Digital Agencies
DAN Consult & MMA launch modern marketing confluence
NEW DELHI: The Covid2019 pandemic has certainly catalysed the Indian media and advertising industry into becoming more digitally equipped. It has also influenced the sector to rethink its marketing approach. Thus, to drive transformations and thought leadership in this modern marketing space, Dentsu Aegis Network Consult (DAN Consult), the consulting arm of Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN) India, in association with Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), has launched the Modern Marketing Confluence (MMC) – a discussion series focusing on growth, changing consumerism and tech-enabled solutions across industries.
For the record, DAN Consult and MMA launched the first edition of the confluence in June this year under the digital banner of MMC. Here, the inaugural chapter concentrated on three key areas – the role of a marketer in MarTech, the importance of first-party data strategy, the MarTech stack must-haves for a data-first organisation and future-readiness. The discussion, co-moderated by Lalit Bhagia, CEO, DAN Consult & Moneka Khurana, Country Head, MMA India, took a deep dive into how the role of a CMO has now changed to a CRO and/or a CTO. The panellists on the session included Ravi Santhanam, CMO, HDFC Bank, Gowthaman Ragothaman, CEO, Aqiliz and Yanay (John) Sela, CMO, Seeking Alpha.
Now, the collaboration is ready to roll with the MMC series in alliance with industry experts and leaders to enable growth hacks, evangelism and education. It will also catalyse the adoption of relevant MarTech stacks. Additionally, DAN Consult and MMA have partnered with Google in a 3-part series, which will kickstart from 23 July. The series will enable insights from industry experts on responsible marketing with first-party data, D2C strategy and must-do MarTech investments.
DAN Consult CEO Lalit Bhagia said “At DAN Consult, we are committed to partner with CEOs and CMOs in this transitional journey where along with creativity and data, marketing tech also plays a huge part in an organisation's success. As a business, DAN Consult has been working on the forefront of this marketing transformation and the MMC series is our endeavour to showcase and drive thought leadership in this ever-evolving space.”
MMA India country head Moneka Khurana added, “The Modern Marketing Confluence is for those looking for growth hacks in marketing and business transformation. As an industry body, we are enabling a platform to provide thought leadership and promote an agile, customer-centric, decentralised, people-powered, and technology-enabled ecosystem. Today’s CMO is responsible for so much more beyond traditional brand building, interpreting data, generating revenue whilst making the experience seamless for end consumers. The MMA is committed to drive modern marketing with MarTech being the central focus and hence, has enabled an advisory council comprising experts to shape the future of MarTech in India.”
It is pertinent to note here that the Modern Marketing Confluence in its discussions will represent key sectors such as retail & consumer goods, BFSI & insurance, communication, media & technology, born digital organisations, automotive and discrete industries. Further, it will also focus on the implementations and implications of MarTech and the importance of marrying MarTech and AdTech (MadTech).
BENGALURU: For years, creative teams have learned to live with ambiguity. Vague comments, last-minute changes, feedback that arrives without context, clarity, or conviction. It became part of the job – something teams worked around rather than getting it solved.
But as we head into 2026, that tolerance is wearing thin.
Creative work today moves faster, scales wider, and involves more stakeholders than before. Teams are producing more content across more formats, often with distributed collaborators and tighter timelines. In this environment, guesswork is no longer a harmless inconvenience. It’s a cost – to time, to budgets, and to creative mindspace.
The real problem isn’t feedback, it’s how it’s given
Most creative professionals you see today will tell you they’re not against feedback. In fact, they rely on it. Good feedback sharpens ideas, strengthens execution, and pushes work forward. The problem is ‘unclear’ feedback. When someone says “this doesn’t feel right” without context, they aren’t just revising – they’re basically decoding. They’re guessing what the problem might be, trying different directions, and burning time in the process. Multiply that by a few stakeholders and a few rounds, and suddenly days disappear.
In 2026, when teams are expected to deliver faster without compromising quality, interpretation is a luxury most can’t afford.
Scale has changed rverything
Creative projects used to be smaller and simpler. A designer, a manager, maybe one client contact. Feedback loops were short, even if they weren’t perfect.
Today, the same project might involve internal marketing teams, agencies, freelancers, brand reviewers, and regional teams. Everyone has a say. Everyone leaves comments. And often, those comments don’t agree. More people reviewing work means alignment matters more than ever. Clear feedback isn’t just about being nice to creative teams, it’s about keeping projects moving when complexity increases.
Guesswork quietly wears teams down
One of the less talked-about impacts of unclear feedback is what it does to people.
When feedback is vague or contradictory, creatives second-guess their decisions. They hesitate. They overwork. They keep extra time buffers “just in case.” Over time, confidence drops. Ownership fades. Work becomes safer, not stronger. Creative energy gets spent on managing uncertainty instead of pushing ideas forward. And in an industry already grappling with burnout, unclear feedback adds unnecessary mental load.
Actionable feedback is a shared skill
Clear feedback doesn’t mean controlling creative decisions or dictating every detail. It means being specific enough that someone knows what to do next.
Actionable feedback answers three basic questions:
What exactly needs attention?
Why does it matter?
What outcome are we aiming for?
This applies whether you’re reviewing a video frame, a design layout, or a copy draft. The clearer the feedback, the fewer follow-ups it creates. In 2026, teams that treat feedback as a skill and not an afterthought, will move faster with less friction.
Tools shape behaviour (whether we admit it or not)
The way feedback is delivered is often dictated by the tools teams use. Comments buried in long email threads, messages split across chat apps, or notes detached from the actual work all contribute to confusion.
When feedback lives outside the work, context often gets lost. When it’s disconnected from versions and timelines, decisions get questioned. When it’s scattered, accountability disappears. More teams are starting to realise that feedback problems aren’t just communication issues, they’re workflow issues. How work moves between people matters just as much as the work itself.
From Opinions To Alignment
One of the biggest shifts happening in creative teams is a move away from purely opinion-driven feedback. Instead of “I like this” or “I don’t,” teams are asking better questions:
● Does this meet the brief?
● Does this solve the problem?
● Does this align with the goal?
This change reduces unnecessary back-and-forth and helps feedback feel less personal and more productive. It also makes decisions easier to explain and defend. As creative work becomes more strategic, feedback has to support that shift.
2026 Is About Fewer Loops, Not Faster Loops
There’s a misconception that speed means moving through feedback cycles faster. In reality, the most creative teams aren’t just accelerating loops, they’re reducing them. Clear, actionable feedback upfront leads to fewer revisions later. Clear approval stages prevent last-minute surprises. Clear decisions stop work from circling endlessly.
In 2026, efficiency won’t come from working harder or longer. It will come from designing workflows that respect creative time and attention.
Ending guesswork is a mindset change
Ultimately, ending creative guesswork isn’t just about better tools or processes. It’s about mindset. It’s about recognising that clarity is an act of respect – for the work, for the people doing it, for the time invested and for the mindspace used. It’s about moving from “figure it out” to “here’s what we’re aiming for.”
Creative teams that embrace this shift will find themselves not only delivering faster, but also enjoying the process more. And in an industry built on imagination, that might be the most valuable outcome of all.
