MAM
ICLP announces Mark Spicer as new General Manager, India
MUMBAI: Global loyalty marketing and CRM specialist, ICLP is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Spicer as General Manager for its India operation.
Based in Mumbai he will report to Dion Maritz, ICLP’s Regional Director for Middle East, Africa and India.
Mark joins ICLP from Aimia in the Middle East where he managed the leading telecom loyalty programme for Mobily in Saudi Arabia. He has in excess of 20 years’ experience in the loyalty and incentives industry across all sectors with previous roles at Maritz, Grass Roots and Skybridge Group. With particular experience in the telecoms and financial services sectors he has managed and delivered programmes for clients including T-Mobile (USA), O2 (UK) and Vodafone (UK) in addition to Nectar and other pre-plastic card products.
Mark will be responsible for managing existing client relationships and driving continued commercial growth in the country. The last few years has seen ICLP continue to invest in India and its comprehensive range of loyalty solutions and services will help develop the local loyalty market. ICLP provide loyalty solutions across varied sectors including Travel & Hospitality, Retail and Technology, Its client base has steadily increased to include both local and international brands such as Air India, Ethiopian Airlines and Café Coffee Day to name a few. ICLP in India is also a regional centre of excellence across the Middle East, Europe and Africa for data analytics, insight and operational services, supporting international clients such as Hilton and Avios.
Commenting on his appointment Mark Spicer, General Manager India, ICLP, said: “India’s vibrant market is going through considerable change and with consumers being even more aware and informed, competition between brands to acquire and drive customer loyalty is stronger than ever. ICLP research has shown that consumers are demanding greater value, instant gratification and choice, but also want communication that is more personalised. Brands have to adapt to the speed of the market to drive customer engagement on a more emotional level, but also to ensure the customer returns for that vital next purchase. Driving insight through data analytics is of vital importance in enabling engagement success and ICLP has a proven track record in analysing and understanding customer behaviour to increase loyalty and profitability for its clients.
Dion Maritz, ICLP’s Regional Director for Middle East, Africa and India said: “Mark’s background and depth of international experience will be a real asset to ICLP in India as we invest more in the region. We recognise the value our product and service offering has for the region and we plan to leverage our group skills and assets to capitalise on the increasing demand of companies and brands for best practice loyalty initiatives in local markets.”
Mark will be delivering a keynote presentation and is also a member of the judging panel at the forthcoming Loyalty Summit Awards on January 29-30th in Mumbai.
MAM
GUEST COLUMN: How strategy and creativity drives ROI in digital campaigns
Why engagement, AI, and integrated strategy are redefining ROI in digital campaigns
MUMBAI: As digital marketing matures, the benchmarks of success are undergoing a fundamental shift. Reach and visibility, once the primary indicators of campaign performance, are no longer sufficient in a landscape defined by fleeting attention spans and evolving consumer behaviour. Today, brands are being challenged to move beyond surface-level metrics and focus on meaningful engagement, relevance, and long-term impact. ForAkhil Nair, founder and CEO at BigTrunk Communications, this transition from visibility to value reflects a deeper change in how campaigns are conceived, executed, and measured. In this piece, Nair explores why traditional metrics fall short, how AI and integrated thinking are reshaping campaign effectiveness, and why creativity, context, and agility are essential to driving real return on investment in modern digital campaigns.
The shift from visibility to value
For a long time, digital campaigns were judged by how many people saw them. If lots of people looked at it and the numbers were good, it meant things were going well. Impressions and clicks were what mattered. Over time, that didn’t feel like enough. Just because someone sees something doesn’t mean it makes an impact. People scroll through content quickly and often do not really notice what they have just seen. This has changed how we think about campaigns today.
There has been a shift in how brands look at this. It is not just about reaching people, but also about what happens after that, whether someone stops, engages, or remembers the brand later. That is what matters more. This moves the focus from visibility to value.
Some metrics we have relied on for years do not tell the full story. A campaign can reach a large audience and still fail to create a real connection. On paper, it may look strong, but in reality, it does not do much. That is why engagement and intent have become more important, especially whether people are interacting with the content or simply scrolling past it. Even small actions, like spending a few extra seconds or clicking through, matter more.
AI is helping brands understand how people behave and interact with them. It helps brands make better decisions so they can create campaigns that truly connect with people, not just reach a large audience. AI can also predict what will be popular and help refine campaigns, which makes marketing more effective. This allows marketing teams to focus more on generating ideas. In this way, AI supports both creativity and strategy.
Why integration and context matter
Another important factor is how well everything comes together. Campaigns often fall short when strategy, media, and creative are developed separately, because that lack of alignment is noticeable. When everything is aligned from the start, the campaign feels more natural and the message comes through clearly. It also fits better within the platform where it appears.
This matters because people behave differently across platforms. The way someone watches a video is not the same as how they search or read longer content. These differences may seem minor, but they can significantly impact performance. Paying attention to context helps campaigns feel more relevant and effective.
Creativity, agility and long-term impact
There is a common assumption that performance-driven campaigns leave little room for creativity, but that is not the case. The most effective campaigns often feel simple and real. People tend to ignore anything that feels overly polished or forced. Instead, they connect with content that feels familiar and relatable, something that reflects how they think or speak.
At the same time, campaigns do not always go as planned. Audience behavior, trends, and platform dynamics can shift quickly. What works initially may stop working later. That is why it is important to continuously track performance and make adjustments. Small changes over time can improve outcomes, and campaigns that stay flexible tend to perform better.
While short-term results matter, consistency over time plays a bigger role. When a brand shows up in a relevant and consistent way, it builds familiarity. Over time, that familiarity turns into trust.
Digital marketing has evolved, and expectations have evolved with it. Visibility still matters, but it is no longer enough on its own. What truly drives impact is whether a campaign connects, leaves a lasting impression, and leads to action. Being seen is easy, but being remembered is what really counts.
