The Marketing Couch: Episode 11Meet Ambi Parameswaran, Brand Strategist, CEO Coach, and former CEO of FCB Ulka, who has spent 40 years building legendary brands across India. From being one of the first IIT-IIM graduates to choose advertising in the 1970s to turning FCB Ulka into a top-three marketing communications group, Ambi brings an unmatched perspective on what actually builds lasting brands.In this episode of The Marketing Couch, Ambi shares the timeless principles behind brand building that work across eras—and why most marketers get seduced by tools instead of focusing on fundamentals.What you'll learn🔸 The Marketing Mixology framework: Four essential skills every marketer needs to master (and why negotiation is crucial in B2B)🔸 How brand building fundamentals haven't changed from Doordarshan to YouTube (despite what digital natives think)🔸 The "better mousetrap" fallacy: Why great products don't sell themselves and what startups get wrong about go-to-market🔸 Personal branding reality check: Why starting with social media is backwards (and what comes first)🔸 Owned media economics: Why building great content isn't enough if no one sees it🔸 The pivot decision: How to know when to double down vs. when to change direction (lessons from Myntra's transformation)🔸 Brand experience orchestration: Why it takes a village to deliver on brand promises (the Maruti showroom lesson)🔸 The data vs. insight gap: Why digital data shows what customers do, but you still need to meet them to understand whyWhere to find Ambi Parameswaran• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparameswaran/• Website: https://www.brand-building.com/• Facebook: facebook.com/ambi.parameswaranWhere to find Jaydip Sikdar• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaydipsikdar/• X: https://x.com/jaydipsikdar
Timestamps
00:00 Intro
00:40 Navigating Brand Building in a Digital Age
04:01 The Journey of an Advertising Veteran
06:51 The Evolution of Marketing Skills
09:54 Marketing Mixology: Key Ingredients for Success
12:58 Negotiation: The Art of Closing Deals
15:53 Understanding Consumer Behavior
18:42 The Shift in Brand Building Strategies
21:55 B2B vs B2C: The Storytelling Revolution
29:33 Understanding B2C and B2B Branding Dynamics
33:09 The Evolution of Media and Distribution Strategies
38:05 Navigating the Complexities of Product Marketing
42:21 The Importance of Personal Branding
46:38 Bridging the Gap Between Education and Industry
49:14 Common Mistakes in Startup Branding and Marketing
51:43 Enhancing B2B Brand Experience
55:12 Transitioning Careers: From Corporate to Consulting
01:01:31 Preparing for the Future of Marketing Careers
Key takeawaysBrand fundamentals are timeless: Whether it's Doordarshan or YouTube, brands need consistent storytelling and clear positioning to occupy mental space.The four marketing skills: Understanding consumers, brand building, negotiation, and communication remain core regardless of technological changes.Distribution trumps creation: In the digital age, spend 80% of your budget promoting content, 20% creating it.Personal branding starts with strategy: Define what you stand for before touching social media, not the other way around.For inquiries about the podcast, contact geetha@unstopppable.club.This Marketing video is part of 'The Marketing Couch' podcast series. Subscribe if you are a B2B Marketer, want to grow your career in B2B marketing, B2B Sales, Product Marketing, Startup Marketing, AI Marketing, or you want to keep track of the latest trends in B2B Marketing, or you are a startup founder figuring out where and how to start marketing.#BrandBuilding #MarketingStrategy #B2BMarketing #PersonalBranding #StartupMarketing #MarketingMixology #TheMarketingCouch #AdvertisingLegends #BrandStrategy #MarketingLeadership #FCBUlka #CareerTransition #MarketingFundamentals