Super CMO Show

AI is changing how customers discover brands - and making marketing attribution far more complex.

In this episode of The Super CMO Show, Swami speaks with Scott Desgrosseilliers, Founder and CEO of @wickedreports about the rise of the AI dark funnel, the shift from SEO to GEO, and why marketers need to make their websites AI-ready.

They explore how brands can earn visibility in AI-led conversations, use structured content and proprietary expertise, rethink first-touch attribution, and make better budget decisions when clicks no longer tell the full story.

⭐ 5 Key Takeaways

1. AI is creating a new “dark funnel.”More customer research is happening inside AI chats, making early discovery and first-touch attribution harder to see and measure.

2. SEO is evolving into GEO.Brands need to make their websites AI-ready with clear structure, specific intent, FAQs, how-to content, and original research that AI systems can understand and reference.

3. Proprietary expertise is the new visibility advantage.Generic content will not be enough. Brands that translate their distinctive knowledge, data, and point of view into AI-friendly formats can earn more meaningful recommendations.

4. Marketers must look beyond platform-reported ROAS.Google, Meta, email, and SMS platforms can all claim credit for the same conversion. Independent, deterministic attribution helps reveal what actually drove new-customer growth.

5. Brand and first-party data are becoming even more valuable.As AI puts more distance between brands and the customer click, building a trusted brand, capturing owned audiences, and continuously testing new signals will be critical to growth.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 Introduction
01:56 AI Will Approximate or Guess Things
04:11 Your Search Traffic Is Going Down
08:59 AI Will Understand the Intent of the Page
26:10 It’s All About the Profitable Outcome
35:44 All the Ad Platforms Are Grading Their Own Homework
39:50 The Best Thing I’ve Seen Isn’t Accurate Enough to Count On
45:13 Keep Modifying Your Tags and Your Content
47:10 The Importance of Building a Brand4
9:01 ChatGPT Already Has a Conversion API
50:09 From Reports to AI-Powered Marketing Decisions

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What does it really take to become a modern CMO?
In this episode of The Super CMO Show with Swami, Megha Agarwal shares why she calls herself a “non-traditional CMO” — one who goes beyond brand campaigns to think about growth, monetization, P&L, consumer obsession, and business building.

Drawing from her journey across Table Space, WeWork, Unilever and CavinKare Megha speaks about startup chaos, building categories from scratch, the future of agencies, creativity in the AI era, mentorship, leadership, and why marketers must constantly reinvent themselves. A sharp, insight-packed conversation on what marketing leadership truly demands today.

About Megha
Megha Agarwal is a marketing leader, growth strategist, and business builder with close to two decades of experience across FMCG, consumer brands, startups, and enterprise workspaces. Currently the Chief Marketing Officer at Table Space, she has built her career at the intersection of brand building, growth, customer experience, and business transformation.
Connect with Megha: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghaagarwal/

⭐ 5 Key Takeaways

The modern CMO must understand business, not just marketing: Megha argues that marketers who do not understand P&L, monetization, and cross-functional business impact risk becoming irrelevant in today’s environment.  

Consumer obsession is still the strongest competitive advantage: One of her biggest learnings from  was that true marketing begins with deeply understanding consumers — not through dashboards, but through immersion, humility, and lived observation.  

Building brands from scratch requires a completely different mindset: Moving from FMCG to startups taught her that scaling brands is very different from creating foundational systems, processes, tools, and teams from zero.  

AI will commoditize marketing science — creativity becomes the differentiator: As AI automates research, analytics, and execution, original thinking, creativity, and human insight will become the most valuable capabilities for marketers. 

Sustainable growth requires support systems, not perfection: Megha challenges the myth of perfect work-life balance, emphasizing intentional trade-offs, communication, asking for support, and building ecosystems both at work and at home. 

⏱️ Timestamps

00:03:20 — Why Old-School Marketing Thinking Is Breaking Down
00:09:50 — Brands Are Built in Years, Judged in Quarters
00:12:17 — Nobody Prepares You for Real Decisions
00:13:54 — The Consumer Is Still the Most Important Person in the Room
00:18:01 — Big Brands Cannot Afford Recklessness
00:20:59 — Building Is More Exciting Than Managing
00:23:21 — Growth Fails Without Foundations
00:25:49 — You Cannot Scale Chaos Forever
00:28:19 — Big Companies Hide How Difficult Things Really Are
00:31:52 — Most Career Limits Exist Only in the Mind
00:39:24 — Execution Is Common. Thinking Is Rare.
00:41:45 — The Future Belongs to Hungry Agencies
00:44:35 — AI Makes Creativity More Valuable, Not Less
00:47:31 — Perfect Balance Is a Myth
00:53:41 — The Best Mentors Don’t Give Answers
00:57:44 — Your Strengths Matter More Than Your Weaknesses
01:00:25 — AI Can Analyze Consumers. It Cannot Love Them.
01:02:39 — The Best Marketers Constantly Reinvent Themselves

This episode was made possible by the great folks at MovingWalls. Moving Walls provides a global Adtech platform built by Out-of-home advertising experts, automating the process of planning, buying, executing and measuring OOH campaigns, with a presence across four continents and seven markets. Visit https://www.movingwalls.com to learn more.

