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India Gazette
18 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- India Gazette
The rise of the Digital Vegan: Why celebrity endorsements are losing their shine
By Puneet Dua, Co-Founder And Cmo-Sportsbaazi New Delhi [India], June 9 (ANI): In today's culture of constant scrolling and content overload, trust has emerged as the rarest and most valuable commodity. For Gen Z, a generation raised on algorithmic content, viral trends, and curated perfection, authenticity is more than a buzzword. It's non-negotiable. And nowhere is this shift more visible than in how brands choose to communicate. Celebrity endorsements, once a guaranteed ticket to visibility and credibility, are rapidly losing relevance. The sparkle is fading. Not because fame has lost its power, but because fame without authenticity feels hollow. In its place, a new mindset is taking root: the Digital Vegan. Not a demographic, but a digital philosophy. One that prioritises unfiltered connection, purpose-led engagement, and discovery that feels earned, not engineered. Who Are Digital Vegans? Digital Vegans are the users who scroll past the ads, skip the sponsored posts, and seek out brands through word-of-mouth, subcultures, and long-form storytelling. They're the ones watching explainer videos at 2 AM, reading Reddit threads, and trusting micro-creators over macro-influencers. They don't want the polished pitch - they want the process, the product, and the person behind it. For them, the litmus test is simple: does the person promoting this product actually live it? If the answer is no, the interest dies fast. Authenticity is the New Influence Take the world of fantasy sports and skill-based gaming. It's filled with creators who don't just promote games -they live them. They share strategies, data breakdowns, and personal experiences not for brand deals, but out of genuine passion. This kind of content doesn't sell, it teaches. And in doing so, it builds a much deeper level of trust. Compare that to a celebrity appearing in a flashy ad for a fantasy gaming app they've likely never used, it doesn't land the same. That's why the future is user-led. Brands aren't discovered through ads -they're discovered through people. And those people are building trust, one honest interaction at a time. As some are already calling out, trust is fast becoming the currency of the digital world. Rewriting the Rules of Endorsement Sure, iconic partnerships like Michael Jordan and Nike changed the game. But they worked because they weren't surface-level. They evolved together. Contrast that with the rise of creators like Terrance Williams, who made Crocs cool again, not with an endorsement deal, but by owning the culture around them. Or Red Bull, which chose to build an entire world of adventure and extreme sports, where the product became a symbol of something bigger. The Quiet Brands Will Win The future of brand building won't be led by volume. It'll be led by meaning. Loud campaigns are being replaced by immersive ecosystems. What matters most now is the ability to create belonging, to show up where your audience already lives, and to do it with honesty. So don't chase the biggest name. Chase resonance. Don't just be seen. Be believed. Because in the age of Digital Vegans, the most powerful brands are the ones that whisper and still get heard. (ANI) Disclaimer: Puneet Dua is the Chief Marketing Officer at SportsBaazi. The views expressed in this article are his own.
