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In a world where attention is not linear and commercials are skipped like terrible Tinder dates, how do brands craft connections that last. At e4m TechManch 2025, Shuvadip Banerjee, Chief Digital Marketing Officer at ITC, stole the show with a compelling session that delved into brand building from the perspective of purposeful storytelling.
He began with a poetic allegory for the Honduran bridge that weathered the storm but lost its river. Banerjee cautioned marketers that even the best-engineered plans are obsolete if the environment changes.
"Regardless of all our upskilling AI, GenAI, and data science, we still flounder when the 'river moves'. The notion is not to fight change, but to read the new current," he told the audience, captivating them with his strong statement.
From Purposeful Packaging to Powerful Campaigns
Shuvadip highlighted Sunfeast Mom's Magic and how the biscuit brand went from being a plain product to a strong icon of mother power. ITC dropped the brand name from their packs during the pandemic, being replaced by a red caped mother and the line: "Stay Strong Moms."
"When COVID struck, homemakers were emotionally and physically overwhelmed. We understood our packaging had the potential to be more than just branding, it had the potential to be support," Banerjee said.
“The brand didn't rest there. From prompting individuals to end ignoring calls from mothers using Truecaller inspired ringtones to tear-jerking campaigns on daughters being forgotten in family wills, Mom's Magic took purposeful storytelling in incredibly human ways.”
"Boys, they begin to despise hugging their mom at some point after a certain age. So we are conducting a little study here." He mentioned this in relation so that it is clearer how strong research can assist in creating strong campaigns.
Breaking Taboos: From Wills to Adoption
In a world where a mere 7% of parents name daughters in wills, Banerjee highlighted the brand's #WillOfChange initiative, encouraging mothers to become the change-agents in securing gender equality in inheritance.
A powerfully emotive film and call-to-action through willofchange.com made waves both emotionally and socially.
He also mentioned adoption, a much-overlooked discussion in Indian society, mentioning future campaigns that would cover the stigma and intricacy of it with the sensitivity and candor that the brand is well-known for.
"So this is where we were talking about that it's not about changing the climate, but it was about purposeful storytelling that is more important," Banerjee quoted.
Is it truly organic? Ashirvaad Discovers the Evidence
The issue centers on Ashirvaad Organic, where the problem was not a shortage in supply but a shortage of trust from consumers.
"Everyone's claiming their food is organic. But consumers demand evidence," he explained.
Thus, ITC took 50+ homemaker bloggers to the company's organic farms, demonstrated processes, and made QR codes that enabled consumers to trace the product to the field it was harvested from.
"Trust can't be told, it has to be shown," said Banerjee, pointing to a campaign that reached more than 21.5 million people and benefited more than 6,000 farmers.
When Ads Don't Work, Platforms Do
Shouting down ad recall decay and ad blockers, Banerjee acknowledged the industry at a turning point.
"Gen Z is avoiding ads, flipping privacy switches, walking behind paywalls. We can't continue to build brands with ads alone," he cautioned.
He unveiled Let's Boing, a Gen Z-centric content destination under the Bingo! umbrella centered around comedy, music, and sports—the brand's core cultural muscles.
With offbeat daily horoscopes, meme creators, and AI-fueled chatbots like Vibeline that assist consumers in honing their 'funny bone,' ITC is developing content that doesn't intrude—it invites.
Redesigning Family Time with Sunfeast
Last but not least, he spoke of the necessity for experience-driven platforms, launching Sunfeast's new campaign to bring back the concept of family time as friendship.
Through personalized posters, family group features, and interactive templates, the campaign aims to make digital a place for connection rather than distraction.
The Takeaway? Purpose Is Not a Phase, It's a Foundation
Banerjee concluded his session by encouraging marketers to break the myth that mature brands are the only ones who can stand for purpose.
"You don't need to be a market leader to start purposeful storytelling. You just need to be human."
With a combination of data, emotion, and subtle disruption, Shuvadip Banerjee's session was an eye-opener that proved that in the current world, it's not only what a brand sells. It's what it stands for that really makes it indelible.
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