5 Minutes with… Subodh Deshpande
Subodh Deshpande’s journey from the world of theatre to chief strategy officer at DDB Singapore reflects a deep sense of creativity and empathy.
His passion for humanising brands stems from his belief in the power of radical love, driving his contribution to the wider creative community. His collaborative approach and commitment to innovation and inclusivity position him as a leader in branding excellence.
Along with expertise in brand transformation, utopian branding principles, and harnessing behavioural intelligence, Subodh is also the co-author of ‘Utopia Brands’. Speaking with LBB, he shares his vision for crafting authentic brand narratives and shaping the future of marketing strategy.
LBB> Would you say you’ve always been a creative person?
Subodh> They say that middle children often develop a rich inner world as they seek to stand apart from their older and younger siblings, encouraging their imagination to flourish and fostering creativity. I strongly believe this is true in my case.
I pursued theatre before coming into advertising and recently published my poetry. There was always an instinct to make something from nothing. I love that the advertising product is fundamentally an act of imagination. This is why I love the business of creativity.
LBB> What inspired your transition from advertising to consulting, particularly your move to Innate Motion, and how has this shift influenced your approach to brand building and strategy?
Subodh> I was attracted to Innate Motion’s approach of transforming brand teams via a journey rooted in empathy. Brands are nothing but powerful feelings and emotions. A brand is an idea you buy into.
I was really curious and eager to help brand teams develop this collective consciousness of why they are here. It was very useful to become the guide to shape these emotions.
As a result, today, I see brand communication as much more than the execution of clever ideas and production wizardry. It is the opportunity to offer a brand to the world's people because of what it represents: courage, empowerment, brotherhood, delirious joy, a chance to grieve, and a time to be brave.
LBB> As a co-author of "Utopia Brands," a book shortlisted for Marketing Book of the Year, could you share some key insights or principles from the book that you believe are particularly relevant in today's marketing landscape?
Subodh> The book ‘Utopia Brands,’ which I co-authored with Benoit Beaufils, evaluates today's dominant marketing worldview. It originates in 1950s Freudian techniques that view people as needy consumers swayed by mythical storylines.
However, emerging brands like Liquid Death, Veja sneakers, and even Knorr demonstrate profitability without exploitation. These brands succeed by focusing on abundance and transparency, appealing to a highly aware community without preaching their impact.
The book's core principle is that a brand story should be more than a superficial facade; it should embody a Utopian vision that guides the entire organisation and enhances relationships with all stakeholders. This approach benefits everyone—customers, employees, farmers, suppliers, and the environment.
LBB> Having led teams to build human-centric brand narratives for leading global companies, what are some common challenges you've encountered in this process, and how do you overcome them?
Subodh> The most common challenge in global companies is siloed behaviour because every team is used to looking at the brand through their local cultural lens. The way to overcome this is through deep people immersion, listening to your customers' stories worldwide, and then getting into a common room.
Once you start connecting the dots, you realise that there’s more that unites us than divides us. I recommend that global brand teams get into the same room more often. COVID has fragmented us a bit, and it’s time to invest in our oneness and dream the same dream.
Once everyone is connected at the level of the human truth, it’s easier to unlock the power of the brand to make a difference in the lives of the people the brand serves.
LBB> With your extensive experience working with brands like Unilever and Kellogg's across different regions, how do you adapt your strategic approach to resonate with diverse cultural and consumer contexts?
Subodh> Brands are integrating forces. They bind large groups of people with widely different demographics and lifestyles because they tap into a common human truth. Brands are like beacons around which like-minded people commune as believers. However, the strategic task is to know the interplay between the universal human truth and its local cultural manifestation. The human truth is what is common to all of us, and the cultural truth is our unique manifestation of this commonality.
For example, for Kellogg’s, we uncovered the global human truth as the ‘quest to unlock one’s full potential’ that nutrition from grains supports. But what this means in China is distinct from India, given individual ambitions vary depending on economic development.
LBB> Could you elaborate on the concept of "humanising brands" and how it aligns with your belief in shaping brand meaning to resonate with consumers on a deeper level?