India Gazette
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Gazette
Why trust is new currency in digital world
By Puneet Dua New Delhi [India], June 2 (ANI): A gamer breaks down strategies, a startup founder shares hard-earned lessons, a golf coach helps improve your swing, and a motorsport enthusiast decodes every turn on the track. There's one thing that's fundamental about all successful content creators: authenticity always wins. The Indian creator ecosystem is one of the most dynamic in the world. With over 2.5 million monetised content creators and influence over nearly 30 per cent of consumer decisions, according to a BCG report, the creator economy is no longer a side hustle, it's a formidable industry. But even within this booming space, a shift is underway. The most trusted and impactful voices are no longer the loudest ones. They are the ones who provide context, experience, and real outcomes. This shift is especially evident in the real money gaming (RMG) space, particularly in fantasy sports and emerging skill-based formats. Influencers who once focused on entertainment or click-driven content are now building credibility through deep analysis, predictive modelling, and historical insights. Many have developed strong domain expertise over the years, studying player form, venue stats, weather conditions, and anomalies, and are now sharing that knowledge through high-value content. These creators are not just entertainers but educators and tacticians, making fantasy gaming more strategic, data-driven, and skill-focused. With new-age platforms emphasising real-time decision-making and user skill, such creators play a key role in steering the RMG narrative away from luck and toward legitimacy. The viewers and consumers of these content creators have also become more vigilant about the content they are consuming, constantly analysing and gauging overproduced content and mere marketing pushes. Today, they gravitate towards creators who practice what they preach. These creators are hardened veterans of their industries who have spent years learning, practising and building their craft and are now packaging their knowledge into content that people can learn from. Consider the Indian gaming industry, which is now experiencing a revolution as new formats that are based on real-time events are picking up speed. Creators who simply showcased their analytical prowess by completing random challenges are no longer the ones people look up to. Instead, they now look up to the ones who are analysts and former pros who understand the nuances of strategy, skill, and real-time decision-making. This pattern holds true across disciplines. In golf, followers flock to creators who break down the science of putting or help correct a slice. In motorsports, niche YouTubers who dissect telemetry data or tire strategy gain more credibility than influencers showcasing lifestyle montages. In the startup world, it's the founders who share raw fundraising decks, failed experiments, and honest growth stories who are gaining loyal followings, not those merely celebrating funding rounds. What unites these creators is their deep focus on problem-solving over promotion. They aren't here to sell dreams. They are here to teach, mentor, and elevate. They recognise that content can be a service and that service builds trust. With attention spans shrinking and scepticism rising, users reward creators who offer tangible takeaways. And that trust, in turn, creates economic opportunity. The days of chasing views are long gone. Today's creators understand that authenticity lies in monetising depth over reach, so they offer private coaching, host paid webinars, and build relationships rooted in credibility. The creator becomes a partner in the audience's growth journey, not just a performer in their feed. The communities of these authentic creators are relatively small, but that's by design. Instead of catering to everyone, they stick to their niche audiences who are passionate about their content. The result? These micro-communities often outperform broader audiences in terms of loyalty, engagement, and conversion. The magic lies in how these creators compress years of experience into simple, digestible content. In a three-minute video, they might pass on a principle it took them three years to master. This efficient transfer of knowledge is the creator economy's superpower. In an era of information overload, creators who curate, contextualise, and simplify have become invaluable. Importantly, the best among them is abandoning misleading hooks and clickbait titles. They no longer need gimmicks to pull people in because their value speaks for itself. Their success is not accidental. It is the outcome of consistency, craft, and care. Audiences are responding by showing up, sticking around, and paying up. This shift is also opening up new paths for platforms and brands. When creators build content around trust, learning, and results, it becomes the most effective form of organic marketing. No one feels like they are being sold. Instead, they feel informed and empowered. Whether it's a viewer becoming a better sports trader, a founder making smarter business decisions, or a young athlete learning how to improve, the outcome is meaningful. And when the content delivers real results, conversion becomes a natural next step. The industry is witnessing the rise of skilled creators: new-age professionals who blend insight with impact. They are educators, entertainers, coaches, and community builders all rolled into one. And they are proof that influence built on trust, not just reach, is the real currency of the digital world. As India's digital economy grows and content becomes increasingly democratised, this creator model will only gain momentum. The future belongs to those who not only know their craft but are generous enough to share it. In this ecosystem, the most powerful kind of marketing is simply showing up, being real, and helping someone get better at what they love. (ANI) Disclaimer: Puneet Dua is the Chief Marketing Officer at SportsBaazi. The views expressed in this article are his own.
