The best marketing hook has programmatic, contextual & emotional elements: Deepti Dang

Deepti Dang, Lead, HP WW Studio, spoke to e4m about the unprecedented rise of digital and the way brands can stay relevant during these turbulent times. 

Excerpts: 

How has the marketing landscape changed in the last year?  

People have been very swift in changing their strategies which works for the benefit of the market and the consumer. Consumer behaviour changed amazingly fast and the way the market reacted is way ahead than, I thought, folks in the marketing and brand fraternity will be able to. They quickly analysed the situation and aligned the media money and the brand-speak to what the consumer mind is thinking about.   

Brands need to constantly create immersive content to stay relevant; what is the best way to do it?  

I come from an era that was not digital, so I converted myself into it and today that is the reason I like working with the millennials because they keep challenging what I say. Digital comes with a complete science and algorithm, which is based on insights. 

Today, if you are doing something that is not contextual and programmatic, then you are throwing your money away. It is important for each marketer to take a leap of faith and learn because it is an ever-evolving market and what happens in the morning in digital might not happen in the evening. How the consumer reacts to the market at a particular hour might not be one-size-fits-all. Once the programmatic, contextual and emotional hook is done right, you are sorted.  

It’s often that the leadership in the tech world has a stark gender disparity. Your views? 

For a well -balanced board, it's imperative that diversity needs to be deep-rooted in meritocracy and aligned with strategy. In the business world, women leaders are still a minority. This statement comes as no surprise to most of us; what is somewhat surprising and alarming is that men outpace women in leadership roles across every sector in the world: corporate, nonprofit, government, education, medicine and military. Needless to mention, our workforce should reflect the diverse world we all inhabit, and as business leaders, we are wholly responsible for executing this vision.

Leaders can reset the pitch at the top echelons when it comes to gender parity and essentially make it a priority throughout an entire organization. One should feel empowered to challenge women in the workplace while supporting a modernized and flexible working environment where everyone can thrive, be themselves, and balance a successful career with their lives outside of work.  

Do you agree that Covid-19 has enforced a new work culture and moved leaders to become mentors? 

In a fast-paced realm, where results mean everything, things are often running at an unprecedented pace and are sometimes ambiguous and difficult to interpret. Each individual needs to step up and be responsible for his or her own task.

A professional culture that thrives on meeting new people, learning new skills and finding a deeper meaning in work harbingers on mentoring and is surely bound to succeed. An inclusive, collaborative work environment where the workforce gets the space to grow and develop is a positive outcome of structured mentoring. Inclusive workplaces that eschew the often confined constraints of hierarchy and embrace collaboration are the ones where mentoring thrives. A linear semblance of ideas, flat hierarchies, honest feedback, and transparent leadership can foster a culture where mentors outnumber bosses. 

What is the brand vision for HP WW Studio for 2021?  

We have a very clear understanding with our global folks that we are not going back to office because it is us and our family’s health first unless we are a hundred percent sure that things are in a space where people can travel, especially the one using the local transport. Whenever we get to work, we will make sure that we give our people the call to work from wherever they are comfortable at and from wherever they can deliver the best.  

How do you see the gender disparity in the corporate world? 

I can say with my head held high that HP as an organization believes in inclusion and equality. You will be hired because you need and deserve respect. There is a reason I have been here for the last 16 years and I have enjoyed every role of mine. Be it retail marketing or PR, this is one thing that I take a lot of pride in.