Prerna Mehrotra on Navigating Media's Tricky Future
When you’ve been in the game as long as Prerna Singh Mehrotra, you don’t miss very much. It’s hardly surprising, then, that the Dentsu APAC chief client officer has found herself presiding over a jury at Cannes 2024.
The Media Jury president caught up with LBB’s Tom Loudon to discuss the dynamic role of AI in advertising, the shifting dynamics of media consumption, and the importance of balancing technology with human creativity. The Media Jury at Cannes Lions evaluates the most innovative and impactful media strategies worldwide, highlighting trends and setting new benchmarks for the industry.
Prerna reflects on her journey into marketing, emphasising the shift towards storytelling and emotional branding. She recognises the potential of AI in enhancing targeting and creativity but emphasises the importance of maintaining human oversight, particularly when it comes to humour.
She anticipates the convergence of creativity and media in the APAC region, with authenticity and innovation becoming critical for brands in the near future.
LBB> As someone with extensive experience in marketing and communications leadership, what inspired you to pursue a career in this field, and how has your journey developed over the past two decades?
Prerna> While pursuing my MBA in 1999 in my Advertising elective, I learnt how branding affects consumer behaviour. Brands can forge emotional connections with consumers, which plays a role in influencing purchase decisions. It is not about selling but about storytelling, and I found this fascinating. I got a chance to get my foot in the door at an agency in India with Coca-Cola, one of the most respected brand marketers that one could aspire to work with, as my first client and that basically set the stage for me.
During my early days, I had the opportunity to experience Brand Building 101 and form strong partnerships with clients and media houses. This helped me build the foundation of my understanding of what works in the world of marketing and advertising.
Back then, media and creative were in their infancy as separate disciplines. I have since delved into the true craft of media, from experience design to insights and planning to data and analytics and driving world-class activation.
As chief client officer for the APAC region, my calling is to be a true partner to my clients and solve their business problems.
LBB> What does the opportunity to be a Cannes Jury President mean to you professionally?
Prerna> Cannes is the largest, most celebrated creative festival. Being a Jury President is a true honour and a humbling experience. Representing Asia at Cannes is a testament to the growing importance of our region and the calibre of creativity emerging from APAC.
I am looking forward to the jury room experience, immersing myself in the brilliant work from across the world, sharing perspectives, and building connections with jurors.
LBB> What are the current big debates within the Media category – or more generally across the industry – that you expect to see come through in the jury room?
Prerna> Agencies are continuously challenged to define media's value to the client’s business. This is despite us knowing that 80% of consumers spend their lives on media.
Media is no longer converging on a few channels, it is becoming multidimensional and ecosystem-based. As digital gains more and more importance, it is not as a channel but as a constant that enables diverse experiences, sources of growth and business outcomes. Therefore there are many debates on what is the right way, when the reality is that there is no one single way to drive growth for everyone when every brand, industry, and category moves at different speeds.
However, there are some areas where there is consensus. Everyone agrees that the industry needs a future-looking POV on new technology and how it can progress work and ideas. Whether it is Meta AR glasses, mixed reality (Apple Vision Pro), Naked 3D and fake OOH, etc. The other consensus is that winning work should be led by human understanding and not be about the technology itself. Great work has powerful ideas that create desirable experiences and drive outcomes.
These are the ‘idea’ and ‘purpose’ parts of work that have a real impact.
LBB> Are you expecting the explosion in AI technology over the last 12 months to impact the work in your category this year?
Prerna> For the media and advertising industry, AI is not a buzzword like AR, VR, or the Metaverse.
AI is a force multiplier that bridges marketing ambitions and operational challenges to make a profound impact. AI is transforming advertising with advanced targeting, personalisation, and automation capabilities. In an increasingly digitised world, AI technology in advertising is only going to grow, allowing marketers to do more with less.
AI technology is becoming a great predictor of nostalgia which we know is a trend with immense power, but only if done right. It’s also proven to be good at making expressiveness, creativity and creation more accessible and inclusive for all.
However, clients and agencies are still testing the role of AI in their businesses, as they still want control of the brand experience. Another barrier could be the legality of the IP, which needs to be defined before it becomes viable. It has legs to extend itself into more transactional interactions but still needs a lot of safeguarding to ensure brand consistency.
I will be intrigued to see how brands utilise AI to drive audience engagement and outcomes.
LBB> In your role as CEO, what key trends or shifts do you anticipate shaping the media landscape in the APAC region in the coming years, and how is your organisation positioned to navigate these changes?
Prerna> Human creativity will be augmented in fields including writing and images, where a broad swathe of audiences will also be creators and co-creators with established brands and media platforms. Storytelling, including storytelling in gaming, will expand exponentially; accordingly, consumers' expectations around the richness, variety and personalisation of storytelling will change.
We will see a world of lookalike apps leading to increasing competition between tech platforms.
As platforms become progressively similar, attracting and holding audience attention has never been more important for brands. As third-party cookies approach the end of the line, brands will double down on people's intelligence. From walled gardens to walled pipes, platforms will take a more defensive stance on their data, which opens the larger question of the delicate balance between protection and discoverability.
We are also seeing the gradual re-convergence of creativity in media. This places increased importance on the power of an idea to get attention alongside its enablement through an attention-grabbing presence and an experience-oriented ecosystem. We also need to take a closer look at the interplay between media, buzz, and public relations in amplifying a brand’s POV.
Finally, growth in the next year will be about hard economics and brands' sustainable contributions to society. Brands can address demands for social justice and fair representation by actively seeking to include diverse voices and reduce bias, preserve natural resources by taking concrete steps toward sustainability, or contribute to building safer online spaces.
LBB> Looking ahead, what excites you the most about the future of media and communications, and what opportunities do you see for innovation and growth within the APAC region?
Prerna> The gradual re-convergence of creativity into media. This places increased importance on the power of an idea to get attention alongside the enablement of it through an attention-grabbing presence and an experience-oriented ecosystem. We also need to take a closer look at the interplay between media, buzz and public relations in amplifying a brand’s POV.
Brands that embrace this future while retaining the focus on delivering authentic experiences will not only survive but even thrive in the digital frontier.
LBB> Humour is the big new 'culture and context' sub-category this year. How do you think comedy could be better leveraged, particularly in Media?
Prerna> Years before, humour used to be big, and then, it saw a decline with the rise of purpose-focused advertising and the shrinking of linear TV’s dominance. However, the current resurgence is led by cultural interest in a new form of humour-led by comedians and short-form social content. This, along with generational shifts in what is considered funny, has unlocked a lot of white spaces.
Humour is one of these intersections that we have identified in Dentsu’s key trends report, with this year’s edition aptly called “The Road Less Travelled”. When it comes to advertising, humour might be more effective at creating connections, but also risky. Humour requires insight, a relevant context and a culturally sensitive approach.
Different countries have varying degrees of appetite and style of humour, and this is where local insight is critical. Additionally, think about humour beyond jokes or words, going into visual expressions, film techniques, timing, and sparking social commentary.
LBB> Outside of the jury room, what are you really looking forward to learning or doing at this year’s Cannes Lions?
Prerna> Cannes is all about setting new benchmarks and redefining creativity. I am looking forward to the keynote speeches, and panels and exchanging stories with my contemporaries during social gatherings. The inspiration I gather from Cannes is unparalleled, and I make it a point to bring back this energy to my team, aiming to serve as a source of ingenuity for others.
