The pandemic has brought about notable shifts across industries, and the case has been no different for marketing. Today, digital marketing has become a crucial aspect in order to acquire new customers and retain existing ones. In our weekly BrandWagon Ad Talk series, industry experts highlight what has changed over the past two years and more importantly, are these changes here to stay. Sunder Balasubramanian, CMO, Myntra talks to BrandWagon Online, about the dos and don’ts of digital marketing, best marketing campaigns and more.
What is the difference between launching a brand in today’s digital era versus earlier?
There is a stark difference in launching brands in the digital era compared to earlier times. Brands today need to be very sharp in understanding, measuring, and targeting specific cohorts and their behaviours. They should also show the agility needed to respond to context and customer reach outs, while shaping the brand’s voice. That being said, there is also greater real time feedback from users on their preferences. The need to be transparent and authentic in communication strategy has never been more evident. The brands nowadays must find the sweet spot between the science, numbers, and art of marketing.
What are the recent best marketing or advertising campaigns you have seen and why?
Apart from what we do, I really like Zomato’s campaigns, they are consistent with the tone of their voice, and almost always manage to get consumers to smile with their brand messaging, which further drives the brand’s likeability and relatability. Lenskart’s last campaign was also very enjoyable, while being sharp on messaging.
Which brand in the last year has made the best use of digital and how?
The D2C brands have managed to do a fabulous job in building their online presence and scaling up in the past year. Two brands that stand out for me are Neemans shoes and Mokabora luggage which are also available on Myntra.These brands have managed to stay product first, while also driving popularity via content and influencers, much like what we do at Myntra to engage with consumers.
In a Post-Covid world, what are the dos and don’ts of digital marketing?
There is a far greater need for brands to recognize the mood of the audience. Consumers are now influenced more and more by brands that operate on facets like sustainability and inclusiveness, while also projecting values that resonate with them.
Take Myntra for example, we have continued to be the voice of fashion across all our social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Moj, and Josh. We stay relevant with our consumers, especially the Gen-Z and millennial cohorts through our content commerce model. Besides these, Influencer marketing and social commerce are also crucial components of Myntra’s marketing strategy. Our IPs, Myntra Studio and M-Live have been critical in effectively engaging with our cohorts.