The future of marketing lies in creating seamless, branded ecosystems: Gaurav Ramdev

In the ever-evolving digital landscape in India, Protean eGov Technologies has quietly played a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s digital infrastructure. From powering pensions to facilitating PAN card issuance, Protean’s impact is felt by millions of Indians every day. To bring this story to life, Protean recently launched a unique campaign, titled ‘Apni Kahaani ka Hero’, featuring actor Pankaj Tripathi.

In this interaction with Adgully, Gaurav Ramdev, Chief Growth & Marketing Officer, Protean, delves into the intricacies of this innovative campaign, shedding light on the role of AI in shaping Protean’s storytelling, and sharing his vision for the future of marketing in the digital age.

Ramdev, a seasoned marketing leader at Protean, is at the forefront of driving brand awareness and customer engagement. With a deep understanding of the evolving digital landscape, he has spearheaded several groundbreaking initiatives, including the recent ‘Apni Kahaani ka Hero’ campaign. This interview explores Protean’s journey of digital transformation, the challenges and opportunities presented by the evolving digital landscape, and the company’s vision for the future, where technology empowers individuals and shapes a more inclusive digital India.

What are the headwinds and tailwinds that you see shaping the Fintech sector in 2025?

The marketing and advertising sector is at its fascinating best. We are seeing successful tailwinds like the advent of AI and its proper use in content and copy generation. A decade ago, we viewed digital transformation and digital media as an afterthought, a mere sprinkle on the final dish. Now, more and more brands are becoming digital-first brands.

The use of AI in marketing is a strong tailwind, driving digital transformation towards digital-first content. DTH subscriber decline highlights the shift in consumer behavior. Digital transformation is accelerating rapidly, especially with AI democratizing creativity.

Previously, marketing involved lengthy agency briefs and months-long production cycles. Now, with AI tools and streamlined processes, this can be achieved in weeks.

However, this decentralization of creativity also presents challenges:

• Increased Expectations: Brands must now compete with high-quality user-generated content powered by AI.
• Shrinking Attention Spans: Demands for hyper-personalized content will increase, requiring marketers to focus on compelling storytelling and emotional connections.
• The Rise of N=1: The goal shifts from mass reach to individual targeting. Marketers must deliver highly personalized experiences, addressing the unique interests of each individual consumer (e.g., serving an education loan ad to a student).

Please elaborate on the ‘Apni Kahaani ka Hero’ campaign. What is the core concept behind the campaign? Which agency has worked on the campaign, and what was the creative brief given to the agency?

Two years ago, I joined Protean Egov Technologies with the goal of building a strong brand identity. Since then, a key question has been: “What is Protean?”

Our initial rebranding campaign, ‘change is growth’, communicated the shift from NSDL Egov to Protean, emphasizing our evolution into a technology company building digital public infrastructure for India. This campaign aimed to showcase our innovation and agility, positioning Protean as a provider of a diverse range of digital public infrastructure products.

However, while people interacted with our services (like NPS, PAN issuance, eKYC), they often lacked a comprehensive understanding of Protean’s overall capabilities.

This year, we launched a new campaign, ‘Protean: Impacting everyone, Every day’, with a human-centric approach. We partnered with Pankaj Tripathi, a renowned actor, to tell the story of how Protean enables the aspirations of everyday Indians, from a young student in Bhubaneswar to a retired pensioner in West Bengal.

This campaign, crafted by Ogilvy, highlights Protean’s role as an enabler, empowering individuals to achieve their goals. We believe, this campaign will effectively communicate Protean’s value proposition to the Indian public.

In most celebrity endorsements, the celebrity plays the protagonist. However, in Protean’s campaign, Pankaj Tripathi portrays the role of a narrator. How does this approach align with Protean’s brand identity and messaging?

Our approach to celebrity endorsement was unconventional. Instead of selecting a celebrity to be the protagonist, we chose Pankaj Tripathi to embody the ordinary Indian.

We sought to tell the story of an average person, someone from a small town with big dreams, much like Pankaj Tripathi’s own inspiring journey from a small village in Bihar to Bollywood stardom. This resonated deeply with Protean’s mission, which is to empower everyday Indians.

Pankaj Tripathi’s role in the campaign is not as a hero, but as a ‘sutradhar’ – a storyteller. He narrates the stories of 1.45 billion Indians, showcasing how Protean enables their aspirations. This approach reflects Protean’s brand values: humility, authenticity, and a focus on empowering individuals rather than self-promotion.

Protean has been a silent worker in building the foundation of Digital India for 28 years, much like Pankaj Tripathi’s journey of quiet dedication and hard work. This partnership aligns perfectly with Protean’s commitment to empowering individuals and enabling a better future for all.

How is Protean addressing the issue of digital literacy among its user base?

Technology adoption follows a curve. Initially, early adopters drive word-of-mouth, followed by gradual mass adoption. This is evident in the evolution of platforms like Instagram and Facebook, which took over a decade to achieve widespread usage.

Even seemingly rapid advancements like Aadhaar and UPI have taken years to reach mass adoption. Similarly, the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is demonstrating this gradual scaling.

Several factors influence digital adoption, including:

• Digital Literacy: The ability to navigate digital platforms and understand online information is crucial.
• Vernacular Support: Access to information and services in local languages is essential for widespread adoption.
• Trust and Security: Building trust in digital platforms and ensuring data security are paramount.

