In conversation with Sona Mazumdar, GM Marketing Solutions at Ampverse DMI

In a rapidly growing gaming landscape, Sona Mazumdar, GM Marketing Solutions at Ampverse DMI, offers key insights into how Ampverse is navigating the Indian market. With nearly 500 million gamers in India, Ampverse DMI is capitalizing on the youth demographic, aligning its strategies with emerging trends and positioning itself as a leader in the gaming ecosystem.

Agency Reporter – What consumer trends or insights have you identified in the Indian gaming market that are influencing Ampverse’s approach?

Sona Mazumdar – India is home to nearly 500 Mn gamers spanning from casual gaming to competitive esports. Of this gaming population nearly 50% are 34 years and under which is the biggest consuming class. Both consumers and brands want to be a part of this ecosystem and that’s where Ampverse DMI found an opportunity.

Agency Reporter – How does Ampverse’s joint venture with DMI Finance align with your overall strategic vision for the gaming ecosystem in Asia and, specifically, in India?

Sona Mazumdar – DMI is one of the fastest growing fintech (digital lending) companies in India. Their core TG comprises digitally savvy Millennials and Gen Z whom they want to reach out through gaming. They see this platform as a long term and impactful medium to deeply engage with their TG and believe in investing early on with a partner who brings in complementary value into the ecosystem.

Agency Reporter – What are the key differentiators of Ampverse DMI’s ’s approach to marketing within the gaming industry, especially in the Indian market?

Sona Mazumdar – Ampverse business is built on 3 strong pillars of building gaming & entertainment assets, Marketing solutions and commerce products. There is a market for all these 3 businesses in India. However, at Ampverse DMI we took a strategic call to enter the market with a ‘made in and for India’ IP called College Rivals to introduce the company and some of its capabilities

Agency Reporter – How are you leveraging data to shape your strategies and ensure they resonate with the evolving preferences of your target audience?

Sona Mazumdar – The uniqueness about youth is that while they might have similar demographics but the psychographics, behavior pattern, likes/ dislikes are very different while overall appeal might be the same. With access to the large pool that we have because of College Rivals; we are able to generalize as well as customize communication, media vehicles as we move along.

Agency Reporter – How do you plan to position the College Rivals – Esports Series within the broader Indian gaming market? What are your primary goals in terms of brand awareness and perception?

Sona Mazumdar – College Rivals is the bridge between a College Student’s passion for Gaming and their aspiration to be a pro player. Positioned as India’s Largest Gaming Talent Hunt, it combines music, pop culture, comedy putting together a unique cross between gaming and Entertainment, in an unprecedented format.

It is a sustainable grassroot platform for collegiate esports. It provides a space for college students to compete, improve their skills, and gain recognition within the community. The idea is to help grow collegiate esports by offering opportunities for players to showcase their abilities and connect them to the tier 1 Esports ecosystem creating a ladder from grassroot to professional esports circuit.

Agency Reporter – What strategies are you employing to engage and retain audiences, ensuring long-term brand loyalty and advocacy within the gaming community?

Sona Mazumdar – This season we have amped up the college activation to 20+ cities and 58+ colleges, which means that students across all these colleges can enjoy our gaming truck along with the plethora of activations. To accommodate and engage students we have both – offline and online mode of participation this season.

One of the standout features this season is the release of exclusive, limited-range merchandise, giving fans the chance to own unique collectibles and apparel that let them proudly show their support. We also have limited edition drops planned in the coming months.

Participants can also apply to become student ambassadors, with an added incentive of potential internship based on their contributions and performance. This season promises even more exciting on-ground activations and interactive games, all aimed at enriching the overall experience for everyone involved. Throughout the season, fans can engage

in social media contests, offering fun ways to win rewards and recognition. On top of all this, we also have co-sponsored giveaways with our partners and many more surprises and initiatives will be revealed as the season progresses, ensuring a dynamic and thrilling experience for everyone joining Season 2 of College Rivals.

Agency Reporter – What metrics do you consider when evaluating the success of your marketing campaigns? How do you tie these metrics back to business objectives?

Sona Mazumdar – We consider a combination of key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with both the campaign goals and broader business objectives. These include but are not limited to Reach and Views, to ensure that we’re extending our visibility to the relevant target audience, and particularly in increasing visibility and recognition among potential customers.

While these metrics help us build brand awareness, they also showcase to sponsors the breadth of exposure their brand is getting through our campaign. The more engaged and visible their content is, the more value they derive from the partnership.

We also look at CAC, to ensure that our campaigns are not only bringing in new users but doing so efficiently within our budget. Lowering CAC while maintaining or increasing registration volume indicates a successful campaign.

We also look at how our reach (and views) is converted into actual registrations. This metric directly links the success of our content (and views) to a tangible outcome. Beyond this, we deep dive into specific success metrics defined for every campaign.

Agency Reporter – What emerging trends within the Gaming and Esports industry are you most excited about? How is Ampverse preparing to leverage these trends?

Sona Mazumdar – One of the key emerging trends is the increasing percentage of female gamers, and at Ampverse DMI, we are committed to enhancing participation by design, not default. Additionally, the rise of the creator economy has positioned influencers—whether in gaming or lifestyle—as the new superstars, offering brands a level of authenticity and engagement that traditional mass media campaigns often lack.

Industry reports highlight a growing audience base: on average, an esports viewer in India spends over 22 hours per week watching streams on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. Beyond engagement, brands are unlocking significant revenue through these associations. Esports audiences are avid spenders on streaming services, merchandise, tickets, virtual currency, and in-game purchases. Moreover, sponsorships—such as partnerships with major tournaments, teams, and top players—are proving to be a valuable avenue for brands to explore.

Agency Reporter – How do you foresee the role of advertising evolving in the gaming ecosystem over the next few years, and what part will Ampverse play in shaping this future?

Sona Mazumdar – In 2023, brands in India have significantly increased their investment in gaming and advertising, spending over $450 million compared to $300 million in 2022. This surge reflects the growing importance of gaming as a marketing channel, which now represents 9% of India’s total digital advertising expenditure. Over 500 global and local brands, including major multinational corporations such as PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Amazon, and Samsung, have contributed to this trend by investing in gaming advertising.

Ampverse is on the verge of launching a groundbreaking new entity set to become one of India’s premier providers of comprehensive marketing solutions. Our offerings will encompass end-to-end services, including custom events and tournaments, as well as innovative strategies and deep insights. With our College Rivals initiative, we will also create opportunities for aspiring esports enthusiasts to join competitive teams and thrive in the esports arena. Keep an eye out for our forthcoming global brand identity launch, where we will unveil exciting details about our future offerings.

Disclaimer: Information mentioned here has not been verified or endorsed by Agency Reporter and is in accordance with the press release shared by the company or their appointed representatives