It Is Important To Not Drown In Data But To Get Insights Out Of It: Damyant Singh Khanoria
The infectious passion in marketing and advertising and the commitment to creative problem-solving put Damyant Singh Khanoria on a journey, where his experience made brands such as Oppo stand out despite some extremely tough challenges. In an era characterised by economic headwinds and global slowdowns, Khanoria’s brand of marketing leadership is a blend of pragmatism and forward-thinking strategies.
India’s economy has fared relatively well compared to larger economies, infusing a sense of optimism across the board. As the festive season approaches and the Men’s ICC World Cup comes to India, he says, “In terms of the spending, from a brand and business standpoint, this is the end of the year and brands are going to be fairly aggressive in marketing.”
While digital media’s influence grows, Khanoria remains an advocate for traditional media’s impact. He firmly states, “We do have a fairly large share of digital in our overall spending, but I'm a big fan of traditional as well.” He acknowledges the power of television, especially when it comes to brand metrics. He emphasises the importance of balance in media planning, recognising that each channel offers unique strengths.
Digital Approach
Khanoria divulges that Oppo allocates about 55-56 per cent of its marketing budget to digital channels. This figure can fluctuate depending on events such as big-ticket sporting properties, where television viewership promises large numbers. The integration of technology into marketing has been transformative.
“It is important to not drown in data but to get insights out of it,” advises Khanoria, adding that navigating data should uncover meaningful consumer behaviours. Technology should play a role in personalising marketing.
The marketing leader states that artificial intelligence’s (AI) potential for industry-changing innovations is immense but its precise direction remains uncertain. This being said it is advised to marketers to continue experimenting and embracing technology for clutter-breaking solutions.
Three key factors that Khanoria believes should drive every marketer’s approach include inquisitiveness, embracing technology’s evolution and continuous self-
education. In an ever-changing industry, he believes in staying curious, tech-savvy and open to learning.
The Human Touch
In the age of AI and machine learning, Khanoria too is among the leaders who believe that the human element in marketing is irreplaceable. He explains that one of the most important elements that any marketer, or any leader for that matter, brings to the brand and the workplace is a point of view or an opinion that is based on intuition and instinct.
