Latest news with #SunderBalasubramanian
Time of India
7 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Fashion discovery was broken, so Myntra rebuilt it
For the past 18 months, Myntra has been building a content ecosystem designed to solve one of the most significant consumer friction points in fashion shopping: discovery. Until now, most e-commerce marketplaces have been designed in a way that treats discovery like a scavenger hunt. Generic filters and endless scrolling have diminished the joy of finding that perfect product, one that makes the consumer feel good and confident about their decision. The greatest strength of e-commerce marketplaces, their vast catalogue, has become a marketing nightmare. Platforms attempt personalised recommendations and semantic search, but shopping for fashion online still does not feel as easy or effortless as it should. Meanwhile, consumer behaviour is evolving rapidly. The shopper's journey no longer begins in a storefront or search bar, but when they are scrolling through social media or consuming entertainment. Spotting what a celebrity wore at the Met Gala might lead to a quick Google search, or a Google Lens scan to discover similar products listed online. But this journey is not intuitive. People want to be inspired first, and then they shop. Myntra is betting its future on that idea. Instead of rebuilding its catalogue, it is rebuilding the top of the funnel. In mid-2022, the platform launched Myntra Minis, short-form influencer videos embedded directly into the app's shopping interface. Over 150,000 videos have been uploaded to date. Sunder Balasubramanian, CMO of Myntra, told ETBrandEquity, 'Minis gave us a wealth of insights into how people interact with influencer content. Shoppers loved the inspiration, but Gen Z, a key cohort for us, sought relatability. They wanted to know: what are people like me wearing and buying?' Then in 2024, Myntra launched Ultimate Glam Clan , a programme that transforms the average shopper into a creator. Any user can upload a photo or video of something they have bought on Myntra. If someone purchases through that post, the creator earns a commission. Myntra saw modest success through these initiatives: 1 million users signed upOver 1 million posts uploaded4.5 billion impressions deliveredTop content viewers watched 30 to 40 videos per sessionA 20%+ uplift in conversion rates among content-exposed users Last week, Myntra rolled out its most ambitious content-to-commerce experiment yet: Glamstream . 500 hours of celebrity-led content4,000 episodes across music videos, podcasts, web series and styling shows100+ celebrities, in partnership with 50+ content creators and studios Balasubramanian stated, 'We are not just experimenting with content formats. We are trying to understand what kind of content converts on a commerce platform. Nobody knows that yet.' This layer of content is fully shoppable and is designed to both inspire shoppers and enable purchases simultaneously. Users can not only see what their favourite creators or celebrities are wearing, but also browse a curated list of similar products displayed below the video and add items to their cart instantly. The back-end has evolved at a similar pace. The initial MVP (minimum viable product) relied on manual tagging. Today, machine learning auto-tags fashion products in videos using visual similarity and catalogue data. Like most brands, Myntra is still on the learning curve when it comes to building a successful social commerce business in India. In 2021–22, the company launched M-Live, a live commerce platform that failed to take off. The key learning was that appointment-based viewing did not resonate with Indian users. Especially among Gen Z, browsing is spontaneous, often happening during a commute or just before bed. According to Balasubramanian, phase one is about building adoption and understanding user behaviour. Then comes scaling and personalising content to match individual preferences. Once that is in place, brand integrations and monetisation will form phase two. But it is still early days for the platform. 'Currently, 16% of monthly active users engage with content. Our goal is to take that up to 50%,' noted Balasubramanian. 'Next, we are building creator pages (for influencers and everyday users alike), metrics like likes, followers, earnings, and a personalisation engine, so that each user sees a content feed tailored to their fashion preferences.' While content-to-commerce is not new, most brands still rely on affiliate links and traffic redirection to drive purchases. If Myntra succeeds, it will have made content-to-commerce journeys more effortless and intuitive, potentially changing how consumers in India shop for fashion online.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Myntra to scale up investments in celebrity-led video content
E-commerce platform Myntra is ramping up its investment in celebrity-led video content as it looks to deepen user engagement and increase conversion rates, marking a strategic shift beyond conventional catalog-based and influencer-driven shopping models. 'We're investing in over 500 hours of content,' said Sunder Balasubramanian, Chief Marketing Officer at Myntra. He noted that the company would continue to scale this investment as long as it supports what he described as the "inspiration to purchase" journey and delivers measurable returns. Myntra's advertising and promotional expenses totaled Rs 1,677.4 crore in FY24, reflecting its increasing focus on marketing-led growth initiatives. According to Balasubramanian, user engagement tends to rise when shoppers interact with content on the app. He said the company is aiming to lift engagement by 15% through its new in-app feature, Glamstream , and has already recorded a conversion rate of over 20% among users who view such content. These figures are based on Myntra's internal tracking, and comparable data from other parts of the platform were not disclosed. The company said it does not view this content as standalone entertainment, but as a way to drive product discovery and facilitate purchases. Glamstream, launched recently within the Myntra app, integrates video content with real-time shopping. The new feature combines curated and original programming, spanning more than 500 hours, with embedded shopping links, effectively aiming to convert viewership into transactions. It is part of Myntra's broader effort to build what it calls a ' content-to-commerce ' ecosystem. The content lineup features over 100 celebrities from Indian film and fashion circles, including Vijay Deverakonda, Rashmika Mandanna, Tabu, Raveena Tandon, Tamannaah Bhatia and Zeenat Aman. The push aligns with changing shopping behaviour, especially among younger users, who increasingly rely on visual content for inspiration before making fashion and beauty purchases . 