Subodh> I would love to borrow the perspective from Mauro Porcini, the head of design at Pepsi. In his discussions on branding, Porcini articulates that the essence of human creativity since early mankind was the creator wanting to bring joy to his/her community. Over time, as Porcini notes, the process of producing and trading became increasingly impersonal, diluting the personal connection brands had with their consumers.
For me, humanising brands is an act of radical love. It’s about "celebrating the power of people in love with people". It's less about the brand leader’s creative vision and more about their capacity to infuse this loving care into the offerings. This ethos encourages the creation of products, innovations, and services that not only shower love on the consumers and delight them but equally give love and care to the wider community.
LBB> How do you see the role of behavioural intelligence and data-led insights shaping the future of brand strategy, especially in the context of DDB Group Singapore's ambitions for growth and impact?
Subodh> In the dynamic world of brand strategy, behavioural intelligence and data-led insights are pivotal in enhancing storytelling, and making brands more relevant and impactful. At DDB Group Singapore, the sophisticated utilisation of these insights allows us to craft narratives that not only reach but resonate deeply with audiences, ensuring our strategies are not just seen but felt.
Data reveals consumer patterns and preferences, enabling brands to predict behaviours, jive with evolving social lives, and engage personally and timely. This transforms brands from mere entities into active, emotionally engaging participants in consumers' lives. Brands become integral to the consumer’s daily life, delivering messages that surprise and delight at the perfect moment, building lasting relationships.
By fully utilising data insights, social-first thinking, and behavioural intelligence, we set the stage for anticipatory, deeply integrated, and profoundly human brand strategies. This approach aligns with DDB Group Singapore's goal to redefine branding excellence.
LBB> You've joined DDB Group Singapore as chief strategy officer amid its ambitious growth agenda. What are your top priorities in this role, and how do you plan to contribute to the agency's expansion plans for its regional client base?
Subodh> As the newly appointed chief strategy officer at DDB Group Singapore, I would say the top priorities revolve around People, Product, Process, and Partnership.
- People: Investing in our team is paramount. I am committed to cultivating an inclusive culture encouraging innovation, collaboration, and professional growth.
- Product: At the heart of DDB's ethos is creative work that moves people. We want strategy to bring imagination and inspiration, leading to richer conversations around our bean bags and coffee tables and pushing all of us to shape ideas that move people emotionally.
- Process: We aim to develop deep inquiry processes that boost efficiency and flexibility. We use agile methodologies to explore diverse facets of societal and social lives, cultures, and brands, ensuring consistent, high-quality results amidst industry demands.
- Partnership: Fostering strong partnerships with our clients is crucial. By actively listening and aligning with our client's visions, we can collaboratively drive their brands' growth. This involves continuous dialogue and feedback loops that position us as communication providers and empathic consultants in their business journeys.
LBB> What excites you most about the collaboration opportunities at DDB Group Singapore, particularly in terms of leveraging its proprietary suite of consulting practices, such as Total Experience (TX) and the recently launched Behavioural Intelligence Group (BIG)?
Subodh> At DDB Group Singapore, the Total Experience (TX) meticulously orchestrates every brand touchpoint, crafting a seamless and resonant expression of the brand's core values, from digital interfaces to physical spaces.
Concurrently, the Behavioural Intelligence Group (BIG) harnesses the power of nudge theory to finely tune marketing strategies, ensuring they align with natural consumer behaviours for more intuitive and impactful interactions.
Together, TX and BIG amplify the brand’s voice across platforms and deepen its emotional connection with consumers. They create narratives that resonate on a psychological level and forge enduring brand loyalty and meaningful engagements.
LBB> Looking ahead, what trends or developments do you foresee shaping the future of brand building and strategy, and how do you plan to stay ahead of these changes?
Subodh> I foresee the future of brand building being driven by a blend of technological advancement and a return to creative authenticity that fortifies brand love. Embracing AI for enhanced personalisation while championing sustainability and community impact will be key.
We'll focus on leveraging data and social-first insights to build deeper connections and trust with the people we serve and foster genuine brand loyalty. Incorporating emotional intelligence into our strategies and focusing on impactful storytelling will keep us at the forefront, ensuring our brands resonate deeply with people’s dreams and desires and even shape them.
