With customer loyalty becoming increasingly elusive and thousands of new tools complicating the MarTech landscape, top marketing leaders from Sprinklr, TERI, SaveIN, and Mudrex dissected the complexities of marketing technology at the 4th edition of the e4m MarTech Thursday Webinar. Moderated by Brij Pahwa, Editorial Lead for MarTech at exchange4media, the insightful session revealed that marketers today face an unprecedented challenge: balancing the allure of hyperpersonalisation with rising concerns over privacy, sustainability, and ethical AI.
Opening the discussion, Pahwa noted a critical insight from Scott Brinker's latest MarTech Landscape report 2025: “We're now at over 15,000 tools available globally. Finding the right tool today is like locating a needle in a haystack.” Yet, despite the endless tools at marketers’ disposal, brand loyalty remains precariously fragile, aggravated by declining consumer attention spans and increasing privacy concerns.
Harshad Dhawale, MarTech Lead at Sprinklr, addressed the complexities of omnichannel orchestration within India’s diverse consumer landscape. Highlighting how fragmented approaches erode customer trust, Dhawale shared, “In India, we lack strict guidelines on data usage. Trust is the core of any business, and we urgently need frameworks that clearly define how consumer data is handled. Marketers should realise it's not enough to merely personalise; how responsibly you manage customer data directly impacts brand trust.”
Expanding on this point, Dr. Shruti Sharma Rana from TERI explored the link between AI-driven marketing and sustainability, stressing that transparency and accountability will soon become non-negotiable factors. “Today, 98% of businesses claim to use AI for sustainability, but in reality, there’s more optics than substance. Consumers—especially Gen Alpha—are increasingly informed and critical. They ask questions about sourcing, carbon footprints, and the authenticity of sustainability claims. If brands fail to integrate transparency into their marketing, they risk severe regulatory penalties,” she warned.
Adding to the debate around hyperpersonalisation, Niharika Sharma, Head of Marketing at SaveIN, underscored that overly personalised marketing could often alienate rather than engage. “The traditional marketing funnel is obsolete,” Sharma pointed out. “We’ve moved toward dynamic, infinity-loop journeys. However, brands must respect boundaries and customer permissions. Personalisation without genuine value becomes invasive, damaging the very loyalty it intends to build.”
The panel also grappled with the impact of data privacy regulations, particularly relevant given India’s Data Protection (DPDP) Act. Pranjal Agarwal, India Market Head at Mudrex, candidly admitted, “Every marketer today wrestles with the privacy-versus-convenience dilemma. Consumers say they value privacy, but in practice, convenience usually wins out. Yet, clear ethical boundaries must be maintained. Brands must know precisely how far is too far.”
Agarwal, whose platform operates in the volatile world of cryptocurrency, offered insights into how Mudrex handles the tricky intersection of customer loyalty and trust. “In markets like crypto, customer retention relies heavily on transparency and education. Using AI, we nudge customers toward responsible investing, guiding them through potential risks upfront. It’s no longer about just flashy campaigns but about educating and enabling informed choices. Trust isn't built overnight—it’s built through constant, transparent, responsible engagement.”
The conversation also turned toward the limitations and potential of AI in marketing. While AI is touted as transformative, Dhawale argued that most of what passes for artificial intelligence today remains superficial automation. “True AI—understanding deeply nuanced user intent—is still far off. Marketers claiming otherwise risk overpromising and underdelivering. Right now, it's more honest and practical to say we’re enhancing automation rather than fully achieving intelligent personalisation,” he explained.
Throughout the discussion, a common theme emerged: today’s marketers need to adopt a more cautious, balanced approach, leveraging technology to enrich rather than merely automate customer interactions. Each speaker agreed the future lies in thoughtful personalisation, ethical AI, transparency, and ultimately—humanity.
When asked about the skills marketers must develop for future success, Dr. Sharma Rana referenced groundbreaking research predicting that soon AI proxies—virtual assistants like Alexa or Siri—would make purchasing decisions on behalf of consumers. “Marketers will need to pitch directly to AI proxies. Skills like ethical AI, transparent communication, and designing for AI agents will soon become essential,” she advised.
Audience engagement further enriched the discussion, raising critical queries about navigating the privacy-personalisation tightrope. Responding to an audience question, Dhawale noted, “Brands must clearly articulate what data they collect, why they collect it, and how exactly it’s used. Without transparency, the most advanced AI strategy will eventually fail, losing customer trust in the process.”
Sharma offered a relatable perspective, citing how excessive marketing nudges, even well-intentioned, risk irritating customers. “Overpersonalisation is counterproductive,” she emphasised. “Brands must know when to step back, respecting customer boundaries. That's how you build lasting loyalty.”
The session closed with each panelist predicting upcoming trends in MarTech: Dhawale anticipates conversational, chat-driven commerce; Sharma advocates stepping back from excessive personalisation in favour of meaningful value; Dr. Sharma Rana underscored transparency and ethics as crucial; Agarwal sees future success in nurturing genuine community-building.
In his closing remarks, Brij Pahwa synthesised these themes succinctly: “The future of marketing isn't about bombarding consumers with technology-driven nudges. It's about using tech thoughtfully to build trust, deliver genuine value, and foster ethical interactions. As regulations tighten and consumer expectations rise, brands must prioritise responsible MarTech strategies, not just advanced tools.”
This webinar marked a turning point, clearly indicating that the next generation of marketing technologies would not be judged merely on efficiency, but increasingly on their ethical implications and genuine value delivery. With the India MarTech Summit set for August, these insights will guide future conversations, shaping a MarTech industry more conscious, customer-centric, and accountable than ever before.