'Shopping has moved away from catalogue-based experiences to content-based discovery,' Balasubramanian said. He added that Myntra observed many users discovering products on one platform and completing purchases on another, a gap the company is now trying to close. Internal research cited by the company suggests that 70% of Indian shoppers rely on influencer-led content before making a purchase. Earlier initiatives such as its 150,000-strong library of influencer videos and the Ultimate Glam Client programme, which now includes over a million registered creators, helped lay the groundwork for Glamstream, according to the company. In addition to celebrity appearances, the company is working with a wide network of influencers and content creators to expand production. Glamstream will host a variety of formats including shoppable music videos, travel and wedding blogs, styling tutorials, podcasts, and fictional series. 'We're experimenting with multiple formats to see what resonates best with users,' Balasubramanian said, adding that all featured products are shoppable in real time. While the content is currently curated by an editorial team in collaboration with around 50 media partners, the company said personalisation will increasingly be powered by algorithms. The platform aims to tailor content to user preferences based on their activity and interaction history. On the backend, Myntra uses a mix of visual recognition tools and manual quality checks to match products with video content. Influencers and celebrities choose what to feature, and the system tags products accordingly, Balasubramanian explained. While the immediate focus is on user adoption, the company indicated that future monetisation through brand integrations and advertising is under consideration. 'Right now, we're focused on driving this new behaviour,' he said. Glamstream is aimed at Myntra's 70 million monthly active users, which span a wide demographic across Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities, metro and non-metro regions, and both male and female shoppers across generations. 'We want to ensure that there's relevant content for all segments, whether it's Gen Z from a metro or a family shopper from a smaller town,' he said.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Myntra to scale up investments in celebrity-led video content
E-commerce platform Myntra is ramping up its investment in celebrity-led video content as it looks to deepen user engagement and increase conversion rates, marking a strategic shift beyond conventional catalog-based and influencer-driven shopping models. 'We're investing in over 500 hours of content,' said Sunder Balasubramanian, Chief Marketing Officer at Myntra. He noted that the company would continue to scale this investment as long as it supports what he described as the "inspiration to purchase" journey and delivers measurable returns. Myntra's advertising and promotional expenses totaled Rs 1,677.4 crore in FY24, reflecting its increasing focus on marketing-led growth initiatives. According to Balasubramanian, user engagement tends to rise when shoppers interact with content on the app. He said the company is aiming to lift engagement by 15% through its new in-app feature, Glamstream , and has already recorded a conversion rate of over 20% among users who view such content. These figures are based on Myntra's internal tracking, and comparable data from other parts of the platform were not disclosed. The company said it does not view this content as standalone entertainment, but as a way to drive product discovery and facilitate purchases. Glamstream, launched recently within the Myntra app, integrates video content with real-time shopping. The new feature combines curated and original programming, spanning more than 500 hours, with embedded shopping links, effectively aiming to convert viewership into transactions. It is part of Myntra's broader effort to build what it calls a 'content-to-commerce' ecosystem. The content lineup features over 100 celebrities from Indian film and fashion circles, including Vijay Deverakonda, Rashmika Mandanna, Tabu, Raveena Tandon, Tamannaah Bhatia and Zeenat Aman. The push aligns with changing shopping behaviour, especially among younger users, who increasingly rely on visual content for inspiration before making fashion and beauty purchases. 'Shopping has moved away from catalogue-based experiences to content-based discovery,' Balasubramanian said. He added that Myntra observed many users discovering products on one platform and completing purchases on another, a gap the company is now trying to close. Internal research cited by the company suggests that 70% of Indian shoppers rely on influencer-led content before making a purchase. Earlier initiatives such as its 150,000-strong library of influencer videos and the Ultimate Glam Client programme, which now includes over a million registered creators, helped lay the groundwork for Glamstream, according to the company. In addition to celebrity appearances, the company is working with a wide network of influencers and content creators to expand production. Glamstream will host a variety of formats including shoppable music videos, travel and wedding blogs, styling tutorials, podcasts, and fictional series. 'We're experimenting with multiple formats to see what resonates best with users,' Balasubramanian said, adding that all featured products are shoppable in real time. While the content is currently curated by an editorial team in collaboration with around 50 media partners, the company said personalisation will increasingly be powered by algorithms. The platform aims to tailor content to user preferences based on their activity and interaction history. On the backend, Myntra uses a mix of visual recognition tools and manual quality checks to match products with video content. Influencers and celebrities choose what to feature, and the system tags products accordingly, Balasubramanian explained. While the immediate focus is on user adoption, the company indicated that future monetisation through brand integrations and advertising is under consideration. 'Right now, we're focused on driving this new behaviour,' he said. Glamstream is aimed at Myntra's 70 million monthly active users, which span a wide demographic across Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities, metro and non-metro regions, and both male and female shoppers across generations. 'We want to ensure that there's relevant content for all segments, whether it's Gen Z from a metro or a family shopper from a smaller town,' he said.