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Marketing attribution is one of the toughest challenges for modern marketers — and most get it wrong. In this episode of the ContraMinds Podcast, we sit down with Scott Desgrosseilliers, Founder & CEO of   ⁨@WickedReports⁩, to decode what really works in measuring marketing impact.

Scott shares his journey of building  @WickedReports and explains why accuracy alone isn’t enough — attribution has to be actionable. He covers practical insights on choosing the right attribution model, measuring KPIs beyond RoAS, connecting online and offline journeys, and balancing experimentation with accountability.

If you’re a CMO, performance marketer, or entrepreneur looking to cut through the noise and understand what truly drives growth, this episode is packed with actionable wisdom.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
• Why marketing attribution isn’t about perfection but profitability
• How to align attribution models with campaign intent
• Which KPIs go beyond vanity metrics (like NCAC and New Visit %)
• How to bridge online and offline sales data
• The mindset every marketer needs: persistence + accountability

About Scott Desgrosseilliers
Scott Desgrosseilliers is the Founder & CEO of Wicked Reports, a pioneering marketing attribution platform built to give businesses clarity on what really drives growth. A former database administrator, Scott discovered the power of connecting disparate data into a single source of marketing truth when helping a friend measure ROI from Facebook ads. What started as a pivot-table experiment quickly grew into a platform trusted by e-commerce brands and agencies worldwide. Today, Scott is known for his no-nonsense approach to attribution: transparent, actionable insights that cut through the noise and focus on profitability.

📌 Watch the Full Episode & Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction  
00:03:28 Accuracy Is Table Stakes—Actionability Wins  
00:06:18 Pick the Right Model for the Job, Not a Holy Grail  
00:10:37 Start from Real Sales, Tag Everything, Build the Timeline  
00:21:33 You’ll Never Get 100%—Stack Signals and Move On  
00:26:34 ROAS & CAC Aren’t Enough—Track NCAC and New-Visit %  
00:31:34 Let Intent Decide the Model  
00:36:57 Think TOF–MOF–BOF: Different KPIs at Every Stage  
00:39:16 Bridge Online & Offline: Tie Every Sale to an Identifier  
00:42:18 Offline Ads? Start from Test Drives, Not TV Ratings  
00:45:26 Black-Box Models? Hard Pass. I Want Transparent Journeys  
00:47:13 Use Last-Click When It Fits—Save Heavy Math for Real Journeys  
00:51:26 Experiment Boldly. Be Accountable. Do Both  
00:52:59 Start Local, Get Wins, Build a Portfolio  
00:55:14 Skip the Textbooks—Follow Practitioners Who Ship  
00:56:08 Persistence Beats Brains and Budget—Focus on Outcomes  

This episode was made possible by the great folks at MovingWalls. Moving Walls provides a global Adtech platform built by Out-of-home advertising experts, automating the process of planning, buying, executing and measuring OOH campaigns, with a presence across four continents and seven markets. Visit https://www.movingwalls.com to learn more.

#MarketingAttribution #DigitalMarketing #MarketingAnalytics #CustomerJourney #BusinessGrowth #MarketingTips #EcommerceMarketing #MarketingStrategy #AdTech #CMOInsights #PerformanceMarketing #DataDrivenMarketing #GrowthMindset #Entrepreneurship #MarketingPodcast

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In this ultimate guide, we'll dive into the world of marketing to Gen Z, the most digitally savvy generation yet. As a business leader, entrepreneur, or marketer, it's crucial to understand what makes this generation tick and how to engage with them effectively.  

In this episode of the Super CMO Show, Srinjoy Das, a marketing leader with experience at digital-first companies like Krafton, Tencent, and Airtel, reveals the future of marketing. From his civil engineering background at NIT Trichy to his finance-heavy education at IIM Calcutta, Srinjoy brings a unique analytical perspective to modern marketing. 

He discusses why marketers must become fluent in finance to gain credibility with CEOs and CFOs, shares the science behind viral content creation, and explains how to engage Gen Z audiences authentically. The conversation covers everything from building content-first campaigns to understanding the metrics that matter in digital marketing, offering actionable insights for marketers navigating today’s competitive landscape.

