Content Creation Is Becoming An Ecosystem In Its Own: Deepali Naair

In an era characterised by rapid technological advancements and related shifts in consumer behaviours, Deepali Naair is among the rare breed of women tech marketing leaders. Naair is a firm believer in making the marketing dollar work hard to achieve business objectives.

It is due to this that Naair has prioritised the likes of performance marketing and precision in spending. “Performance marketing is led by digital and therefore, I see a clear growth in digital spends in the time to come. India is a high-growth market for global companies. In a way, this increases pressure on businesses to deliver results. Marketing should share this burden,” Naair observes.

Marketing must also show a very clear return on investment (ROI) to secure budget allocations. She explains that India will see all media, digital and legacy, grow for some time as market sentiment and the business environment enable this.

Rise of Newer Trends

Naair identifies three overarching trends that are impacting marketing decision-making in India. The first among these is digital marketing. “Most marketers are getting involved with common marketing automation and are trying to move greater spends towards digital marketing,” she says.

Secondly, the demand for content marketing expertise is rising as brands recognise the importance of crafting compelling narratives. She says, “Content creation is becoming an ecosystem in its own right as it leads to demand for people who can create and understand content that resonates with consumers.” Finally, Naair anticipates that brands will increasingly experiment with Generative AI (artificial intelligence) tools in-house, particularly in below-the-line agencies, to generate high-volume creatives cost-effectively.

“Generative AI, while a powerful tool, requires a strategic brief to lead it, ownership and editorial supervision to align with a brand’s purpose effectively,” Naair cautions.

The Evolving Role of Marketing

Naair says marketing is transitioning from being viewed as a cost centre to becoming a growth generator. Its multifaceted responsibilities span brand building, customer experience enhancement and strategic input into product development.

At the same time, marketing must also excel in short-term performance metrics. Naair points out, “It is equally imperative for brands to not compromise long-term growth generation role of marketing for the sake of short term sales growth.”

Marketing, as a function, has undergone a massive transformation in recent years. Naair explains, “Marketing’s role itself is varied and marketer’s role has become such that they need to partner well with the others in the C-suite, including technology, HR and finance because marketing has a strategic role in driving growth.”