Marketing Is A Perfect Blend Of Logic & Creativity: Varun Kandhari
Varun Kandhari, Director of Marketing and Customer Marketing at Mars Wrigley India comes with extensive experience in managing renowned brands across diverse categories, including home care, personal care, and confectionery.
In an engaging conversation as part of the 'Marketing Maestros' series, a flagship initiative by BW Marketing World, Kandhari shared his insights on the ever-evolving world of marketing, sustainability, and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
Excerpts:
What attracted you to the marketing landscape?
Intrigued by the brands on shelves and in advertisements, the process of connecting, influencing, and convincing a wide range of consumers always fascinated me. The world of marketing is not binary. It is art and science and a perfect blend of logic and creativity. With multiple stakeholders involved, there is never a dull day. Whether I'm discussing business metrics in meetings, brainstorming with agencies, discussing production, or exploring innovations with the R&D team, the dynamic nature and ever-changing environment truly keep me excited about the marketing landscape.
What has been the turning point of your life in the marketing industry?
During my tenure at Unilever, I was managing a mass-market detergent brand which provided me with an opportunity to connect with lots of consumers in rural towns and villages. Witnessing firsthand how the products and services I worked on transformed the lives of consumers made me realise that we are not just selling a product but providing a solution that matters in the day-to-day lives of people. They are not just consumers but humans first. Beyond being a mere turning point, this was a memorable moment that reshaped my perspective on the marketing industry.
Sustainability is the new word in marketing. What is your take on brands for green messaging as well as attempting greenwashing to stay competent in the market?
Sustainability should no longer be treated as a separate vertical. It should be deeply integrated into our business strategy to drive actions. Even at Mars, it is at the heart of our Sustainable in a Generation Plan and guides us to work towards building a better tomorrow. It is key for our consumers, customers, partners, community, teams, and families, and even resonates with us on a personal level. Brands need to be authentic and embed it in their value chain. They should be vulnerable when they don’t have all the answers.
How do you balance creative freedom for influencers and maintaining brand guidelines to maintain brand consistency and messaging alignment?
Balancing creative freedom for influencers and maintaining brand guidelines involves providing freedom within a structured framework. While influencers bring their unique touch, the basic fundamentals of what makes a great brand do not change. It is pivotal to find the right balance to ensure consistency, brand proposition, and purpose and maintain relevance among consumers.
What opportunities and challenges do you anticipate in the future of social media marketing and how do you plan to navigate them to stay ahead in the ever-changing landscape?
The emergence of new social media platforms presents the opportunity to tap into fresh avenues yet comes with the challenge of navigating the ever-changing landscape. While it gives us new fronts to connect with our target audience, the reach gets fragmented. Similarly, there is no way to avoid duplication yet. To stay ahead of the curve, we're constantly focusing on finding the right mix of these platforms and creating a strategy that aligns with our commitment to creating an elevated customer experience.
How do you envision generative AI's potential to enhance content creation and storytelling strategies?
Emerging technologies like generative AI can empower brands to build deeper connections with their consumers and audiences by increasing personalisation and delivery of relevant content to the brand's audience. However, as we delve into this new realm, we need to strike a balance to remain meaningful. In addition to this, we should also respect the intellectual property rights of content created through generative AI.
How do you ensure authenticity and transparency in purpose-driven marketing, particularly while addressing sensitive issues?
Authenticity and transparency should guide purpose-driven advertising or marketing. As a purpose-driven business guided by five principles of Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency, and Freedom, this is an underlying thread in Mars Wrigley’s history, and culture, and defines our approach to doing business that positively contributes to people across our value chain.
Which marketing veterans or leaders do you admire and find inspiration from in your professional journey?
Throughout my career at Unilever and Mars, I've been fortunate enough to work with great leaders. I will take the opportunity to thank all the leaders and peers with whom I have had the privilege of working alongside. They have all individually presented me with learning curves that have shaped my professional & personal journey into a fruitful one.
