Raja Rajamannar
Coverage of Raja Rajamannar in the Nexus archive.
- Traditional advertising is dead, says the marketer who cut Mastercard's ad budget by 70%
Raja Rajamannar, Mastercard's Senior Fellow, permanently reduced the company's advertising budget by 70%, shifting funds to consumer experiences and engagement programs. He argues traditional advertising is ineffective due to consumer overload and distraction, advocating for creativity and human connection in marketing.
- Mastercard's former CMO says we're entering a 'golden era' for marketing
Raja Rajamannar, Mastercard's former chief marketing and communications officer, discusses AI's dual role as a threat and opportunity in marketing. He warns of a 'sea of sameness' from AI-generated content but emphasizes the growing importance of creativity and consumer insight to differentiate brands.
- CMOs are getting more responsibility — without power
A Lippincott study of 541 global CMOs reveals that 80% face bureaucratic hurdles in decision-making and 84% struggle to align stakeholders with marketing vision, despite rising job titles like CGO. CMOs report low autonomy (44%) and a 'trust problem' in the C-suite regarding marketing's financial impact, exacerbated by AI-driven analytics prioritizing short-term results over long-term brand building.