MAM
AI gets a brand new story as marketers debate data, trust and creativity
MUMBAI: When machines meet marketing, sparks and questions fly. That was the mood at the 3rd India Brand Summit 2025 during a lively session titled AI Powered Branding: Reimagining Storytelling and Personalisation.
Moderated by Publicis Groupe India CEO for digital technology business Amaresh Godbole the panel brought together industry voices grappling with the fine line between automation, personalisation, and authenticity.
Tata Cliq CTO and Tata digital,VP for synergy tech Suman Guha opened with a reality check: while AI unlocks precision, data overload is a growing challenge. “Brands need to strike the right balance, AI can suggest, but it cannot substitute judgement. The winning formula lies in combining AI-driven insights with human empathy,” he said.
Adding a regulatory lens ASCI CEO & secretary general Manisha Kapoor stressed the urgency of maintaining consumer trust. “When personalisation borders on intrusion, the line between relevance and manipulation blurs. Ethical guardrails are essential if AI-led branding is to build, not break, relationships,” she warned.
Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals head of digital transformation Akhil Duggal noted that AI is most effective when it complements not dictates brand building. “We’re using AI to decode consumer intent, but the human narrative must lead. Consumers don’t remember algorithms; they remember stories.”
From the BFSI perspective Fino Payments Bank head of marketing Prashant Choudhari pointed out the stakes are higher in financial services. “Trust is currency. AI can personalise offers, but one misstep erodes credibility. The challenge is scaling innovation while keeping the customer relationship sacred.”
Mediasmart chief growth officer Nikhil Kumar highlighted how AI is revolutionising programmatic advertising. “Real-time personalisation is not the future, it’s already here. But effectiveness depends on transparency. If users feel misled, personalisation backfires into alienation.”
Bringing in the social tech angle Explurger vice president Jwala Kumar underlined AI’s role in experiential storytelling. “Travel and lifestyle brands are leveraging AI to make every interaction feel personal. But authenticity is non-negotiable, people will spot the difference between engineered intimacy and genuine connection.”
As the discussion unfolded, a common thread emerged: AI can supercharge scale, speed, and segmentation, but the secret sauce remains human creativity. Technology may tailor the message, but culture, trust, and empathy define whether it lands.
By the end, Godbole summed it up neatly: “AI isn’t replacing storytellers, it’s arming them with sharper tools. The brands that thrive will be those that wield AI with responsibility, respect, and imagination.”
The session closed with consensus that 2025 is not about AI versus humans, but AI with humans, a collaboration where algorithms analyse and humans empathise, together shaping the next chapter of branding.
Brands
Radico Khaitan appoints Kunal Madan as chief marketing officer
Promotions signal focus on premium spirits, global expansion and homegrown leadership
UTTAR PRADESH: Radico Khaitan has elevated two long-serving insiders to its top leadership team, signalling a bold push into premium spirits and global markets. Kunal Madan steps in as chief marketing officer, while Sudhir Upadhyay takes charge as chief sales officer, both part of what managing director Abhishek Khaitan calls a consciously built next-generation leadership bench.
“At Radico Khaitan, our growth has always been powered by people,” Khaitan said. “True leadership is not imported, it is cultivated.” He added that empowering internal talent ensures continuity while keeping the company globally competitive and future-ready.
Madan, with over 20 years of experience across global sales and marketing, will drive brand architecture, marketing strategy, and the premiumisation agenda, including travel retail. Upadhyay, who has 25 years in the industry and was most recently national sales head, will oversee distribution expansion and execution across markets.
The leadership reshuffle comes amid Radico’s intensified focus on premium spirits, a segment driving higher margins and international growth. Last year, Ajay Kakkar was brought on to head the Premium On-Trade vertical, targeting modern and institutional channels to boost presence in high-growth segments.
Meanwhile, Amar Sinha stepped down as chief operating officer after contributing across multiple growth phases. Khaitan acknowledged Sinha’s role in supporting the company’s trajectory, while Sinha described his tenure as “an absolute privilege,” crediting Khaitan’s leadership for shaping the company’s strategic direction.
With a homegrown leadership bench and a clear premium agenda, Radico Khaitan is set to accelerate its global expansion while doubling down on brand elevation and market impact.
