Amazon MX Player bets on shoppable videos and AI to disrupt India’s streaming market

In October 2024, Amazon consolidated its ad-supported streaming services—Amazon miniTV and MX Player—into a single entity, Amazon MX Player, as part of its broader strategy to strengthen its foothold in India's rapidly evolving video streaming industry. This move followed Amazon’s acquisition of select MX Player assets, including its apps and content library, in June 2024. The combined service now boasts over 250 million unique users in India, making it a dominant player in the market.

With a packed content pipeline for 2025 and a strong focus on innovation, Amazon MX Player is positioning itself as a formidable competitor in India’s competitive streaming landscape. From launching MX Fatafat—two-minute mini-series catering to short-form content consumption—to rolling out a diverse slate of new shows and films, the platform is aiming to attract and retain audiences across metro and non-metro markets.

However, its most ambitious bet lies in the integration of shoppable videos and AI-driven advertising solutions to redefine brand engagement and monetisation in the digital ecosystem.

Bridging content and commerce

Amazon MX Player is leveraging Amazon’s ad stack to create highly relevant brand outcomes by tapping into trillions of shopping signals. This integration allows the platform to seamlessly blend content and commerce through shoppable videos—where viewers can shop or add products to their carts while watching content.

Karan Bedi, head of Amazon MX Player, underscores the significance of this approach. “We are able to personalise the diversity and variety of content using recommendation technology that considers who the viewer is and orchestrates accordingly,” he tells Campaign. This fusion of entertainment and e-commerce not only enhances the viewer experience but also optimises sales conversion rates for brands.

Karan Bedi, head of Amazon MX Player

For advertisers, the ability to place an ad where the product’s landing page opens below the video is a game-changer. Unlike traditional video ads that rely solely on brand recall, this integration provides immediate purchase intent signals, allowing brands to drive measurable conversions.

Generative AI: Transforming advertising for brands

Alongside shoppable videos, Amazon MX Player is betting big on generative AI to revolutionise the way brands create advertising content. The platform plans to utilise AI-driven tools to help advertisers quickly generate high-quality images and videos, reducing the time and cost associated with traditional ad production.

Girish Prabhu, head of Amazon Ads India, explained to Campaign, “Technology gives us the ability to drive reality into the advertising process. We help brands see whether a campaign is working, and if not, how they should refine it. We provide brands with the necessary tools to extend their reach and refine their strategies.” By harnessing AI-powered solutions, Amazon MX Player aims to offer brands a more efficient way to test, tweak, and optimise campaigns based on real-time insights.

India’s video streaming market is undergoing a rapid transformation, with nearly 450 million video watchers today—a figure expected to rise to 600 million in the near future. Amazon MX Player, with its current base of 250 million MAUs, sees a significant growth opportunity ahead.

Girish Prabhu, head of Amazon Ads India

Bedi highlights that digital consumption patterns have changed dramatically over the past few years. “Unlike before, we do not have cricket or football seasons anymore—sports content is always on. Viewers are consuming a mix of long-form, short-form, and interactive content at different times,” he noted.

With its diverse content portfolio spanning action, drama, romance, reality shows, and international localised content from Turkey, Korea, and China, Amazon MX Player aims to cater to this evolving audience landscape. Moreover, its ability to personalise content recommendations ensures that users remain engaged across multiple formats.

Advertising shift: From traditional media to digital

While traditional media such as television and print continue to play a role in advertising, digital now commands an estimated 55% to 60% of the overall ad market in India. The shift from traditional to digital advertising is no longer a matter of debate but a question of how fast brands can pivot.

Bedi stated, “Advertisers are no longer questioning whether they should invest in digital; instead, they are figuring out how quickly they should move their budgets there.” The Amazon-MX Player integration provides a compelling reason for brands to make this shift, with AI-powered ad targeting and direct commerce enablement through shoppable videos.

Prabhu added, “With MX Player’s wide distribution and Amazon’s deep insights into shopper behaviour, we can create highly effective audience cohorts that help brands move beyond proxy metrics and drive real business outcomes.” By analysing shopping behaviours, MX Player can help brands create more relevant and impactful campaigns that guide consumers from discovery to purchase.

Navigating brand and consumer expectations

One of the concerns for media companies operating both subscription-based and ad-supported models is potential consumer confusion. However, Amazon MX Player operates with a clear distinction from Amazon Prime Video.

Prabhu elaborated. “Amazon MX Player is free, always-on, and available across devices. Prime Video, on the other hand, offers premium subscription-based content. Consumers watch MX Player on mobile and Prime Video on connected devices, making the choice seamless.” The presence of both platforms allows Amazon to cater to different audience segments without cannibalisation.

From a brand perspective, Amazon MX Player enables advertisers to access a wider audience without the constraints of a paywall. By offering a high-quality, ad-supported viewing experience, brands can reach consumers at scale while leveraging Amazon’s advanced targeting capabilities.

With a packed content slate featuring over 100 shows for 2025, Amazon MX Player is doubling down on its commitment to delivering diverse and engaging entertainment. The platform’s focus on innovation—whether through interactive content, AI-driven advertising solutions, or seamless shopping integrations—positions it as a serious contender in India’s crowded OTT space.

By merging content with commerce, Amazon MX Player is not just adapting to changing consumer behaviour but actively shaping the future of digital entertainment and brand engagement in India. As the battle for streaming supremacy intensifies, its ability to combine ad-supported premium content with cutting-edge advertising solutions could well be its winning formula.