Nestle India's Chandan Mukherji On Adaptability Being The Key To Growth

In the continually challenged media landscape, where mega-mergers and strategic alliances are reshaping the industry, Nestlé India’s Director and Executive Vice President of Strategy, Marketing and Communication, Chandan Mukherji, sees a future marked by adaptability, synergy and a consumer-centric approach.

The Uncertain Media Landscape

The media sector in India is undergoing changes that have sent shockwaves. Whether it was the Disney Star – Viacom 18 mega-merger, the failed discussions between Sony and Zee merger or even MX Player’s ‘distress sale’ to Amazon in the otherwise growing OTT space. Despite these, Mukherji remains optimistic, foreseeing a resilient industry that will bounce back driven by collaboration and innovation.

“Media is an ever-evolving field and with the fast-changing world we live in, there are going to be different players, different technologies, different mediums and different ways of connecting. I look forward to all players coming together to make every industry event a great success,” says Mukherji.

The New Marketing Mantras

For marketing strategies, Mukherji emphasised the importance of adaptability in an age where consumer behaviour, the surroundings and environment and the way content is produced and consumed are all in constant flux.

"What remains fundamental is always important and continues to be so. On top of that, there are many different changes – whether in consumer behaviour, the environment around us, media, the way content is produced or the way people engage with different content,” he asserted.

Striking a balance between traditional and digital media is another key priority for marketers today. While acknowledging the growth of digital platforms, Mukherji explained, “We need to understand what our objectives are, how many people we want to reach and what’s the goal of a particular campaign or piece of work and then use the right mix of media, whether it be traditional, digital, or a combination of the two.”

The marketing veteran stressed the synergistic power of integrating traditional and digital media, stating, “A good synergy between the two works much better."

Audience-first Approach

Rather than adopting a ‘digital-first’ approach, Mukherji advises to look for the ‘audience-first’ mindset. He notes, “We would like to first look at our consumers, understand where they are and then plan and invest accordingly.” This approach entails understanding what media their audiences consume and what content resonates with them, enabling the company to plan cross-screen campaigns that effectively reach consumers.

Mukherji’s enthusiasm for the future of marketing was palpable. “We take into account every media, whether traditional television or digital, in a fairly open way of planning to reach consumers most effectively in the future,” he concludes.

Reema Bhaduri

BW Reporters The author is the Editorial Lead at BW Businessworld. Majorly writes on marketing, advertising, experiential marketing and retail. She closely looks upon the vertical of BW Marketing World and BW Retail World.