AI, Data, and the Future of Marketing
Mastercard’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Raja Rajamannar unpacks how AI, data, and human creativity are reshaping marketing—and why the CMO’s role must evolve to survive.
Listen to the episode
Mastercard’s Raja Rajamannar warned early that marketing faced an existential crisis. In this conversation, he outlines how data, AI, and creativity must now work together to prove business impact and drive real connection. His vision—of sensory experiences, measurable outcomes, and AI-augmented storytelling—has become the blueprint for marketing’s next decade.
Key takeaways:
- CMOs at a Crossroads: The marketing function must prove direct business impact through data—or risk irrelevance.
- Creativity Meets AI: Automation and AI already compress campaign cycles from weeks to hours, forcing marketers to re-imagine how creativity scales.
- Experiential Branding: In a world where ads are ignored, brands win by embedding themselves into culture through sensory and lifestyle experiences.
About the guest
Raja Rajamannar, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer and President, Healthcare Business, Mastercard
A global marketing leader recognized among Forbes’ World’s Most Influential CMOs, Raja Rajamannar has led Mastercard’s transformation into a data-driven, experience-based brand. He is the author of Quantum Marketing and a pioneer in AI-powered, multi-sensory brand design across digital and physical channels.
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