About Srinjoy
Srinjoy Das is a marketing professional with extensive experience in digital-first companies including Krafton (PUBG Mobile), Tencent, and Airtel.  He has worked across gaming, entertainment, and telecom sectors, specialising in viral marketing, Gen Z engagement, and data-driven marketing strategies. At Krafton, he has led marketing campaigns that achieved record-breaking engagement and helped launch BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India) with the “India Ki Heartbeat” campaign.

5 Key Takeaways
Finance Fluency is Non-Negotiable
Modern marketers must understand ROC (Return on Capital), margins, and cash flow to speak the same language as CEOs and CFOs. The shift towards finance-aligned strategy teams means marketing budgets require financial justification beyond traditional brand metrics.

Content Over Messaging
For digital-first brands, entertainment-focused content outperforms traditional advertising. Audiences can’t recall the slogans of major digital brands (Airbnb, Uber), but they engage deeply with storytelling that triggers emotions and builds loyalty.

Gen Z Requires Constant Innovation
Gen Z consumers are extremely self-aware, research-savvy, and have zero switching costs. Marketers must speak their language, run multiple campaigns per year, and always be surprising (ABS - Always Be Surprising) to maintain attention.

Virality Has a Science
Successful viral content focuses on shareability, strong opening hooks, optimised average view duration (AVD), and authentic user insights. Track shares over views, and prioritise engagement metrics over vanity metrics.

Real Market Research Beats Focus Groups
Instead of traditional market research, digital brands can leverage direct user feedback through comments, gameplay data, and community interactions. This provides authentic insights and eliminates the artificial environment of focus groups.

Timestamps
00:03:00 - 00:05:21 - From Civil Engineering to Marketing
00:05:21 - 00:08:48 - Why Choose Startups Over Traditional Companies?
00:08:48 - 00:15:31 - Why Finance Knowledge is Critical for Marketers
00:15:31 - 00:23:01 - Finance-First Marketing: Convincing CEOs with ROC & Margins
00:23:01 - 00:29:32 - Building Engagement Through Content & Context
00:29:32 - 00:34:19 - Does Content Marketing Work for Traditional Brands?
00:34:19 - 00:42:03 - Campaign Case Study: From Messaging to Entertainment
00:42:03 - 00:48:15 - Cracking the Gen Z Marketing Code
00:48:15 - 00:51:59 - Market Research in the Gaming Industry
00:51:59 - 01:00:51 - The Science Behind Viral Marketing
01:00:51 - 01:06:21 - The Future of Marketing Agencies
01:06:21 - 01:10:33 - Marketing Department of the Future
01:10:33 - 01:10:48 - What Success Means
01:10:48 - 01:11:11 - Best Advice Received
01:11:11 - 01:11:55 - Advice for College Students
01:11:55 - 01:13:58 - Dream Dinner Guests

This episode was made possible by the great folks at MovingWalls. Moving Walls provides a global Adtech platform built by Out-of-home advertising experts, automating the process of planning, buying, executing and measuring OOH campaigns, with a presence across four continents and seven markets. Visit https://www.movingwalls.com to learn more.

#MarketingStrategy, #FinanceForMarketers, #ViralMarketing, #GenZMarketing, #DigitalMarketing, #ContentMarketing, #GamingMarketing, #MarketingAnalytics, #BrandStrategy, #StartupMarketing, #ROIMarketing, #CustomerEngagement, #MarketingInnovation, #FutureOfMarketing, #MarketingLeadership, #battlegroundsmobileindia, #krafton

Listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Anchor | Google Podcasts
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For show notes and earlier guest interviews, please visit www.contraminds.com

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The Business of Education Marketing 

Burzeen Bhathena reveals how universities market themselves like top consumer brands, balancing competition, regional awareness, and multi-stakeholder needs. He explains why even well-known institutions must invest heavily in digital, print, and outreach campaigns to attract quality students and faculty. From parents and students to corporates and influencers, every audience requires a unique message.

Disruption, Technology & the Future
The conversation explores how EdTech, AI, and changing student expectations are reshaping education marketing. Burzeen shares how NMIMS uses AI-driven interviews, research-driven faculty branding, and corporate collaborations to stay ahead. He highlights lifelong learning, evolving marketing teams, and the importance of embracing technology for sustainable growth.

About Burzeen Bhathena
Burzeen is a strategic marketing leader with 21+ years of experience driving growth across education, automotive, media, and IT industries. As Director of Marketing & PR at NMIMS, he leads a 25+ member team, managing a ₹20+ crore budget to deliver double-digit enrollment growth through innovative, data-driven campaigns. A recognized educator and industry mentor, he bridges academia and corporate partnerships while championing digital transformation in the education sector.

