'It's ignorance to dismiss AI as a fad'

At the Pitch CMO Summit 2025 in Mumbai, a panel, chaired by Nikhil Kumar, Chief Growth Officer at mediasmart, explored the evolving role of technology in marketing, discussing how AI, automation, and emerging tools are shaping consumer engagement.

The panel featured Kedar Swamy Ravangave, EVP - Marketing, Kotak Mahindra Bank; Mandar Natekar, CoFounder & CEO, NeuralGarage; Satish Kadu, Founder & CEO, YOptima; Shwetal Basu, SVP, Head - Brand & Marketing, Polycab; Sujala Martis, Director - Consumer Marketing, India, Platinum Guild International; and V.G. Senthilkumar, Head - Marketing & Branding, Bank of Baroda.

Kumar set the stage by highlighting the rapid advancements in marketing technology. Advanced tools like conversational AI, emotional analytics, multi-screen journeys, and real-time adaptive content are reshaping how brands interact with audiences. Citing statistics, he noted, “Globally, AI is projected to contribute $15.7 trillion to the world economy by 2030. In India, 58% of marketers have adopted AI and machine learning, with 72% reporting improved ROI through digital marketing technologies.”

He then opened the discussion by asking the panellists about their opinions on the longevity of the emerging technologies.

Ravangave responded by underscoring the permanence of technological change. “We would be in ignorance if we dismissed it as a fad," he said. Reflecting on his industry's evolution, he observed, "Whether in e-commerce or banking, technology has fundamentally altered the landscape."

He pointed out the dual impact of AI: “On one hand, it democratizes talent by simplifying content creation. On the other, it also exposes talent gaps. If you lack functional expertise, tools alone won’t help you.” Noting a shift in marketing focus, he stated that the marketeers have moved from top-funnel and bottom-funnel marketing to 'through-the-funnel' marketing, heavily backed by AI and those who don’t embrace it will find the years ahead tough.

Natekar emphasized the significance of cultural relevance in marketing. “For any marketer worth their salt, the ability to plug into culture is crucial,” he said. “The biggest anchor to culture is language, and today, there is a massive trend of language pride.”

He discussed that before AI, marketers relied on creating content in one dominant language and repurposing it through dubbing, which often diluted the message. “With AI, that problem is solved. It allows marketers to create content in multiple languages at a fraction of the cost, ensuring personalization at scale,” he explained. “Right now, 20 marketers understand this well, giving them a head start over others. It’s time for everyone to catch up.”

Kumar then directed the discussion toward AI adoption in media and optimization. Kadu highlighted how marketing, particularly ad tech, has been at the forefront of AI adoption for nearly two decades. “Predictive AI was already in play 20 years ago, and now, generative AI is becoming the new standard,” he stated.

Sharing a case study, he explained how a regional political party in India leveraged AI for campaign optimization. “Leading up to the 2024 central elections, they tuned their messaging weekly based on real-time data from Google search trends and parliamentary constituency discussions. The result? A landslide victory,” he revealed. He further noted, “When we analyzed the correlation between tuned messaging and higher GRPs (Gross Rating Points), we saw a strong link to the party’s success. The future isn’t coming—it’s already here.”

Basu shared her opinion that Gen AI and AI are buzzwords, but brands must be clear on why they are adopting them. The challenge, she noted, is that when a trend emerges, every marketer rushes to adopt it just to stay relevant. “But the key question should be: What do you want to achieve with AI?” “AI is just an enabler. If used correctly, it helps brands connect with consumers faster, more effectively, and in a structured manner. Without clear objectives, brands risk being overwhelmed by data without knowing how to use it.”

She continued the conversation by saying that her industry works with a wide range of stakeholders, from electricians and interior decorators to end consumers, each with their own ways of communicating. “AI helps bridge these differences, ensuring clear and consistent messaging.” However, she pointed out: “marketers need to set their own objectives first—AI won’t take care of that for them”.

Next Martis took over the discussion, explaining that the impact of AI-driven technologies differs based on the category and audience. At Platinum Guild International, she said, the company caters to a younger generation already experiencing a shift in consumer behavior. “Traditional marketing models, such as the linear purchase funnel, no longer apply. Instead, consumer journeys resemble neural networks, with multiple interconnected touchpoints,” she noted.

“Segmentation is no longer just geographic—it now factors in behavior, emotions, and mindset. AI plays a crucial role in refining targeting and optimizing engagement.” She also pointed to the growing influence of conversational bots, which are evolving beyond simple chat tools. “These are becoming a combination of search engines, storefronts, and content dissemination tools,” she said. Personalization, she added, is shifting towards mass individualization at scale, helping brands navigate media fragmentation and consumer overload more effectively.

