By Akansha Srivastava

Peter Mears, Global CEO of Havas Media Network and Chairman of Havas North America Village, expressed high optimism about India's potential to rise from a top 10 to a top 5 market for the agency within the next 5 years during his recent visit to India.

Highlighting the agency's strategy to achieve this goal, Mears outlined key focus areas: optimising the core product of media planning and buying by leveraging AI to enhance and improve it; refining the acquisition strategy; developing Havas Play; and launching the CSA data practice in India.

In an exclusive interview with BestMediaInfo.com, he mentioned, "While digital advertising expenditures are surpassing TV globally, what distinguishes the Indian market is the resilience of linear TV.

"It's too easy to say that TV is dead. That's not the case in any market. However, the way Indian consumers engage with TV is evolving. We're witnessing the rise of connected TVs, blurring the lines between digital and traditional television. This trend will likely continue both globally and here in India," he said.