India Gazette
27-05-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
How fanalysts are changing the sporting ecosystem in India
By Puneet Dua New Delhi [India], May 27 (ANI): For decades, sports fandom in India was about loyalty, emotion, and the collective thrill of the game. Cricket, especially, was sacred territory -- a realm of gut-feel commentary, terrace arguments, and sheer instinctive passion. But with data becoming democratised, sports broadcasts have become richer, and second-screen culture has taken hold. This has paved the way for a new kind of fan to emerge, one who combines raw emotion with sharp analysis. These are not just fans, nor are they mere analysts. Fanalyst, a blend of 'fan' and 'analyst', represents a new breed of sports enthusiasts who blend passion with precision. They don't make emotional investments, rather, they engage with the game through data, analytical tools and strategic foresight. Fanalysts evaluate potential outcomes based on the result of the toss, understand the impact of dew at a venue, analyse powerplay trends, player matchups, and pitch-specific performance histories. Fanalysts apply an analytical lens to every aspect of the sport. This helps them anticipate a relatively unknown spinner's dominance at Eden Gardens or decipher how Chennai's weather conditions will influence a captain's decision at the toss compared to casual cricket fans. For them, fandom is not just about watching the game-- it's about understanding it. The rise of the fanalyst is being fuelled by a broader shift in how Indians consume sports. No longer limited to passively watching a match, fans today engage with multiple screens, live analytics, and interactive formats that reward data-driven foresight. From fantasy leagues and skill-based analytical gaming apps to YouTube-based tactical breakdowns, there are more outlets than ever for fans to put their sporting knowledge to the test. Fantasy sports was arguably the first mainstream platform that gave fanalysts a sandbox to play in. Picking players, studying match conditions, managing credits, and even strategising around low-ownership differentials turned casual fans into mini-selectors. Fantasy became less about picking your favourite player and more about predicting breakout performances from the lesser-known individuals. Unlike traditional fantasy formats that lock in decisions pre-match, the fantasy sports trading model empowers fans to respond to the game as it unfolds. The result? A deeper sense of immersion and ownership. What separates a fanalyst from a traditional fan is their relationship with data. Fanalysts don't rely on gut feeling or crowd noise. Instead, they dive into matchups, venue-specific stats, pitch behaviour, player psychology, and weather conditions. Their gameday ritual might involve scanning heatmaps, watching tactical videos on YouTube, or joining Telegram discussions where the minutest elements of the game are dissected with surgical precision. Many fanalysts also follow content creators who break down key moments, analyse captaincy calls, or explain why a field setup failed. These creators, often fans themselves, are part of a growing ecosystem that prizes insight over emotion and analysis over adrenaline. This shift in behaviour is already changing how sport is packaged and delivered. Broadcasters are investing in advanced data overlays, real-time match stats, and personalised feeds. Even brands and leagues are noticing: The smarter the fan, the more invested they are. And the more invested they are, the more loyal, vocal, and valuable they become to the ecosystem. This isn't just the domain of sports nerds or fantasy diehards anymore. In Tier-II and Tier-III cities, where fantasy sports trading is surging, fanalysts are emerging in large numbers. Many are college students, gig workers, or small business owners who've found both intellectual satisfaction and small-time success in applying analytical thinking to sports. They're watching the same matches, but with a dashboard open, a strategy in mind, and a sharp eye on every over, observing and acting on shifts in momentum over the course of a match. This isn't a niche movement. It's the beginning of a mainstream shift, where curiosity meets strategy, and where sport is as much a mental game as a physical spectacle. What this proves is that fandom in India is maturing. We are observing a generation of thinkers take centre stage on these apps, people who know that understanding the game is just as exciting as watching it. As new formats continue to grow, as existing platforms add complexity, and as sports broadcasts integrate deeper data layers, one thing is clear: the future belongs to those who can read the game, not just watch it. The fanalyst is here to stay, for they are equal parts fanboy and forecaster, with one foot in the thrill of the game and the other in the art of analysis. This movement is redefining what it means to be a sports fan in India. Today's fans are becoming more discerning and informed. There is a growing segment that finds as much excitement in decoding the game as in witnessing its outcomes. As new formats emerge and platforms grow more nuanced, one trend is undeniable: the future of fandom belongs to those who can interpret the game, not just observe it. The fanalyst--part enthusiast, part strategist--is emblematic of this change. With an instinct for the spectacle and a mind for metrics, they are quietly transforming what it means to be a sports fan in India. (ANI) Disclaimer: Puneet Dua is the Chief Marketing Officer at SportsBaazi. The views expressed in this article are his own.
