At the e4m Pitch CMO Summit 2025, marketing leaders from top consumer technology brands discussed the growing complexity of engaging today’s evolved, impatient consumer across a fractured media landscape. From the shrinking shelf life of campaigns to redefined roles of digital and traditional media, the session offered practical reflections on how brands are adapting to stay relevant.
Featuring Kanika Anand, GM - Media at Airtel; Mayank Prabhakar, Head of Digital Marketing at vivo India; Rachit Mehra, General Manager, Brand and Marketing at Qubo; Sumit Sonal, Head of Marketing at Qualcomm India; and Tathagat Jena, Head of Online Sales & CMO - India & APAC at HMD, the panel was moderated by Deepak Dhingra, Senior Director - Brand & Content Strategy at 91mobiles.
Opening the discussion, Dhingra set the stage by acknowledging the complexity of the topic. “Short attention spans, AI, so many platforms, and so many things happening. And how do these companies, from a marketing standpoint, stay ahead in the game? That’s the discussion today,” he said.
Reflecting on how marketing has evolved, Anand noted, “There used to be a time when linear was the only focus. But now, post-COVID, things have really changed.” She explained how Airtel transitioned from long-form ads to shorter formats. “We used to create 60-seconders, 90-seconders. But now, as audiences moved to digital, we started curating content under 30 seconds. We even got OTT platforms to run non-skip ads of 45 seconds because storytelling is critical for us,” she said.
Prabhakar echoed this shift but with a touch of humour. “We started from a 60-seconder, went to a 30, then 15, now some platforms say 3 seconds. So now I'm confused, should I even do a video or just a GIF and say, thank you?” he said. He pointed out that while digital has gained prominence, linear media still resurfaces during key events. “TV comes back during IPL, and Diwali sees eight-page print jackets. So it's not a complete shift. Digital is being accepted a lot, but linear still has its place.”
Adding a creative lens to the conversation, Mehra observed how campaign planning has transformed. “Back in the day, we spent the entire year planning for that one big campaign. Now that campaign is happening every month, practically every week,” he said. He added, “The shelf life of these campaigns is much shorter than before. You’ll see something in the morning, and by evening, you’ve forgotten about it.”
Sonal focused on the evolving role of each medium in the consumer journey. “TV or print is used for awareness. But the final purchase intent or consideration is happening across YouTube, user reviews, even Reddit marketing,” he said. He highlighted how platforms like Reddit are being used by brands such as Apple in India. “Every medium, different roles, same customer, you have to map the entire journey to finally make a purchase.”
Jena concluded the first leg of the discussion by reflecting on the new reality for brand campaigns. “From a briefing standpoint, it’s now standard to have multiple formats right from the beginning,” he said. He explained how the idea of big-bang launches across media is fading. “That whole campaign approach of having an eight-week rollout has gone out of the window. Earlier, the search had to be on. Today, marketing has to be always on, and with multiple copies,” he said.
Dhingra next asked the panellists how they are dealing with misinformation and ensuring consistent communication.
Anand answered by saying that in her industry, they often rely on influencers. “There are some things you can’t convey through brand storytelling, but creators can. People believe them, and they're seen as truth-tellers.”
According to her, if there's any misinformation, Airtel uses more creators to put the right message out. She also mentioned that PR plays an important role, both paid and organic. “There can be outages on the network, and if that’s not communicated in time, the consumer can feel left out. Showing care is very important for us. We want the consumer to feel that the brand is looking out for them.”
On the matter of consistency, she said, “We follow broad guardrails as a brand. Since we’re spread out nationally, our circle teams also receive dos and don’ts, and value systems to follow. We’ve created a brand vocabulary that helps us maintain the right tone across all consumer communication.”
Prabhakar agreed with Anand and said that staying consistent starts with following the brand guide, not just setting it up, but implementing it. “That’s the way forward. Every piece of communication, be it from employees, influencers, or partners, should reflect the same practice.” He explained that at Vivo, with a network of nearly 35,000 people, including employees and last-mile partners, consistency is achieved through advocacy. “If 35,000 people are speaking the same language, with the same tonality, it starts setting a controlled narrative.”
