Judge of the Day: Mitin Chakraborty, head of marketing at Babyshop, Landmark Group
Meet the judges of The Drum Awards. We celebrate the best in brand-building and creative strategy, and our Judge of the Day series gives you a closer look at the experts behind our prestigious panels. Get to know the industry leaders who recognize excellence in marketing.
Judge of the Day: Mitin Chakraborty
Today we highlight Mitin Chakraborty, head of marketing at Babyshop, Landmark Group and judge for The Drum Awards EMEA. Mitin leads global brand strategy for one of the Middle East’s most prominent omni-channel retailers for kids and babies. With campaigns recognized at Cannes Lions, D&AD and Dubai Lynx, and a spot on Forbes’ list of top marketers in the Middle East, he blends creativity with commercial rigor. His leadership spans 14 markets and a sharp focus on balancing authenticity, data-driven performance and culturally relevant storytelling.
As a CMO, what is the most important challenge you face today?
The challenge lies in articulating the brand’s role as a differentiator amidst economic uncertainty, especially when low-cost operators dominate. Demonstrating how the brand drives higher value through data and insights becomes crucial to justify premium positioning and resist price wars.
What is the biggest challenge of maintaining a consistent brand across multiple markets?
The biggest challenge for us in our 14 markets is balancing global brand consistency with local market relevance, ensuring the brand resonates culturally while staying true to its core identity. This involves navigating cultural sensitivities, adhering to local regulations, and adapting messaging without dilution. Additionally, maintaining quality across diverse agency partners and avoiding fragmentation in tone and visuals requires streamlined processes and close alignment.
What excites and/or concerns you about how the role of the CMO is evolving?
What excites me is the growing focus on data-driven insights and the deeper integration of marketing with business strategy, offering the chance to position marketing as a key revenue and growth driver. However, the challenges lie in navigating fragmented measurement systems across platforms, balancing data-driven decisions with the art of storytelling, and determining the right stage to integrate AI amid a flood of contrasting opinions.
How can marketers better demonstrate their value at C-suite level?
Marketers can better demonstrate value at the C-suite level by aligning KPIs with business goals like revenue growth and market share, while showcasing marketing’s role in driving customer insights and innovation. Building a cohesive brand narrative across teams is essential, along with maintaining a balance between creative ideas and delivering measurable brand performance. Staying focused on how the 'brand' drives business impact is critical.
In your business sector, what do you feel is the key to creating a brand that stands out?
As a specialist omni-channel baby and kids retailer, the key to creating a standout brand lies in deeply understanding parents' emotional needs and delivering a strong value proposition that balances trust, quality, and affordability. Clear differentiation, seamless omni-channel experiences, and fostering loyalty through meaningful community engagement are essential to building a brand that resonates and endures.
What emerging trends or technologies do you believe will have the most significant impact on marketing in the next five years?
AI will dominate in the next five years, transforming personalization, predictive analytics, content creation, and even search and commerce. Its ability to deliver hyper-relevant experiences and optimize decision-making across touchpoints will redefine marketing strategies. Beyond AI, immersive technologies like AR/VR, sustainability-driven practices, first-party data strategies, and voice commerce will perhaps also play pivotal roles in shaping consumer interactions and brand growth.
If you could only spend your budget on one media channel/platform, what would it be and why?
Owned digital platforms like apps and websites are ideal for building direct consumer connections, collecting rich first-party data, and enabling personalized experiences, both for strategic and tactical gains. They build long-term brand equity and engagement without reliance on intermediaries. Alternatively, platforms like TikTok or Instagram offer unmatched ROI for storytelling and virality, especially in connecting with younger audiences in a B2C and our category context.
How do you anticipate the growth of AI-driven marketing solutions will change what you do as a marketer in the future?
AI-driven marketing solutions will undoubtedly enhance precision in targeting and segmentation, and streamline content creation through generative AI, especially for commerce and catalogues. They will automate repetitive tasks like campaign optimization and reporting, and enable dynamic pricing, smarter inventory management, and personalized recommendations, much of which is already in play. However, maintaining the human touch in branding, storytelling, and customer experience will be crucial to preserve emotional connections. It’s an exciting new world with immense potential.
Be part of what’s next at The Drum Awards
The Drum Awards celebrate the boldest ideas, smartest strategies and most effective campaigns from around the globe. Enter your work for a chance to have it reviewed by industry leaders like Mitin Chakraborty and earn recognition that moves the industry forward. Submissions close August 6, 2025.