The world of marketing is evolving at a breakneck pace, especially in the highly regulated, trust-dependent realm of financial services. Our latest podcast featured Darshana Shah, Chief Marketing Officer at Aditya Birla Capital, whose candid conversation with our CEO, Subra Krishnan, provided a wealth of insights into transforming traditional marketing functions into data-driven, AI-powered engine.
1. From Creative Slogans to Measurable Outcomes
Darshana recounted her journey from focusing primarily on creative campaigns and slogans to prioritizing measurable outcomes, customer trust, and data-driven decision-making. In an industry like financial services, where trust forms the bedrock of customer relationships, this shift is both pronounced and essential. She emphasized that modern marketing requires moving beyond generic product promotions toward life-stage-based conversations that build lasting trust and empower consumers, all while remaining compliant with stringent regulatory requirements.
2. Scaling Personalization Through Data
The conversation between Darshana and Subra delved into the necessity of large-scale personalization. They emphasized that achieving personalization requires a privacy-centric, consent-based approach to data collection. Darshana outlined her company’s multi-tenant, multi-business data orchestration framework, which leverages AI and digital twins for behavioral insights.
This data-driven approach enables the delivery of customized experiences across a wide range of communication channels such as email, mobile, chat, and voice. Subra highlighted the evolution toward agent-based marketing workflows, where front-line staff are empowered with real-time insights to deliver seamless, hyper-personalized interactions.
3. The Expanding Role of AI
The podcast discussed how artificial intelligence has evolved from rudimentary bots to advanced conversational platforms capable of supporting voice-to-voice communication and multiple regional languages, a critical capability in the Indian market. Darshana explained how AI underpins content personalization, customer behavior prediction, and proactive engagement strategies.
She also underscored the necessity for strong governance and human oversight to ensure AI remains a brand asset rather than a liability, mentioning the development of AI brand and customer experience playbooks to manage operational and legal risks.
4. Organizational Transformation: The Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh Framework
A notable highlight of the discussion was Darshana’s application of the “Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh” framework to guide organizational transformation. Her strategy for reskilling the marketing team of 150 members involves shifting from brief writing to hands-on content creation. The framework comprises:
- Brahma (creation): Focusing on new initiatives and innovations.
- Vishnu (sustenance): Continuing to nurture established, successful practices.
- Mahesh (destruction): Letting go of outdated methods and mindsets.
This structured approach provides a practical roadmap for leaders steering their teams through the challenges of digital disruption.
5. Cost, Capacity, and Unending Innovation
The need for constant innovation, efficiency, and measurable ROI emerged as recurring themes. Both Darshana and Subra agreed that reskilling and capacity building are no longer optional but imperative, calling for the abandonment of obsolete habits and the cultivation of a mindset geared toward continuous experimentation and learning.
6. AI’s Growing Footprint in India
The increasing adoption of AI in India was another central topic. Darshana advocated for hands-on exploration of AI tools and responsible leadership from CMOs, as well as the need for regulatory frameworks to ensure brand safety. Her commitment to developing an AI playbook for her business exemplifies a proactive, responsible approach to integrating cutting-edge tools into marketing operations.
Conclusion
The discussion offered a clear vision of the future of marketing: one centered on customer-centricity, data, and responsible AI adoption. The conversation highlighted that the fusion of creativity, technology, and empathy is set to define successful marketing in financial services—and serve as a model for other sectors seeking similar transformation.
You can catch the whole conversation below:
By Bijoy K.B | Associate Director – Marketing at Lemnisk
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