YouTube mounts its fiercest attack on TV

WITH SEPARATE URBAN-RURAL TARGETING, ADVERTISERS NOW HAVE BETTER CONTROL OVER BUDGET, BIDDING AND DEPLOYMENT

- GEETIKA SRIVASTAVA

AT ITS ANNUAL Brandcast event in Mumbai on Thursday, YouTube unveiled a slew of new features that signal how the platform wants to be seen — not merely as another digital video destination but as India's "new TV." Among the rollouts are AI-led tools such as Veo 3 and Peak Points, innovations for connected TV like the Immersive Masthead, and the launch of a Creator Partnerships Hub to connect brands with creators. Most strikingly, the company announced an India-first capability that will allow advertisers to target urban and rural audiences separately, addressing the country's fragmented demand landscape with precision.

Taken together, these moves underline YouTube's ambition to be the epicentre of content and commerce, and therefore the platform of choice for advertisers. "This capability does not exist on TV or any other OTT platform in India," says Shubha Pai, head of brand solutions, Google India, referring to urban-rural targeting. "With rural internet penetration growing faster than urban, brands now have a deliberate way to reach these consumers rather than hoping TV spots land. It's a made-for-India solution."