E-commerce platform Myntra is ramping up its investment in celebrity-led video content as it looks to deepen user engagement and increase conversion rates, marking a strategic shift beyond conventional catalog-based and influencer-driven shopping models.
“We’re investing in over 500 hours of content,” said Sunder Balasubramanian, Chief Marketing Officer at Myntra. He noted that the company would continue to scale this investment as long as it supports what he described as the “inspiration to purchase” journey and delivers measurable returns.
Myntra’s advertising and promotional expenses totaled Rs 1,677.4 crore in FY24, reflecting its increasing focus on marketing-led growth initiatives.
According to Balasubramanian, user engagement tends to rise when shoppers interact with content on the app. He said the company is aiming to lift engagement by 15% through its new in-app feature, Glamstream, and has already recorded a conversion rate of over 20% among users who view such content. These figures are based on Myntra’s internal tracking, and comparable data from other parts of the platform were not disclosed.
The company said it does not view this content as standalone entertainment, but as a way to drive product discovery and facilitate purchases.
Glamstream, launched recently within the Myntra app, integrates video content with real-time shopping. The new feature combines curated and original programming, spanning more than 500 hours, with embedded shopping links, effectively aiming to convert viewership into transactions. It is part of Myntra’s broader effort to build what it calls a “content-to-commerce” ecosystem.
The content lineup features over 100 celebrities from Indian film and fashion circles, including Vijay Deverakonda, Rashmika Mandanna, Tabu, Raveena Tandon, Tamannaah Bhatia and Zeenat Aman.
The push aligns with changing shopping behaviour, especially among younger users, who increasingly rely on visual content for inspiration before making fashion and beauty purchases. “Shopping has moved away from catalogue-based experiences to content-based discovery,” Balasubramanian said. He added that Myntra observed many users discovering products on one platform and completing purchases on another, a gap the company is now trying to close.
Internal research cited by the company suggests that 70% of Indian shoppers rely on influencer-led content before making a purchase. Earlier initiatives such as its 150,000-strong library of influencer videos and the Ultimate Glam Client programme, which now includes over a million registered creators, helped lay the groundwork for Glamstream, according to the company.
In addition to celebrity appearances, the company is working with a wide network of influencers and content creators to expand production. Glamstream will host a variety of formats including shoppable music videos, travel and wedding blogs, styling tutorials, podcasts, and fictional series.
“We’re experimenting with multiple formats to see what resonates best with users,” Balasubramanian said, adding that all featured products are shoppable in real time.
While the content is currently curated by an editorial team in collaboration with around 50 media partners, the company said personalisation will increasingly be powered by algorithms. The platform aims to tailor content to user preferences based on their activity and interaction history.
On the backend, Myntra uses a mix of visual recognition tools and manual quality checks to match products with video content. Influencers and celebrities choose what to feature, and the system tags products accordingly, Balasubramanian explained.
While the immediate focus is on user adoption, the company indicated that future monetisation through brand integrations and advertising is under consideration. “Right now, we’re focused on driving this new behaviour,” he said.
Glamstream is aimed at Myntra’s 70 million monthly active users, which span a wide demographic across Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities, metro and non-metro regions, and both male and female shoppers across generations.
“We want to ensure that there’s relevant content for all segments, whether it’s Gen Z from a metro or a family shopper from a smaller town,” he said.