Senthilkumar spoke about how technology adoption has significantly reshaped customer engagement in banking. “Previously, branches were the center of consumer interactions. Today, digital banking and UPI adoption have generated vast amounts of data, shifting engagement from branch-level personalization to AI-driven, centralized insights,” he said. AI, he noted, is enabling hyper-personalized customer engagement while also optimizing operations for greater efficiency. “The ROI potential is immense. Even in recruitment, the impact of technology is visible—roles that didn't exist a decade ago are now crucial to banking operations.” He emphasized that AI is not a passing trend but a fundamental transformation that is here to stay.

On the marketing front, Martis shared insights into a unique AI-powered experience introduced with Platinum Love Bands. “Our audiences are the younger generation, and that’s where our affinity lies. Platinum Love Bands are designed for couples, focusing on modern relationships. Today’s young women aren’t just asking, ‘Will you marry me?’—they’re asking, ‘What does our future look like?’” she said.

The AI-driven experience was designed to answer that question by generating personalized projections of a couple’s future together. “The idea was simple: we used key variables to create insights, offering couples a unique glimpse into their journey ahead.” She explained that beyond being a marketing tool, the experience was meant to be memorable and shareable, increasing brand reach and engagement. “It all tied back to the product—the future scenarios led to personalized product recommendations powered by Gen AI and predictive analytics,” she added.

The session moved forward with Senthilkumar speaking about the launch of Aditi, BOB’s AI-powered virtual relationship manager, calling it “the first of its kind in banking.” He explained that Aditi goes beyond handling customer queries on banking products—it makes complex financial information more accessible through a humanized interaction. “Rather than feeling like a chatbot, it provides a more intuitive experience,” he said.

Beyond customer service, Aditi also plays a key role in gathering insights into customer behavior. “AI thrives on continuous learning, and as more customers interact with Aditi, we gain valuable data to refine our offerings,”

Senthilkumar noted. With a vast customer base, he highlighted the potential for personalized banking at scale. To stay relevant, brands need to be present in consumers’ daily digital experiences. Sharing his experiences with AI-generated ad films, Ravangave talked about how AI is transforming content creation. “Creating daily content at scale was once costly and time-consuming, but AI has changed that. With AI-generated content, we can produce ad films in hours instead of months, without production or music costs,” he said.

Their first AI-generated Holi film, despite its imperfections, was well received, paving the way for more AI-driven content—such as the Sunita Williams welcome video. “AI is making content creation more efficient, though measurement remains a key area for growth in AI marketing,” Ravangave noted.

On being asked about the importance of a strong brand and a clear marketing strategy, Basu cautioned against the temptation of chasing every new deal. “It’s easy to get tempted by great deals popping up every day, and under pressure, many marketers fall into that trap. But we must stay focused—know your consumer, know where your money is best spent,” she said. Given that no marketer ever feels they have enough budget, she emphasized the need to allocate resources wisely. She highlighted the importance of platform-specific content strategies. “Once you have a strategy in place, content is king. Consumers absorb content differently on each platform. A beautiful ad might not work on Twitter but could be highly effective on Instagram or YouTube when presented in an engaging way,” she noted. Understanding customer behavior, their influencers, and preferred platforms is key to creating relevant content that drives demand.

Beyond consumers, she stressed the need for strong relationships with dealer, distributor, and retailer networks. “They must also believe in the brand. Identifying their interests and communicating effectively with them is as crucial as consumer engagement.” She also pointed to the power of influencer networks. The goal, she said, is to reach the right audience at every level with the right content through the right medium.

On the role of technology in marketing execution, Natekar described himself as an enabler rather than a marketer. “My role is to put technology in the hands of marketers and let them figure out the use cases,” he said. He shared an example from a major gaming brand that had created an ad featuring a top cricket star promoting a major event. When the cricketer left for a tournament in Dubai and the event details changed, reshooting wasn’t an option. “Using voice cloning and lip-sync AI, we repurposed the original creative at a fraction of the cost. That campaign is currently live,” he said.

Kadu spoke about how AI is transforming brand marketing by making it more data-driven. “A few years ago, the idea of optimization was mainly associated with performance marketing. Brand marketing, on the other hand, focused heavily on content, positioning, and media planning,” he said. He outlined how first-party data is leveraged to predict future customer segments, pre-discovering the audiences most likely to engage. “We optimize ad frequency and creative variations based on where consumers are in the funnel. AI helps us determine whether a user needs more exposure or if they are already saturated with a message.”

Most importantly, he emphasized the shift toward real-time campaign optimization. “Post-campaign evaluation should not be an afterthought—it should happen dynamically, in real-time, across all media platforms,” he said. By applying AI-driven optimization to brand spends brands have seen accelerated and measurable results.