The CMO's MO: Avi Kumar bets on GenAI to power FNP's bespoke solutions

The CMO’s MO (modus operandi), spotlights some of India’s top CMOs as they share their marketing mantra, trends for the future, and what keeps them up at night. Here, we chat with the country’s leading marketers, keep the tone conversational and crisp, with questions that allow leaders to shine a light on their personalities, plans, and passions projects for the year ahead.

In this week's edition of CMO's MO, we catch up with Avi Kumar, chief marketing officer for Ferns N Petals (FNP), who has built his expertise in building and elevating large brands within the media and FMCG sectors. With over 18 years spent in the domain, he specialises in strategic marketing communication, partnerships, consumer insights, business development, content creation and has previously held leadership roles at companies like Coto, IGP, Zee5 and Big FM.

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What are the biggest marketing challenges for your brand right now?

As a leader in the celebration and gifting industry, FNP's biggest marketing challenges include balancing personalisation with privacy and navigating cultural differences in new markets. Additionally, we are focused on meeting the growing demand for bespoke solutions while maintaining high standards of quality and customer satisfaction.

What are the three biggest opportunities for FNP?

We are seeing an increasing base of consumers seeking bespoke solutions to make their celebrations special, which presents a significant opportunity for us. By leveraging advanced AI technologies, we are gaining deeper customer insights and providing highly personalised experiences.

We are continuously innovating our product offerings to create unique and memorable gifting solutions that resonate deeply with our audience. These strategies are driving our growth and enhancing our market presence.

Have you identified areas where you would like to invest your marketing budgets this year? 

This year, at FNP, we are increasing our marketing budgets for digital marketing, influencer collaborations, and AI-driven personalisation while optimising spend on traditional advertising. Additionally, we are focusing on continuously rewarding our large base of loyal customers to strengthen brand loyalty and engagement.

Spill the C-suite strategy around generative AI. How are you using it to democratise creativity?

We are integrating gen AI across functions to enhance creative processes, combining human insight with AI to make our go-to-market strategies faster. This approach allows us to deliver personalised product recommendations and automate content creation, ensuring a more dynamic and engaging customer experience.

Which industry topic doesn’t get talked about enough? More importantly, which topic should the industry stop talking about?

In the e-commerce and retail industry, customer loyalty programs and sustainability efforts in supply chains are like the unsung heroes—crucial but often overlooked. We need to give these green warriors and loyalty champions the spotlight they deserve.

On the flip side, can we please stop obsessing over vanity metrics like follower counts? Let’s shift the conversation to meaningful engagement and how we genuinely connect with our customers. It's time to get real and make a lasting impact!

What separates FNP's brand culture from others?

At FNP, we’re all about delivering emotions, and our culture thrives on fostering human connections. We aim to delight both the sender and the receiver with every gift, ensuring smiles all around.

In the world of gifting, it’s all about making moments special, and we excel at celebrating these moments both within our team and with our customers. It's about spreading joy and making every interaction memorable, from the inside out!

What was the best piece of professional advice that you received?

The best piece of professional advice I ever got was to embrace 'absolute personal responsibility' (APR). This mantra keeps me going and constantly reminds me to take full ownership of my actions and decisions. It is all about putting myself in the customer’s shoes and prioritising their experience in every aspect of our work.

Which brand do you admire for offering an amazing customer experience?

I admire American Express for its exceptional customer experience. They consistently go above and beyond to ensure their customers feel valued and supported, setting a high standard in the industry.

Which adjectives best describe the kind of CMO you are? 

Purpose-driven. Agile. Empathetic.

Tell us one personal thing about yourself that others might not know.

One thing people might not know about me is that I’m an avid meditator, practising Vipassana and Isha meditation to stay grounded and focused.

What keeps you up at night as a CMO?

Honestly, I sleep like a baby! With a fantastic team and a clear purpose, I enjoy my work and life, so I rest easy.