India Gazette
21-05-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
From analysing data to discipline: Inside the minds of India's fantasy gaming professional traders
New Delhi [India], May 21 (ANI): Fantasy sports trading in India is experiencing a sharp ascent, not merely as entertainment, but as a data-driven, skill-based activity aiming to redefine the gaming experience for millions. At the forefront of this shift are power users like Rohan Sultane, a data analyst who has achieved an exceptional 86 per cent win rate on SportsBaazi, and Puneet Dua, the platform's Chief Marketing Officer, whose journey as a passionate gamer during his formative years to a digital industry leader today reflects the sector's explosive evolution. In this exclusive interview, we explored their contrasting yet complementary perspectives on user experience, platform philosophy, gaming misconceptions, and the future of fantasy sports regulation in India. 'It started as a hobby': Rohan Sultane on mastering fantasy sports ANI: Rohan, what sparked your interest in online fantasy gaming? Rohan Sultane:It began with my love for cricket. I've followed the sport since childhood, and as a data analyst by profession, I saw an opportunity to merge passion with skill. I started trading on online fantasy platforms as a hobby, not expecting it to become such a significant part of my life. It's surreal to be giving interviews about it now. Skill vs Luck: What Really Drives Success? ANI: How much of the success in fantasy sports is based on skill versus luck? Rohan Sultane: I'd say it's 50-50 to begin with, but with solid data analysis, you can push your winning chances to 70-80 per cent. You can't predict every ball, but you can increase your edge by understanding pitch behaviour, player form, and match conditions. Puneet Dua: Rohan's a great example. He's not the biggest spender, but he's consistent--his cricket knowledge and analytical approach help him outperform. Even Federer won just 55 per cent of points in his career, but he capitalised on the right moments to deliver a career win record of 82 per cent. We promote the 'Three Ds' at SportsBaazi: Dimaag (Mind), Data, and Discipline. Data Is King ANI: How important is data analysis across different sports on fantasy platforms? Rohan Sultane: It's everything. I focus on cricket because I know the players, pitches, and patterns. If I try kabaddi without that insight, my chances drop. Whether it's cricket, football, or kabaddi, without data, you're basically guessing--and that's a risk. Avoiding Scams: Stick with Verified Platforms ANI: What's your advice for beginners concerned about scams in online fantasy gaming? Rohan Sultane: Always choose registered platforms like SportsBaazi. They pay taxes, follow Indian laws, and offer customer support. Unverified apps may look tempting, but they can leave you with no way to recover your money if something goes wrong. Starting Small: A Smart Gamer's Path ANI: What's your advice for those just stepping into fantasy sports trading? Rohan Sultane: Start with small amounts--Rs 500 to Rs 1,000. Use promotional credits and don't invest your savings right away. I began in the player market with proven performers like Virat Kohli and Steve Smith. Learn how rate changes work, analyse the patterns, and aim for steady profits instead of big wins. Focus on building your understanding first. The Bigger Picture: Growth, Tech, and the Road Ahead ANI: Puneet, where do you see fantasy gaming heading in India? Puneet Dua: We're only scratching the surface. With increased digital literacy and smartphone penetration, fantasy sports are reaching users in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Platforms like ours are also creating jobs, not just games. I believe this growth will continue through 2030 and beyond. On Regulation: A Work in Progress ANI: How is the regulatory landscape shaping up for the industry? Puneet Dua: India is catching up. Mature markets like the UK and Australia took time to implement sound regulations, and we're now seeing similar efforts here. Government involvement and policy discussions are encouraging signs. Clear regulation will ultimately protect users and grow trust in the ecosystem. (Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.) (ANI)