5-Point Summary

✅ Education is Big Business – Universities now market like FMCG brands to stay competitive.
🎯 Different Audiences, Different Messages – Parents, students & corporates all need tailored campaigns.
💻 Digital First, But Not Digital Only – Smart media mixes still include print, radio & outreach.
🤖 AI & EdTech Are Reshaping Learning – From AI-driven interviews to hybrid learning models.
🔄 Lifelong Learning = Lifelong Customers – Alumni and upskilling programs create lasting value.

Timestamps

00:05:02:11  00:13:30:22  Why Switch From FMCG to Education Marketing?  
00:13:30:23  00:17:35:21  How Big Is India’s Education Marketing Budget?  
00:17:35:22  00:22:29:00  Do Colleges Even Need Marketing?  
00:22:29:01  00:30:05:07  How Do You Market to BOTH Parents & Students?  
00:30:05:08  00:32:10:02  Where Should Universities Spend Their Marketing Money?  
00:32:10:03  00:36:22:02  How Do You Attract Rockstar Professors?  
00:36:22:03  00:40:56:07  How to Make Corporates Prefer Your University?  
00:40:56:08  00:45:48:07  Will EdTech Kill Traditional Universities?  
00:45:48:08  00:51:48:23  What Marketing Tools Do Top Universities Use?  
00:51:48:24  00:58:53:04  What Does a University Marketing Team Look Like?  
00:58:53:05  01:03:03:17  Can Students Be Lifelong Customers?  
01:03:03:18  01:04:26:14  What Does Success Really Mean in Education?  
01:04:26:15  01:05:38:06  Best Advice for a 17-Year-Old Choosing a Career?  
01:05:38:07  01:07:13:15  How Do Marketers Learn & Stay Ahead?  
01:07:13:16  01:08:42:16  The Best Marketing Advice Burzeen Ever Got  


#EducationMarketing, #UniversityBranding, #EdTechRevolution, #DigitalMarketing, #AIinEducation, #HigherEdMarketing, #StudentRecruitment, #FutureOfEducation, #LifelongLearning, #MarketingStrategy, #CampusLife, #EducationTrends, #CorporatePartnerships, #LearningEcosystem, #EducationInnovation

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This episode was made possible by the great folks at MovingWalls. Moving Walls provides a global Adtech platform built by Out-of-home advertising experts, automating the process of planning, buying, executing and measuring OOH campaigns, with a presence across four continents and seven markets. Moving Walls processes more than 10 billion data points and measures more than 100,000 media sites across the globe. In 2017, APAC CIO Outlook listed us as one of the “10 Most Promising Digital Technology Solutions Providers”. Moving Walls is also a Tie50 winner, a listing of 50 most enterprising startups globally. Visit https://www.movingwalls.com to learn more.

Listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Anchor | Google Podcasts
Watch the full video episode on YouTube

For show notes and earlier guest interviews, please visit www.contraminds.com

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Consent, Compliance, and Conversational AI: Marketing's New Reality

Join us on The Super CMO Show, where we delve into the world of marketing with a special focus on consent-driven marketing, marketing skills needed in the future,  life lessons on personal development, excellence, and mastery with Nitin Seth, a renowned expert in the field of marketing, AI and technology. 

In this episode, Nitin shares his valuable insights on how to achieve consent-led marketing success for brands. He also shares his experience on lifelong learning, career development, and professional excellence. 

As a seasoned executive with a strong background in marketing and technology, Nitin offers unique perspectives on building successful brands, particularly in the Indian startup ecosystem. He also touches upon the importance of digital transformation, AI, and leadership lessons for entrepreneurs, founders, and CEOs. Tune in to learn how to Be Extraordinary and take your career to the next level with Nitin's expert advice on marketing skills, personal growth, and entrepreneurship.

In this episode, Nitin Seth, CEO of SMS Magic & Conversive, reveals how strict privacy regulations like GDPR and TCPA are forcing marketers to completely rebuild their customer engagement infrastructure around sophisticated consent management and AI-powered channel orchestration.  Most provocatively, Nitin argues that traditional mass-market branding is dead—replaced by direct customer experience and real-time engagement that requires marketers to master database marketing, social media management, and AI-driven personalization to survive in this privacy-first future.

About Nitin Seth: 
Nitin Seth (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nit-nit/)  is the CEO & Co-Founder of SMS Magic (https://www.sms-magic.com/)  & Conversive (https://www.beconversive.com/) .  

