The CMO’s MO: Pawan Jagnik urges marketers to treat their CEOs as their CMOs

The CMO’s MO (modus operandi) shines the spotlight on some of India’s prominent chief marketing officers as they share their marketing mantra, trends for the future, and what keeps them up at night. In a free-wheeling chat, the who’s who of the country’s leading marketers give a sneak peek into their personalities, plans, and passion projects for the year ahead.

Pawan Jagnik, head of marketing—India at Pladis Global, has been leading efforts on brand visibility and growing market coverage of the company's brands, McVitie's and Godiva, since early this year. With over 10 years of experience in sales and marketing, which includes his stints at Cargill Foods and CavinKare, Jagnik is a brand management specialist with special focus on product development and trade marketing.

In this week's CMO's MO, we bring to you his perspectives and thoughts on marketing and branding, among other things. The hands-on, data-driven, and tech-savvy marketer also shares insights into how he employs his diverse experience across consumer goods segment for marketing the top brands of pladis in India.

Read on to find out more:

Engrossed in a friendly match of table tennis

Marketing in the snack foods and confectionary market has become very difficult because of changing customer expectations and growing competition. What are the top three marketing challenges for your brand right now?

We are beset with an extremely diverse consumer base in India, and hitting home with their wide array of preferences can be quite overwhelming. It is vital that brands navigate these consumer differences efficiently by tailoring messaging, products, and marketing strategies to regional preferences. However, it is often a costly and complex task.

Moreover, despite the rapid growth of Q-commerce in India, a substantial number of purchases continue to happen offline. This makes it essential for us to balance our digital presence with traditional retail strategies.

These strategies also need to factor in generational differences in digital behaviours and priorities. It can be a big ask to create campaigns that resonate with the unique preferences of both—the Gen Zs and the older generations.

In light of these challenges, what are some opportunities that pladis Global has identified?

While catering to the diverse consumer preferences in India can be challenging, it also offers a valuable opportunity to develop unique flavours tailored to regional tastes. We have capitalised on this opportunity to create products such as Butter Jeera (a crispy biscuit) and coconut cookies that are popular with our north Indian consumers.

Recognising the growing appetite for global cuisines in India, we have also crafted offerings like Thins, Nibbles, and Coated Digestives to bring international flavours to local markets. In addition, we have made indulgence more accessible and affordable with our stalwart products like Hobnobs and Millet Cashew Almond cookies, which are available to consumers at just INR 25 to INR 30.

Will your marketing budgets also see some shifts, as you reach out to a diverse consumer base?

With rising inflation, we do not expect any increase in consumer spends. We plan to dedicate a significant portion of our investments to offer relevant promotional deals to help ease the impact of inflation on consumers. Moreover, since social media is an important pillar of our marketing strategy, we are continually investing in optimising its potential across our portfolio.

There is a lot of buzz around gen-AI. Has your company leveraged it for its marketing initiatives?

Gen AI has incredible potential, as has already been shown by brands across industries through innovative marketing campaigns. At pladis, we are all about embracing this potential and leveraging the best of what AI can offer.

Gen AI capabilities are being incorporated in different ways to enhance both, our creative output and marketing strategy. In fact, our McVitie’s Premier League campaign used generative AI to reimagine our biscuits as sports commentators and give them innovative avatars. This fun and engaging approach amplified the excitement around the game and brought us greater brand visibility.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by McVitie’s India (@mcvities_india)

Is there any topic that the industry needs to deliberate about more?

I believe that it is time we considered digital marketing and performance marketing as core elements of our overall marketing strategy, rather than viewing them as separate entities. With the rise of AI and performance-driven approaches, it is important that we do not lose sight of the essence of what we do and why we do it.

The fundamentals, such as creating compelling concept cards and designing packaging that highlights desirable product shots, must remain a priority. Our focus should always be on the consumer, ensuring we meet their needs and address any market gaps.

How does your brand walk the talk on sustainability?

Our goal is not only to grow our business but also to do so sustainably. For example, packaging is one area where we are currently making impactful changes. We are working on removing plastic trays across a lot of our packs and using sustainable materials to reduce the overall plastic content.

How does the marketing and advertising industry need to rethink their working culture?

I think work-life balance is of utmost importance. Today’s hustle culture and its romanticisation are throwing a lot of people off balance. That needs to change.

Another aspect that, I believe, needs to change is our hesitation towards embracing new generations and the fresh perspectives they bring as they enter the workforce. We need to be curious and learn more about Gen Z, leveraging their unique strengths to foster a more forward-thinking environment.

What is the best piece of professional advice you ever received?

I recently got this advice that has resonated with me: ‘Treat your CEO as your CMO’. This simple statement highlights how we as marketers need to not only excel at promoting our brands but also at marketing ourselves.

Jagnik on a scuba diving expedition off the serene Andaman islands coasts

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

A lot of people may not know that I am an absolute Bollywood aficionado. In fact, one of my favourite things to do over the weekend is watching movies with my family.

Name a brand -with an amazing customer experience that you admire and why?

I am a huge fan of BluSmart and its thoughtful, inventive strategies. I admire how it has identified a clear pain point in the market and built a thriving business around solving it.

What keeps you up at night as a CMO?

I give my best at work and embrace the learning that comes from mistakes. I prefer not to dwell on negativity or have regrets. With that mindset, nothing keeps me up at night. I focus on growth and continuous improvement, which is why my mantra is to always trust the process.