Ad:tech 2013: “‘Smart’ will be the new normal”

Marketing Masters featured marketers presenting case studies on the best practices and optimum usage of the digital space that has been done for their brands.

The session featured Rajesh Chakrabarti, chief marketing officer and chief innovation officer, Reliance Commercial Finance and Reliance Home Finance, K Ramakrishnan, president - marketing, Cafe Coffee Day, Manisha Lath Gupta, chief marketing officer, Axis Bank, Sanjeev Kapur, chief marketing officer, Citi (India), Sandeep Amar, founder, Pikboo.com and Harneet Singh, vice president - marketing, Domino's Pizza India.

Chakrabarti shared, “Everybody talks about engagement, the first insight is that it’s very difficult to engage consumers online. At the end of the day we are all here to sell our products. In the internet space, the biggest breakthough has been Facebook. The opportunities are enough but we marketers are still not able to convince the consumer upto the optimum level.”

Ramakrishnan said, “Consumer trusts a person like himself. Our point is not just to communicate to the consumer but making the consumer communicate on your behalf.”
Manisha Lath Gupta mentioned, “We need to reach out to multiscreen consumers by following the rules of consumer insights, proposition and execution of idea. Connective branding starts with collective thinking.”

Amar said, “Brands must have brand strategy to influence purchasers on internet. The market is changing. There are more products which means higher competition. This is an era where the consumer is the opinion giver and seeker.”

Kapur said, “What works for a brand is delivering customised experiences to the consumer. By 2014, 30 countries will have 100 per cent internet connectivity. ‘Smart’ will be the new normal.”

Singh said, “We need to realise that we’ll be extinct if we do not run faster than our consumer. Future is not very distant and digital is growing at a significant pace in India.”