5 Key Takeaways for Marketers: 
1. Privacy Compliance Is Now Table Stakes, Not Optional
2. Consent Management Requires Sophisticated Digital Infrastructure
3. AI-Powered Channel Orchestration Is Replacing Single-Channel Thinking
4. Conversational AI Will Transform Brand Engagement Architecture
5. Traditional Branding Is Dead - Direct Customer Experience Is King

Timestamps
00:04:22 - 00:05:42 From IIT Engineer to Marketing Tech CEO: Nitin's Journey
00:05:42 - 00:08:37 Why Privacy-First Marketing Is Now Essential for Every Brand
00:08:38 - 00:10:45 Privacy Laws Then vs Now: What Changed for Marketers?
00:10:45 - 00:13:53 The Compliance Landscape: US vs European Marketing Rules
00:13:53 - 00:17:41 How Brands Actually Handle HIPAA and Privacy Compliance
00:17:41 - 00:20:49 What Every Marketer Must Know About Privacy Compliance
00:20:49 - 00:25:47 What Is "Consent" and Why It Matters for Your Marketing
00:25:47 - 00:30:22 Building Customer Preference Centers That Actually Work
00:30:22 - 00:34:36 How AI Can Make Privacy Compliance Easier (Not Harder)
00:34:36 - 00:39:49 Channel Orchestration: The Future of Customer Engagement
00:39:49 - 00:43:11 From Search to Conversations: How Customer Behavior Is Changing
00:43:11 - 00:47:32 Will ChatGPT Kill Google Ads? The Future of Lead Generation
00:47:32 - 00:48:58 How Conversational AI Will Transform Customer Experience
00:48:58 - 00:55:40 Building Brand-Specific AI Without Losing Customer Data
00:55:41 - 00:59:10 The New Marketing Architecture: Privacy + AI + Personalization
00:59:10 - 00:59:56 Essential Skills Every Marketer Needs for the Privacy Era
00:59:56 - 01:00:47 Tech Skills That Will Future-Proof Your Marketing Career
01:00:47 - 01:02:27 What Should 18-Year-Olds Learn for Marketing's Future?
01:02:27 - 01:04:19 The Death of Traditional Branding: One Professor's Prediction

#PrivacyFirstMarketing, #ConversationalAI, #MarketingCompliance, #CustomerEngagement, #AIMarketing, #DataPrivacy, #MarketingTech, #FutureOfMarketing, #ConsentManagement, #marketingautomation


This episode was made possible by the great folks at MovingWalls. Moving Walls provides a global Adtech platform built by Out-of-home advertising experts, automating the process of planning, buying, executing and measuring OOH campaigns, with a presence across four continents and seven markets.  Moving Walls is also a Tie50 winner, a listing of 50 most enterprising startups globally. Visit https://www.movingwalls.com to learn more.

Listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Anchor | Google Podcasts
Watch the full video episode on YouTube

For show notes and earlier guest interviews, please visit www.contraminds.com

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Website: www.contraminds.com

In today's fast-paced business landscape, marketing strategies often focus on driving sales and conversions. However, marketing leader Albert Almeida argues that marketing must go beyond just making people buy, and instead, make them believe. 

In this insightful episode, Albert shares his thoughts on the importance of building trust and credibility with your customers and target audience. He delves into the psychology of marketing, highlighting the need for brands to create an emotional connection with their customers. As the CMO of a leading insurance company in India, Albert Almeida has firsthand experience in building a strong brand identity that resonates with people. 

Listen in to learn valuable marketing skills and leadership lessons from a seasoned entrepreneur, and discover how to take your business to the next level. Whether you're a founder, entrepreneur, or simply looking to improve your marketing skills, striving for personal growth and professional excellence, or looking for career development advice as a marketer and wanting self-improvement, this episode is a must-listen.

The Journey from Content to Conversion

Akhil Almeida shares his remarkable journey from Virgin Records to becoming Head of Marketing at Bandhan Life Insurance. With over two decades of experience across music, market research, and financial services, Akhil reveals his core marketing philosophy: "Marketing isn't about selling. It's about making people believe." Tracing his pioneering work in predictive content intelligence at Kantar and E-commerce research panels tracking 60,000 online shoppers, Akhil demonstrates how understanding consumer behavior at a deep level is the foundation for building brands people genuinely care about.

Beyond Data: Creating Meaningful Marketing Strategies

Akhil identifies three critical skills modern marketers must master: 

1. Pattern recognition to spot cultural shifts before they go mainstream

2. Agility to pivot quickly when playbooks become outdated

3. Commercial acumen to articulate ROI to leadership: Using his experience transforming Bandhan Life Insurance, he illustrates how focusing on underserved segments like self-employed individuals (60% of India's workforce) created strategic advantage in a crowded market. 

