MAM
Brands need to constantly engage with consumers
MUMBAI: Brands need to hold on to consumers through a constant engagement process. Digital conversations are important but not many brands are using it enough.
A panel discussion at The Mindshare Brand Equity Compass looked at strategies and trends for marketing through brand involvement.
For finance, there is an attempt at consumer involvement but penetration is low. The category, especially insurance, should try to market itself throughout the year to engage consumers continuously and not only appear at the end of the financial year where people invest for the purpose of tax saving; it should convey to the consumer that it cares about their health in good and bad times.
Prozone Enterprises president Vishal Mirchandani gave the example of Shoppers Stop which built consumer involvement through a loyalty club. The retail chain even involved customers in product launches; it used focused group discussions to change logos.
Many Indians are open to brands engaging with them. The young consumer is impatient but willing to spend. Experiential marking can help like Axe does with dance parties.
The digital medium can allow brands to build a powerful continuous relationship with the consumer. However not many brands are being built around digital or are using digital as a significant part of their strategy. There is an opportunity to learn, explore and propagate in the digital space.
Nokia India head – activation, media and online marketing Viral Oza spoke about how Nokia did an initiative with Kolkata Knight Riders and their fans on the mobile. It asked fans to send in their advice on how the team could improve the team’s performance. While 180,000 fans registered, the initiative got six million responses.
Nokia, Oza said, uses Twitter and Facebook to have a continuous dialogue with consumers. The company realised that online care issues had to be managed;it would help if marketers looked at themselves as consumers also.
Aditya Birla Financial Services Group CMO Ajay Kakar said that his company did not make the mistake of treating cricketers like demi gods. In the spots, they spoke about their real life situations. “It is about using the celebrity in a relevant manner,” he added.
Brands
Emami names Dhruv Aggarwal as chief growth officer
Former Bain partner steps in as FMCG firm sharpens growth playbook
MUMBAI: Emami Limited has appointed Dhruv Aggarwal as its chief growth officer, effective 25 March 2026, following the resignation of Giriraj Bagri.
Aggarwal joins the FMCG major from Bain & Company, where he most recently served as partner. With over two decades of experience across consulting and strategy, he brings a global perspective shaped by work across India, the US, the UK and Germany.
During his tenure at Bain, Aggarwal advised consumer, retail and media companies on large-scale transformations, business turnarounds and growth strategies. He was also closely involved with India’s startup ecosystem, guiding early-stage ventures on scaling and digital expansion, while supporting private equity and venture capital firms on investment decisions.
His earlier stints include a brief role at Barclays Capital and operational experience at Jindal Power, giving him a mix of financial and industry exposure.
Academically, Aggarwal holds an MBA from Indian Institute of Management Bangalore and has also been associated with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as a PhD candidate and teaching assistant.
The appointment comes at a time when Emami Limited is looking to sharpen its growth strategy in a competitive consumer market. With a seasoned strategist now at the helm of growth, the company appears set to double down on transformation and expansion in the months ahead.