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Myntra launches Glamstream to fuel next phase of content-led commerce, eyes 15 % uptick in engagement
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills Elevating its content-commerce strategy a notch higher, Myntra on Saturday announced the launch of Glamstream , a one-of-its-kind shoppable lifestyle content destination - seamlessly blending entertainment, fashion inspiration and at the intersection of content, community, and commerce, Glamstream reflects how today's young India likes to shop: entertainment built into their feed and instant access to what inspires its first phase, Glamstream will bring over 500 hours of content, including 15 Myntra exclusives and 4,000+ episodes of shared streams. These streams will feature 100+ celebrities from Bollywood, OTT and the digital creator bite-size binge-worthy premium content repertoire includes music videos, travel, wedding and more vlogs, styling & beauty shows, podcasts, fictional shows and much more - all integrated with seamless product the celeb content and integrated in Glamstream, is content from Ultimate Glam Clan (UGC)- Myntra's thriving shopper-creator community, with over 1 million registered creators and 4.5 billion post in August 2024, UGC is now a significant pillar of Myntra's next-gen content commerce playbook. By blending the authenticity of creator & shopper-driven content with the aspirational appeal of celebrity storytelling, Glamstream redefines fashion and lifestyle discovery and engagement like never traditional shopping flows, Glamstream starts with content, brings entertainment-led discovery and embeds commerce within it. Every content piece includes interactive product trays that allow viewers to shop featured and relevant items in just two steps - from video to product detail to cart. The experience is housed on the Myntra app and accessible via a prominent floating action button on the a pioneer in the social commerce space, Myntra has been committed to innovating in the social commerce space with inspiration-led fashion discovery and purchase journeys enabled by M-Studio to Minis in the past."Fashion discovery today is increasingly driven by social feeds and cultural influence - yet much of that inspiration remains disconnected from the path to purchase. At Myntra, we believe there's a better way and have consistently innovated to drive inspiration-led fashion discovery. What's more, today's consumers, especially Gen Z, also heavily rely on authentic, relatable content - user reviews and real imagery - before making purchase decisions," said Sunder Balasubramanian, CMO, Myntra."With Glamstream, we're reimagining commerce as a content-first experience - seamlessly bringing together authentic inspiration, entertainment, and instant access. As pioneers in this space, we are not just responding to how shopping is evolving - we are helping define its future by continuously exploring the new possibilities," Balasubramanian added."Glamstream is transforming how users experience fashion. As a feature deeply embedded in our app, it leverages advanced video infrastructure, intelligent product tagging and real-time rendering to deliver a seamless, immersive shopping journey," said Lakshminarayan Swaminathan, Vice President, Product Management and Design, Myntra."Our focus has been to ensure that every tap, swipe and scroll feels intuitive - enabling instant access for every inspiration. This is technology enabling discovery at its most natural and engaging form," Swaminathan Glamstream evolves, Myntra will continue to explore newer, immersive content formats that seamlessly integrate fashion inspiration into the shopping can soon expect AI-powered, personalised product recommendations within the Glamstream feed-spanning influencer-led, UGC, and celebrity content . The platform also aims to introduce creator storefronts, further enhancing discovery and deepening engagement.
Fashion Network
19-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Myntra's Ultimate Glam Clan passes five lakh creator sign-ups, driven by Gen Z
Myntra has seen over five lakh users join its 'Ultimate Glam Clan' since the initiative launched in September. Positioned as India's largest shopper-led creator programme, it enables users to share fashion and beauty product reviews through short-form content on the platform to boost engagement. According to Myntra, Gen Z shoppers have driven the growth of the programme, accounting for 67% of recent sign-ups, Indian Retailer Bureau reported. The brand said the initiative is redefining how consumers interact with products online by encouraging authentic, user-generated content. Myntra's Ultimate Glam Clan reached a total of four lakh creators on March 3 this year, Myntra announced on Facebook at the time. 'The growth of this programme is a testament to the growing demand for authentic, user-generated content and feedback loops in the digital ecosystem," said Myntra's chief marketing officer Sunder Balasubramanian Indian Retailer Bureau reported. "At Myntra, we understand that today's consumers, especially Gen-Z, prioritise authenticity when making purchasing decisions, and this programme is our way of creating a platform that shares real, relatable experiences between fellow shoppers. This enhances trust and the connection customers feel when making purchases, making their shopping journey more personal.' The platform's tiered structure enables users to advance through levels such as 'Expert', 'Leader', and 'Trendsetter', unlocking greater rewards and visibility. Average payouts have reached Rs 900 per month, with top creators earning up to Rs 2 lakh. Myntra reported a 2% increase in app engagement per user since the programme's launch, supported by tools including a real-time analytics dashboard for content optimisation.