Perhaps most valuably, Akhil emphasizes the crucial distinction between data and insight: "Data tells you what people do, insight tells you why they're doing it. Data without interpretation is just noise." Through practical examples of landing page optimization and brand-agency partnerships, he demonstrates how cultivating insight as a daily ritual ultimately drives marketing that shapes behavior, builds habits, and creates long-term brand value.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter (https://blog.contraminds.com) 

About Akhil Almeida

Akhil Almeida, now the Head of Marketing of Bandhan Life, is a dynamic leader with over two decades of experience in marketing, specializing in brand building, digital strategies, and consumer insights. 

Timestamps

00:01:45:13 - 00:05:57:08 From Virgin Records to Marketing Pro: Akhil's Journey (https://youtu.be/rJKP4lQtvRw?si=jyUh5r8U1OUo6pbZ) 

00:05:57:09 - 00:13:32:13 Predictive Content: The Next Big Thing in Marketing? (https://youtu.be/DnkGPuT9094?si=IROA6fxzhUf0iLNU) 

00:13:32:14 - 00:16:45:04 Data to Strategy: How Insights Shape a CMO's Success (https://youtu.be/0DH1pBTrMOg?si=4raCyDR2KOU7Giep) 

00:16:45:05 - 00:28:43:09 Decoding E-commerce: Secrets from an Early Pioneer (https://youtu.be/gS_FifmlzZs?si=vgmoDvQVcwaOCRJs) 

00:28:43:10 - 00:38:39:16 Must-Have Skills for (https://youtu.be/sVi4VPzUgNw?si=puLtnovu8qUD7U1D) 

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Watch the full video episode on YouTube

For show notes and earlier guest interviews, please visit www.contraminds.com

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In this insightful video, Prof. Prasad Naik shares the secret to marketing excellence: Unlocking Cross Media. By leveraging the power of performance marketing, content strategy, and conversion optimization, businesses can unlock new levels of ROI and brand management. Learn how to create a seamless marketing funnel, harness the power of a/b testing, and leverage marketing automation to drive results. Discover the importance of multichannel strategy, inbound marketing, and market analysis in driving business grow

🎯 Five Point ContraMinds Summary

 • Why math models are reshaping marketing: and how they amplify creative thinking rather than replace it
 • Media channels reinforce each other: the surprising reason you should invest more in your weakest media channels
 • Beyond awareness: Why sales and margins are the only metrics that truly matter to the C-suite
 • Breaking silos: How to structure marketing teams for both analytics and creativity
 • Future-ready marketing: Orchestrating media, math, and creative excellence in perfect harmony

Connect with Prof. Prasad Naik: https://gsm.ucdavis.edu/faculty/prasad-naik
Connect with Swami: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sivaraman-swaminathan-9856501/

Key Timestamps
04:03 - 08:44 How Did a Chemical Engineer Master Marketing?
08:44 - 14:11 The Secret to Mix Marketing Right
14:11 - 19:29 More Marketing Money For Less Effective Channels
19:29 - 20:32 Making Sense of Your Marketing Budget
20:32 - 25:19 Marketing: Short Term Wins vs Long Term Game
25:19 - 31:05 What Makes Mastercard’s Marketing Click
31:05 - 34:19 Getting Marketing Stakeholders to See Eye to Eye
34:19 - 38:28 Building Your Dream Marketing Team
38:28 - 46:43 Who Should Watch Marketing Spends?
46:43 - 51:29 The Power of Integrated Marketing Communication
51:29 - 55:28 Skills Future Marketers Must Possess
55:28 - 1:00:45 Accretive Effects of Cross Media Consumption
1:00:45 - 1:07:15 Co-founding the MSBA Course at UC Davis
1:07:15 - 1:12:57 What is Success?
1:12:57 - 1:13:45 Advice for Marketing Students
1:13:45 - 1:16:27 Best Advice Prof. Prasad Has Ever Received
1:16:27 - 1:21:04 Buddha, Chengis Khan, Shivaji, Dalai Lama & Schrodinger
1:21:04 - 1:26:04 What Prof. Prasad Believes That Other’s Seldom Do
1:26:04 - 1:28:31 Closing

About Prof. Prasad Naik
Professor Prasad Naik is a Chancellor's Fellow at UC Davis and co-founder of the Marketing Dynamics Conference who bridges marketing science and creative strategy through groundbreaking research. His work in integrated marketing communications and media optimization, published in prestigious journals like Marketing Science and Nature Reviews, has transformed how brands approach media allocation.

This episode was made possible by the great folks at ⁠MovingWalls⁠. Moving Walls provides a global Adtech platform built by Out-of-home advertising experts, automating the process of planning, buying, executing and measuring OOH campaigns, with a presence across four continents and seven markets. 