Mehra shared that what matters is ensuring the core message remains the same across platforms. “We ensure that the story hits the same way, whether it’s through the offline team, connected TV campaigns, or social media.” He emphasised that clarity on the brand’s purpose is what drives consistent messaging everywhere.
Sonal offered a different perspective on the topic. He said misinformation is a part of the industry and acknowledged that smear campaigns by brands against other brands are not uncommon.
He said his approach is to tackle misinformation head-on. “At Qualcomm, we’ve got 20,000–22,000 people in India, and everyone needs to be aware of what’s happening.” He explained that misinformation also has intensity levels, and brands must assess that before responding.
“As a brand, we lead the narrative. We’re the first to issue a statement, whether via a press release, social media, or influencer content. I don’t believe in letting influencers lead it. That could create more confusion. Everyone must speak the same language. Let the brand set the narrative and use all available mediums to kill misinformation quickly.”
Jena added that misinformation can target different areas, products, services, or channels, and with the level of trolling and information overload, it’s hard for a brand to respond to every piece of fake news. He suggested that having a strong PR engine is crucial. “Every time you communicate, run it past legal and cascade it down the company.”
He also stressed the importance of being prepared. “Have FAQs ready before launching anything new, and make sure those are embedded into your search, blog, and website. If a consumer with good intent wants to verify something, the official information should already be accessible.”
Next, Dhingra switched the gears of the discussion by turning it towards what recent shift in consumer behaviour has surprised the panellists the most and how their organisations are responding to it.
Anand said the most significant recent shift has been the transition from long-form to short-form content. “That was a big change. Earlier, we curated long-format content pieces, but now the attention span has shrunk to three to five seconds.”
She added that this raises a challenge: “If you have brand stories to tell, how do you do that? Do you create multiple narratives?”
“One-size-fits-all advertising doesn’t work anymore. We’re focusing on creating content formats that match each platform and surface. That’s been a big shift.”
Prabhakar agreed with Anand. “One major change I’ve seen is community-driven buying. People make choices based on their social groups, their validation, and their identity within a community.” He explained that to adapt, Vivo has developed a hyperlocal approach. “We call it ‘going into the consumer’ understanding how they live, how they talk. Communication has to reflect that.”
Another trend he observed is a shift toward utility or value-driven mindsets. “Consumers want to know, very specifically, how a product adds to their life,” he said.
Mehra shared that consumers are now seeking premium experiences, and the extent of this shift has been a pleasant surprise. “People don’t just want one smart device. They want to upgrade their entire home.”
He explained with an example: “We launched a Smart Door Lock, and once people tried it, they didn’t stop there. They added a Smart Video Doorbell. Then it became smart cameras, smart appliances, it was about creating a smart ecosystem.”
This change meant the brand was no longer just selling products. “Now I’m selling the full experience packages, consultations, and entire home solutions. That shift from individual product buying to holistic solutions is significant for us as a young brand.”
For Sonal, the biggest shift in consumer behaviour is the fact that people don’t buy from brands anymore. They buy from people. While marketers can increase awareness and frequency, conversion, he said, happens elsewhere. It happens through influencers, reviewers, and communities.
He also spoke about premiumisation. “70% of iPhones sold in India are on EMIs. In 2024, India sold 4 million passenger vehicles for the first time. People think India is a low-cost market. It’s not.” Consumers, he noted, are now willing to spend more because monthly costs, not just upfront prices, are shaping decisions. “You’ll walk into Chroma and see EMI values, not full price tags. Consumers now want to know exactly what they’re buying, right down to micro-components. That awareness didn’t exist before.”
Sonal said this shift has changed how brands must communicate. “Our job is to make people aware and get them to consider. The conversion? That happens through others.”
Jena touched on the influencer landscape. “In the last 7–8 years, we’ve seen influencers become prima donnas. Then came disenchantment. Brands turned to micro and nano-influencers. And now, I think that cycle is reaching maturity.”
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