Products can be copied.Content can be generated.Distribution can be bought. Technology is available to everyone.
So what still builds a lasting brand advantage?
That's the question I explored with Naiyya Saggi at SMARTIES Unplugged, in our fireside chat on "Building the Brand Moat: Creativity, Technology & Effectiveness." The full conversation is now live on MMA APAC YouTube channel.
From BabyChakra to EDT, Naiyya has built around community, consumer insight, trust and technology. Two things she said have stayed with me.
1. Personalise the journey, not just the message.
At EDT and with Luma, personalisation isn't something added on at the end. It shapes the whole experience a customer goes through. When the brand feels like it was built around you, it's very hard for a competitor to copy that relationship.
2. Bravery is a strategy.
Naiyya and her team have made bold choices that are rewriting the codes of their category. Most brands follow the category codes. Brands that last are brave enough to rewrite them. Copying a product is easy. Copying the conviction behind it is much harder.
A few more ideas from our conversation:
#Trust is a business asset. It shows up when customers come back, recommend you and forgive you.
#Technology makes an idea bigger. It doesn't make it distinctive. It should scale an idea without flattening the brand.
#Reach is not the scoreboard. Look at retention, pricing power, customer value and growth.
#AI is everywhere, so it isn't the advantage on its own. As a SMARTIES juror, I see AI in almost every entry now. As execution gets easier, the edge moves to insight, judgment, taste and courage.
My takeaway: a campaign can win you a quarter. A brand that is personal, trusted and brave enough to redefine its category can win you a decade.
Thank you, Naiyya, for a candid and generous conversation, and to MMA IndiaMoneka Khurana and the SMARTIES team for hosting it.
To watch the full session link in the first comment.
Which brand do you think has been brave enough to rewrite its category's rules?
Amazing to see the pictures and have heard great feedback about the event. Congratulations Ranjana K.and the MMA India team for such an insightful event.
Last Friday, the strongmetrics team attended SMARTIES India 2026, the flagship event by MMA India, joining industry leaders and innovators to celebrate marketing excellence and explore how technology, creativity and data are shaping the future of marketing.
A key highlight was the launch of 101 AI in Marketing Use Cases, a curated learning library designed to help marketers understand how AI is being applied across the industry to drive meaningful, measurable impact. We are proud to be a Council Member of this initiative, contributing to a larger industry conversation on the practical applications and possibilities of AI in marketing.
Representing strongmetrics at the launch were Nimit C., Founder & CEO; HARSH SHARMA, Lead – Product & Engineering; and Nafisa Shaheen, Lead – PR & Marketing.
As AI continues to transform the marketing landscape, we look forward to contributing to initiatives that move beyond the hype, encourage knowledge-sharing and spotlight real-world applications that deliver business impact.
Here’s to shaping what’s next for marketing, together.
What if a plate could reveal the hunger we don’t see?
We’re pleased to announce that HungerWare Collection: The Plates That Serve Truth, part of India Gate Basmati Rice’s Grains of Hope initiative, has won at MMA India SMARTIES 2026 in the Social Impact Marketing category.
At the heart of the campaign was a striking plate visual that brought the realities of hunger and food insecurity into focus. By turning an everyday dining object into a powerful conversation starter, HungerWare highlighted the importance of child nutrition and our mission of 'Grains of Hope'initiative to support mid-day meals, helping ensure that no child’s aspirations are limited by a lack of nourishment.
The panelists unpacked why scaling AI successfully requires far more than technology alone – demanding clear business strategy, mature digital capabilities and an unwavering focus on human insight to drive real impact. Thanks to MMA India for a fantastic event.
Lloyd, thanks for a comfortable SMARTIES organised yesterday and congratulations to you and your team on a lovely Friday where we could freely mingle and exchange knowledge. Really appreciate your guidance throughout the submissions and the win. Myntra client went back happy.
Hi Lloyd,Thank you so much for being such a wonderful partner throughout SMARTIES Unplugged and the Leadership Roundtable.We truly appreciated the opportunity to be part of the conversation and connect with the industry in a meaningful way. Thank you to you and the team for a well-executed event and a seamless experience throughout.
Looking forward to the event report and future opportunities to work together.
Can a regular commute become a media moment for brands? Uber Advertising surely thinks so.
The newly launched mobility platform in India believes that where consumers are going can matter as much as who they are. However, when does contextual relevance step into the realm of intrusive targeting?
During a fireside chat at MMA India SMARTIES Unplugged 2026, Uber Advertising’s head, Arpit Tyagi, discussed the promise of reaching consumers at the right moment, and the responsibility to ensure advertising doesn’t compromise the ride. Read more on Campaign India.
