# CTV ad planning must shift from platform to audience mindset: Mahindra CEO 2026-08-25T16:25:36+00:00 | Business & Economy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Nalinikanth Gollagunta, chief executive officer of Mahindra & Mahindra's automotive division, said advertisers investing in connected TV must move beyond platform-led decisions and focus on consumer mindset, context and receptivity. Speaking to ET BrandEquity, he said a viewer watching a live cricket match and one binge-watching a series both use CTV but represent very different engagement contexts. Gollagunta said Mahindra relies on a combination of platform-reported data, independent validation, brand lift studies and business outcomes to measure effectiveness. Until industry standards mature, he said a triangulated approach is the most reliable way to assess cross-screen impact. He added that each screen plays a distinct role in the consumer journey and that success metrics must reflect that rather than seeking a single KPI across all platforms. ## Indian Opinion Analysis India's CTV advertising market is still in its early stages, with no single industry-wide measurement standard. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has not yet mandated cross-platform audience measurement, leaving broadcasters and advertisers to rely on third-party panels and platform self-reporting. Gollagunta's call for a consumer-mindset approach signals that large advertisers are pushing for metrics that capture attention quality, not just reach. The key test will be whether platforms such as Amazon Fire TV, Google's Chromecast and smart TV makers share granular viewership data that advertisers can verify independently. The next major indicator to watch is the rollout of BARC India's planned CTV measurement service, expected to provide a common currency for the medium. ## Coverage - brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com Straight interview write-up with no editorial slant, leads with the executive's views and includes his full responses. This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Connected TV, CTV advertising, Mahindra & Mahindra, Nalinikanth Gollagunta Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/ctv-ad-planning-must-shift-from-platform-to-audience-mindset-mahindra-ceo/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/ctv-ad-planning-must-shift-from-platform-to-audience-mindset-mahindra-ceo/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/