Our vision is to be the most credible and transparent partner for brands and agencies in India: Gandharv Sachdeva, Hybrid

With four years of successful operation, Hybrid has established itself as a prominent player in the Indian ad tech industry, leveraging innovative contextual advertising solutions like VOX that deliver high relevance and engagement.

In an insightful conversation with MediaNews4U, Gandharv Sachdeva, the Country Head, India, at Hybrid, shared his vision for the company’s growth trajectory in the Indian market and discussed key trends shaping the future of digital advertising.

Gandharv also touched on the rising importance of AI-driven marketing, brand safety, and the evolving role of programmatic advertising. As Hybrid continues to push boundaries, Gandharv provided valuable insights into the company’s expansion plans, its approach to building strong partnerships, and the changing dynamics in the Indian ad tech landscape.

After a four-year journey, what is Hybrid’s vision for the Indian market? What sets Hybrid apart from other ad tech players?

Gandharv Sachdeva: Our journey over the last four years has seen its fair share of ups and downs, but today, we’re proud to say Hybrid stands as a stable and growing organization. We’re transitioning into a new league, focusing heavily on expanding and strengthening our footprint in India. Our vision is to become a credible and transparent partner to all stakeholders—clients, agencies, and publishers.

What truly differentiates us in the ad tech ecosystem is our unique product stack that goes beyond traditional offerings. Our proprietary tools include programmatic buying, interactive rich media solutions, and, most notably, the in-image contextual advertising solution, VOX. VOX leverages Semantica 360° & Computer Vision that elevates contextual targeting by analyzing both the article and the associated image, ensuring ad placements are highly relevant and non-intrusive. Unlike platforms like DV360, our in-image solutions are not linked to generic programmatic environments; instead, we operate directly with premium publishers, ensuring high-quality, first-hand inventory.

With AI-driven marketing reshaping audience targeting, how does Hybrid ensure effective activation while prioritizing consumer privacy?

Gandharv: AI is at the core of our marketing technology—our systems are entirely AI-driven, enabling smart, real-time decisions in campaign execution. But while leveraging AI, we place strong emphasis on consumer privacy and brand safety. Our backend tool, IREN Hub, ensures that our ads are placed in a brand-safe environment, avoiding irrelevant or harmful content.

While typical contextual targeting might rely solely on keywords, our proprietary technology, VOX, scans both text and accompanying images to deliver ads in highly suitable environments. This approach not only improves relevance but also respects the user’s journey, ensuring privacy and content alignment at every step.

What are the key benefits of contextual targeting over behavioural targeting in today’s digital advertising landscape?

Gandharv: In one line: “The right message to the right person at the right time.” Contextual advertising delivers on this promise more effectively than behavioural targeting. While behavioural methods track user activity over time, contextual advertising aligns with real-time intent, especially in editorial environments where the engagement is authentic.

For instance, if a user is reading an article about Switzerland—complete with stunning imagery—and an ad for a Switzerland travel offer from MakeMyTrip appears within the image, it taps into both the user’s interest and attention at that very moment. Contextual advertising creates non-intrusive yet highly engaging touchpoints that enhance relevance and boost click-through and conversion rates.

How do you see AI-driven automation shaping programmatic advertising in the coming years?

Gandharv: AI-driven automation is undoubtedly reshaping the future of programmatic advertising by enhancing targeting precision and operational efficiency. However, human intervention remains crucial. Even with our 98% brand-safe environment, the remaining 1-2% requires manual checks to handle edge cases or sudden developments.

Automation can scale operations and improve targeting, but it needs the guidance of human insight to maintain accountability, creativity, and strategic alignment. The balance of AI + human intelligence is what will drive innovation in the next phase of programmatic evolution.

Can you share examples of brands that have benefited from Hybrid’s contextual advertising?

Gandharv: Absolutely. Several leading brands have leveraged our contextual capabilities with great success. For example:

• Himalaya and Galderma use our platform to promote category-specific products like neem or turmeric face washes. Our contextual tech identifies users engaging with related content, ensuring precise product targeting.
• Automobile brands like MG, Honda, and Mahindra have utilized our system to reach users reading about new features like ADAS. Our solution even allows them to leverage competitor mentions—if a competitor is discussed in a positive light and relevant images are shown, we can contextually place ads to redirect attention.