#ucdavis, #MarketingAnalytics, #MediaStrategy, #MarketingScience, #DataDrivenMarketing, #IntegratedMarketing, #MarketingROI, #BrandStrategy, #DigitalMarketing, #MarketingOptimization, #MediaMix, #MarketingInnovation, #BusinessAnalytics, #MarketingEffectiveness, #MarketingLeadership, #MarketingInsights #contraminds #supercmoshow #contramindspodcast

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For show notes and earlier guest interviews, please visit www.contraminds.com

To sign up for our weekly newsletter, please visit https://contraminds.substack.com/

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Website: www.contraminds.com

In this inspiring conversation, R.Sridhar, a renowned marketing legend from India, shares his profound thoughts on achieving creative excellence and staying relevant in the ever-evolving marketing landscape. With his rich experience in brand management and advertising, Sridhar offers valuable insights on branding mastery, effective marketing strategies, and advertising techniques that drive results. As a stalwart of Ogilvy and WPP, Sridhar's expertise in brand positioning, personal branding, and marketing principles is unparalleled. Tune in to learn how to craft compelling brand stories, stay ahead of the curve, and achieve advertising success. This podcast is a treasure trove of marketing wisdom, life lessons, and self-improvement takeaways that will inspire marketers, entrepreneurs, and anyone looking to

About the Guest
R. Sridhar enjoyed a remarkable 25-year tenure at the prestigious Ogilvy & Mather advertising agency in India, serving as a Director on the company's board. Over the course of his storied career, Sridhar had the privilege of being mentored by some of the industry's luminaries, including the legendary David Ogilvy, Drayton Bird, and S.R. Ayer. Ogilvy encouraged his people to hone their writing skills, which inspired Sridhar to immerse himself in the craft, reading extensively on techniques like simplification and readability improvement. Whether navigating the worlds of advertising, direct marketing, or entrepreneurship, Sridhar has remained steadfast in his commitment to continuous learning and creative problem-solving, making him a respected and versatile leader within his fields.

Five key takeaways from this episode:

Success in advertising comes from understanding human psychology and motivation, not just creative excellence. Sridhar's journey shows how deep consumer insights matter more than superficial industry expectations.

The best mentors don't just teach skills but help overcome self-limiting beliefs. David Ogilvy and Mani Ayer helped Sridhar see his perceived weaknesses as strengths.

Brand building requires holistic orchestration across all touchpoints. It's not just about communication but about aligning every aspect to build trust and influence behavior.

Leadership is about empowering teams through persuasion rather than authority. Sridhar's experiences show how giving people freedom within frameworks produces better results.

Career growth should focus on fulfillment rather than conventional success metrics. As Sridhar demonstrates, following your interests while staying open to learning leads to meaningful achievement.

⁠Connect with Sridhar⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsridharideasrs/
⁠Connect with Swami⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sivaraman-swaminathan-9856501/

Timestamps
2:20 - 5:48 Sridhar's Greatest Mentors: Life Lessons from His Father 
5:48 - 13:33 From Physics to Advertising: An Unexpected Career Path 
13:33 - 15:49 Marketing Mastery with Mani Iyer at Ogilvy 
15:49 - 26:19 Valuable Lessons Learning and Growing under Mani Iyer
26:19 - 28:58 Sridhar's First Meeting with David Ogilvy That Changed Everything 
37:22 - 40:14 Building Direct Marketing in Indian Advertising 
40:14 - 42:49 Decoding Brands with Drayton Bird at Ogilvy London 
42:49 - 45:05 A Lunch in Paris with David Ogilvy
5:05 - 47:43 David Ogilvy on Building a Marketing Career 
47:43 - 56:02 The Ad Campaign That Transformed Infosys 
56:02 - 57:37 What Goes Behind Great Brand Building 
57:37 - 1:00:51 Why Marketing Needs Orchestration: The Ogilvy Way 
1:00:51 - 1:03:08 How CMOs Can Build Integration and Orchestrated Thinking
1:03:08 - 1:05:21 Direct Marketing Principles for the Digital Age 
1:05:21 - 1:07:24 Today's CMO Must Speak the Language of Results
1:14:08 - 1:16:35 Corporate Leader to Independent Consultant Journey 
1:16:35 - 1:18:49 How Sridhar Spends His Time These Days
1:18:49 - 1:19:48 Being Different as Your Biggest Strength 
1:19:48 - 1:21:56 Essential Advice for Young Marketers 
1:21:56 - 1:22:36 What Success Really Means
1:22:36 - 1:24:30 A Message to 18-Year-Olds About Dreams 
1:24:30 - 1:26:27 The Best Career Advice Sridhar Ever Received 
1:26:27 - 1:28:25 Why Being Useful Never Gets Old

This episode was made possible by the great folks at MovingWalls.

Moving Walls provides a global Adtech platform built by Out-of-home advertising experts, automating the process of planning, buying, executing and measuring OOH campaigns, with a presence across four continents and seven markets. 

