FMCG brands tapped into cultural relevance, local trends this year: Somasree Bose Awasthi

Reflecting on this past year, Somasree Bose Awasthi, CMO, Marico Ltd, sees the FMCG landscape underscoring the importance of agility to understand and swiftly adapt to consumers’ evolving needs and expectations.

She further remarked that modern consumers value personalised experiences, and increasingly seek brands that resonate with their values and lifestyles. “We recognised that by focusing on cultural relevance and tapping into local trends, brand can cultivate a deeper sense of loyalty among consumers. Through campaigns like #IssDiwaliChamakUtho and #PujoReadyWithNihar, our brands were instrumental in fostering authentic connections with consumers,” she added.

According to Bose Awasthi, aligning a brand with a clear purpose creates a further deeper emotional connection with consumers, making the brand a significant part of their lives. “This purpose-driven approach fosters loyalty and long-term relationships by resonating with consumers’ shared values. A recent example of this is our ‘Step-Up For Your Heart’ campaign conducted on World Heart Day,” she added.

Bose Awasthi observed, “One of the most significant changes is the increasing emphasis on digital transformation. With growing internet penetration and the rise of e-commerce and social media platforms, advanced digital tools and data-driven insights were central to curate customised and engaging campaigns.”

Additionally, a blend of physical stores and online platforms has enabled consumers to engage with brands across a variety of platforms. Digitisation, whether in-store, on e-commerce sites, or on social media.

Bose Awasthi emphasized, “Thus, brands should place increased emphasis on seamless omnichannel marketing strategies that create a unified customer experience, regardless of where the consumer is interacting with the brand.”