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Time For A Reset Marketing Podcast: Insights from Global Brand MarketersAuthor: Overline
Welcome to Time for a Reset, the marketing podcast that gets behind the thinking of the industrys sharpest leaders who are shaping the worlds most iconic brands. We ask the big questions: What does it take to drive real change? How do you stay ahead when the ground keeps shifting? From changing consumer expectations to marketings growing role on the board agenda, each episode digs into what matters now and whats coming next. Expect smart conversations, practical takeaways, and a fresh perspective on what it means to lead in todays marketing landscape. New episodes drop regularly. Tune in, reset your thinking, and get ready to turn strategy into action. Language: en-us Genres: Business, Careers, Marketing Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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99 - The Renaissance of Marketing in the Age of AI with Raja Rajamannar, Mastercard
Monday, 30 March, 2026
In this episode of Time for a Reset: Insights from Global Brand Marketers, brought to you by Overline, host Fiona Davis speaks with Raja Rajamannar, Senior Fellow and former CMO of Mastercard and one of the most influential voices in modern marketing, about the urgent need to reset the marketing function.Raja argues that marketing has not just lost influence, it has lost credibility. He traces this back to a fundamental disconnect between marketing and business outcomes, where marketers failed to understand financial drivers, revenue models, and the language of the C-suite. As a result, CEOs have lost trust, new roles like Chief Growth Officer have emerged, and marketing has been pushed out of strategic decision-making.Drawing on his experience leading Mastercard’s transformation into one of the world’s fastest-growing brands, Raja introduces the idea of “Quantum Marketing”, a reimagining of the entire marketing value chain, from insights to customer engagement. He shares how shifting from traditional advertising to immersive, multisensory experiences helped reposition marketing as a growth engine rather than a cost centre.From redefining the capabilities of modern marketers to rethinking how marketing is taught in business schools, this episode offers a candid and forward-looking perspective for leaders navigating a rapidly changing landscape.Raja Rajamannar spent over a decade at Mastercard, transforming the brand into one of the fastest-growing and most valuable in the world. He is currently a Senior Fellow and former CMO at Mastercard and an Executive Fellow at both Harvard Business School and Yale School of Management, where he is focused on reimagining the future of marketing. With a career spanning leadership roles across companies like Unilever, Citibank, and Mastercard, Raja is widely recognised for pioneering the concept of “Quantum Marketing” and for bringing a deeply commercial, data-driven, and innovation-led approach to modern marketing.Topics Covered:Why marketing has lost credibility and influence in the C-suiteThe disconnect between marketing activity and business outcomesThe rise of performance marketing and its limitationsWhy marketers must become general managers, not specialistsThe concept of “Quantum Marketing” and resetting the value chainHow Mastercard transformed marketing into a growth driverThe shift from advertising to experiential and multisensory marketingWhy AI and technology level the playing field for companiesCreativity and human connection as the next competitive advantageThe future role of marketing as a cross-functional, strategic driverThe evolving skillset required for modern marketing leadersEpisode Chapters:00:00 Intro and meet Raja Rajamannar02:08 Resetting the Entire Marketing Function06:13 Why Marketing Has Lost Its Influence10:41 Capabilities of a Strategic Marketer17:59 AI, Technology, and the Future of Differentiation20:28 Transforming Marketing at Mastercard27:09 A Defining Career Moment in Sales31:16 The Future of Marketing as a Function33:40 Skills for the Marketer of Tomorrow36:07 Staying Relevant in a Changing IndustryIf you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, rate, and review on Support the show