These use cases show how contextual targeting enhances relevance, engagement, and even provides competitive advantages.

What measurement and attribution solutions does Hybrid offer to help advertisers track performance effectively?

Gandharv: As a DSP with smart bid optimization, we optimize CPM campaigns at the backend based on CPC, CPV, and CPCV metrics for video and display. Additionally, we fully support third-party integrations with tools like DCM, Seismic, Flash Talking, and IAS.

Our clients also benefit from beta dashboards that offer real-time campaign transparency, including media plans, budgets, publisher performance, and spend analytics. This ensures brands have full visibility and control over their investments.

How many publishers are you working with, and what does your publisher ecosystem look like?

Gandharv: In our in-image contextual advertising platform, we are working directly with a whitelisted pool of around 150 to 180 premium publishers, including names like Times of India, India Times, One India, Hindustan Times, and Cardekho. This ensures high-quality contextual placements across categories.

On the programmatic side, we operate in an open internet model, targeting based on demographic inputs and campaign briefs. This hybrid model allows us to maximize reach and relevance simultaneously.

How are Indian brands, especially small and mid-sized ones, adapting to advanced ad tech tools?

Gandharv: Initially, our focus was on building relationships with large brands like Maruti, Honda, and MG Motors. Today, however, we are seeing strong adoption among mid-sized and smaller brands too.

Companies like Oberoi Realty, and others across various sectors now see value in measurable digital campaigns. Our client servicing model and transparent reporting help even smaller clients understand where their money is going and the kind of returns they’re getting.

Markets like Kolkata, previously dependent on print and TV, are now experimenting with digital through us. Similar patterns are emerging in Gujarat, Delhi, and Mumbai, where regional players are slowly embracing ad tech.

How is your presence in the South India regional market, and how are brands there responding to ad tech?

Gandharv: We have a presence in Bangalore and manage operations across Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Gujarat. In the South, marketers are gradually recognizing ad tech’s value. It took us around three years to crack major agencies and earn trust, but today, even brands like HUL are engaging with us for contextual advertising.

They’re beginning to realize that, unlike direct publishers, ad tech platforms like Hybrid offer access to a wide network of whitelisted websites, making contextual delivery more impactful and scalable.

Do you deal more directly with clients or through agencies?

Gandharv: It’s a healthy mix—70% of our business comes through agencies, and 30% is direct. We maintain strong relationships on both fronts to ensure we deliver maximum value.

How are D2C brands engaging with Hybrid’s solutions?

Gandharv: D2C brands are increasingly recognizing the need for quality traffic to their websites. While many initially chase leads or sales, we educate them about targeting the right user at the right moment, which often translates into higher lifetime value.

We also offer post-click analysis, allowing D2C brands to track users who return and convert days later, providing deep insights beyond last-click attribution.

As you focus largely on a publisher ecosystem, do you offer solutions for the growing CTV ecosystem?

Gandharv: Yes, we’ve expanded into CTV and OTT advertising as well. While direct inventory tied to specific shows remains with CTV partners, we offer access to major platforms like Samsung TVPlus and JioHotstar, enabling targeted and high-impact CTV campaigns for our clients.

What’s next for Hybrid in India? Are there any upcoming partnerships or expansion plans?

Gandharv: Yes, we have several exciting partnerships and expansion initiatives in the pipeline. While I can’t reveal details at this stage, we’ll be making announcements soon. These steps will further strengthen our presence and capabilities in the Indian ad tech space.

Do you think there’s room for more ad tech players in the Indian market, or is it already saturated?

Gandharv: From a competition standpoint, no company would want more players. But we welcome competition—it pushes everyone to innovate and deliver better value. As long as a company brings a strong product and a clear value proposition, there’s still space in the Indian market.

Are you open to mergers, acquisitions, or investment opportunities?

Gandharv: We’re actively evaluating strategic options. Discussions are ongoing, but nothing concrete can be shared just yet. Rest assured, we’re focused on growth and long-term value creation.