, they can leverage seasonal spikes in demand, such as during Diwali, Raksha Bandhan, or Akshaya Tritiya, to maximize their visibility.
A major development is the introduction of Sponsored TV, a new product designed specifically for SMBs. Traditionally, smaller brands could not afford TV or premium video advertising. Sponsored TV allows them to create video ads at a fraction of the usual cost. In the future, Gen AI will help brands generate video creatives at zero cost. These ads will be automatically shown to the right audience on MX Player, eliminating entry barriers for small advertisers.
Q: What is the minimum budget required for a brand to advertise on Amazon MX Player?
Girish Prabhu: Traditionally, video advertising required large budgets, making it inaccessible for smaller brands. However, we are lowering this barrier with Sponsored TV, where there is no minimum budget. Brands can experiment with different amounts, from ₹100 to ₹5 lakh, to see what works best for them.
For branded content sponsorships, the budgets are higher because they involve deeper integrations into the content. But with our evolving solutions, even smaller brands will have more opportunities to participate in premium advertising formats.
Q: How do you justify ROI for advertisers, and what metrics do you track?
Girish Prabhu: We use multiple metrics to track effectiveness. For performance-driven advertisers, we use Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), which measures how much revenue is generated per rupee spent. Additionally, we track Total Cost, which considers long-term brand growth and customer acquisition trends.
For larger brands, we conduct brand lift studies to measure awareness and offline impact. For video ads, engagement metrics such as completion rates and viewability are also tracked. Our goal is to provide advertisers with a clear picture of how their campaigns contribute to business outcomes.
Q: How is Amazon MX Player collaborating with other Amazon verticals to offer better advertising solutions?
Karan Bedi: We collaborate with multiple Amazon services, including Prime Video, the Amazon Shopping App, and Fire TV. Additionally, MX Player is expanding its investments in gaming, which will become another key area of integration.
The biggest collaboration has been with e-commerce, where we use Amazon’s vast shopping data to place highly relevant ads. For example, if a user searches for sarees, PSR Silk’s product placements can be targeted to the right audience, ensuring better conversions.
Q: Many industries like real estate and automobiles still focus on traditional media. What are your plans to attract them to AVOD?
Girish Prabhu: For industries like real estate and automobiles, we are developing native ad formats to keep the user experience seamless. Instead of redirecting users to external websites, our formats will allow real estate developers and auto brands to capture leads directly within MX Player.
For example, a user interested in buying a car can enter their pin code, locate a nearby dealer, and request a test drive—all without leaving the platform. This integrated approach makes advertising more effective for brands while ensuring a smooth experience for consumers.