Protean plays a crucial role in fostering digital adoption by:

• Establishing Trust: We emphasize transparency and security in all our communications and operations.
• Building a Strong Brand: Our logo and brand identity serve as a seal of trust for consumers.
• Focusing on User Experience: We prioritize user-friendly interfaces and provide offline support channels.

While mass adoption takes time, initiatives like ONDC and government-led digital literacy programs are accelerating the process.

It is important to remember that digital adoption is a continuous journey, not an overnight event. By focusing on building trust, improving user experience, and addressing digital literacy concerns, Protean can effectively contribute to the growth of a truly inclusive digital India.

As your campaign is digital-first, how do you plan to address the challenge of ad fatigue in today’s age of digital saturation?

In today’s digital world, a digital-first approach is no longer a choice, but a necessity. However, this presents a significant challenge: consumer overload. With countless messages vying for attention, cutting through the noise requires a strategic approach.

Protean addresses this by prioritizing high-quality content that resonates with our audience. We focus on authentic storytelling, emphasizing emotional connections and creativity over flashy, short-lived ads. This shift in focus aims to build meaningful relationships with our audience rather than simply delivering advertisements.

Furthermore, we leverage data-driven targeting to ensure our messages reach the right individuals. By moving beyond traditional demographic segmentation, we focus on interest-based targeting. This allows us to connect with individuals based on their specific interests, regardless of age or location.

To further enhance our reach, we are exploring innovative formats and platforms. This includes venturing into new areas like meme marketing and podcast integrations, while also leveraging influencer marketing to amplify our message.

In essence, our strategy revolves around creating compelling content that resonates with our audience, utilizing data-driven insights to effectively target our messages, and exploring innovative channels to reach our target audience. By focusing on building meaningful connections rather than simply delivering advertisements, we believe Protean can effectively navigate the evolving digital landscape and achieve sustained success.

Given Protean’s increased focus on digital marketing initiatives like podcasts and meme marketing, what kind of marketing and advertising budget and media mix have you planned for 2025?

While I can’t disclose the exact budget figures due to our public listing, I can provide some context.

Our campaign aims to reach approximately 30 million consumers, focusing on individuals with high interest in finance, government affairs, and Indian news. This will involve a multi-channel digital approach, with minimal offline spend.

Our offline activities will be strategically targeted towards key decision-makers in the BFSI sector through print and outdoor campaigns.

The core of our campaign focuses on digital channels, with a planned reach of 30 million consumers and a frequency cap of 25 impressions per consumer over 12 weeks. This translates to a significant number of impressions.

To maintain engagement and avoid campaign fatigue, we will introduce a variety of content formats, including more than 15-18 different creative executions featuring Pankaj Tripathi. This dynamic approach will ensure the campaign remains fresh and engaging throughout its duration.

How AI is shaping the storytelling aspect for brands and how is Protean leveraging AI?

AI is significantly impacting our storytelling at Protean. We’ve integrated it deeply across our workflow, starting with the very foundation of our campaigns. For instance, we used AI tools like Meta’s Imagine and ChatGPT to develop the creative brief for our recent campaign, transforming a traditional document into an immersive experience that effectively communicated the essence of digital public infrastructure.

Beyond the initial brief, AI is instrumental in content creation. We leverage AI to generate blog posts, craft compelling social media captions, and design visually appealing imagery. Tools like Canva and Adobe Creative Suite are integrated into our workflow to enhance the creative process.

However, we view AI not merely as a tool for increased efficiency, but as a creative co-pilot. It assists us in every aspect of our work, from drafting emails to planning social media calendars and even developing intricate campaign strategies.

Furthermore, AI plays a crucial role in our pursuit of personalized storytelling. We are moving beyond broad audience targeting and leveraging AI to understand individual interests and preferences, enabling us to deliver highly personalized messages and experiences. This aligns with our vision of achieving “N=1” personalization, where each individual receives content tailored specifically to their unique needs and interests.

Finally, AI is instrumental in enhancing our reputation management efforts. We utilize AI-powered tools to monitor online conversations, analyze sentiment, and proactively address customer concerns. This includes leveraging AI-powered chatbots and agents to automate responses to common customer inquiries on social media, improving efficiency and enhancing customer experience.

In essence, AI is not a replacement for human creativity at Protean; it's an invaluable partner that empowers our team to push creative boundaries, deliver personalized experiences, and build stronger relationships with our audience.

According to you, what will be the next major disruptor in digital marketing? How is Protean preparing for it?

The future of marketing lies in creating seamless, branded ecosystems. Today, customer experiences vary significantly across different platforms (e-commerce websites, marketplaces, etc.). However, I envision a future where these experiences are interconnected, creating a consistent and trustworthy brand experience regardless of the platform.

This integrated ecosystem will be further enhanced by immersive technologies. With advancements in 5G and beyond, we can expect a surge in augmented and virtual reality experiences. Imagine trying on a shoe virtually, experiencing a financial product through an interactive simulation – these immersive experiences will deepen customer engagement and build stronger brand loyalty.

Ultimately, the goal is to shift from a product-centric approach to a customer-centric one. Instead of pushing products, we should focus on understanding and fulfilling customer needs. This can be achieved by creating an ecosystem where customers can easily find and access the products and services that best suit their needs, all within a trusted and seamless environment.

Imagine a future where a single search bar on a brand’s website is all a customer needs to find any product or service offered by that brand. This vision represents a future where technology empowers brands to truly understand and serve their customers in a personalized and meaningful way.