Visit https://www.movingwalls.com to learn more.
#AdvertisingLegends #MarketingMastery #BrandBuilding #Rsridhar #DavidOgilvy

Listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Anchor | Google Podcasts
Watch the full video episode on YouTube

For show notes and earlier guest interviews, please visit www.contraminds.com

To sign up for our weekly newsletter, please visit https://contraminds.substack.com/

Connect with us:
LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/contraminds/
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/contraminds
Website: www.contraminds.com

Google's AI Revolution in Digital Marketing | Exclusive Insights from Amita MehraIn this exciting episode of The Super CMO Show, we sit down with Amita Mehra, Head of Agency Business at Google, for a deep dive into the groundbreaking world of #ai  in digital marketing! With over 20 years of experience, Amita shares exclusive insights on how AI is transforming the #marketing  landscape and helping brands achieve remarkable success. 

What you'll learn in this episode:

►How Google's powerful AI tools are revolutionizing campaign optimization
►Why first-party data is more crucial than ever for marketers
►Game-changing strategies for thriving in the AI-driven marketing era
►The evolution of media agencies: From idea generators to solution facilitators and much more!

If you're a marketer looking to stay ahead of the curve, this episode is a must-watch. Amita’s expert advice will help you future-proof your career and unlock the full potential of AI in your #marketing campaigns.

About The Guest
Amita Mehra, Head of Agency Business at #Google, is a seasoned expert in the digital advertising landscape with over 20 years of industry experience. For the past 15 years, she has been at the forefront of Google's digital advertising initiatives across the APAC region, leveraging her expertise in campaign management, business analysis, and project operations to drive innovation and success. As a Business Process Improvement professional with a keen analytical mind, Amita excels in creating end-to-end sales processes and fostering global collaboration. Her leadership at Google continues to shape the future of digital marketing, guiding agencies and clients through the complexities of AI-driven strategies, data analytics, and integrated planning to achieve unprecedented marketing success in the digital age.

⁠Connect with Amita on LinkedIN⁠:   / amita-mehra-54945150  
⁠Connect with Swami on LinkedIN⁠:   / sivaraman-swaminathan-9856501  

Timestamps
00:03:31 - 00:06:22  How does Google support media agencies?
00:06:22 - 00:11:30  Why is marketing experimentation crucial?
00:11:30 - 00:17:31  How to develop a data-driven mindset?
00:17:31 - 00:20:52  What changes does AI bring to marketing?
00:20:52 - 00:24:26  How to build first-party data infrastructure?
00:24:26 - 00:29:28  Main challenges in first-party data adoption?
00:29:28 - 00:35:23  How to optimize campaigns with Google's AI tools?
00:35:23 - 00:38:30  How are media agency roles evolving?
00:38:30 - 00:44:43  What new skills do marketers need in the AI era?
00:44:43 - 00:49:22  Benefits of integrated marketing planning?
00:49:22 - 00:51:55  Example of successful AI-powered marketing?
00:51:55 - 00:52:49  Top three future skills for digital marketers?
00:52:49 - 00:53:28  Advice for university marketing students?
00:53:28 - 00:54:26  Most valuable career advice you've received?
00:54:26 - 00:56:18  Where to learn about AI-driven marketing?
00:56:18 - 00:57:10  Google's resources for marketing creativity?

This episode was made possible by the great folks at MovingWalls.

Moving Walls provides a global Adtech platform built by Out-of-home advertising experts, automating the process of planning, buying, executing and measuring OOH campaigns, with a presence across four continents and seven markets. 

Moving Walls processes more than 10 billion data points and measures more than 100,000 media sites across the globe. In 2017, APAC CIO Outlook listed us as one of the “10 Most Promising #digital  Technology Solutions Providers”. Moving Walls is also a Tie50 winner, a listing of 50 most enterprising startups globally. 

Visit https://www.movingwalls.com to learn more.

#AIDigitalMarketing, #GoogleAI, #MarketingInnovation, #DigitalMarketingTips, #FutureOfMarketing, #AIInMarketing,#MarketingStrategy, #MarketingInsights, #DataDrivenMarketing, #MarketingTrends,#SuperCMOShow,#FirstPartyData,#AIRevolution,#DigitalTransformation,#TechInMarketing #onlinemarketingtools , #digitalmarketingtools, #chatgpt, #digitalmarketing, #ai, #digital  #marketing

Listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Anchor | Google Podcasts
Watch the full video episode on YouTube

For show notes and earlier guest interviews, please visit www.contraminds.com

To sign up for our weekly newsletter, please visit https://contraminds.substack.com/

Connect with us:
LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/contraminds/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/contraminds/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/contraminds
Website: www.contraminds.com