Synergyzer: Can you share a bit about your journey in marketing and how you ended up at Unilever?
Sara: As an aspiring business grad in Pakistan, you are trained to apply to all Multinationals. I did too. Luckily I got into Unilever. I started at Unilever straight out of college and was lucky enough to get into their prestigious Management Trainee program.
Synergyzer: What do you find most challenging and rewarding about your career in marketing?
Sara: The most rewarding thing about a career in marketing is seeing your campaigns and innovations come to life. Even more exciting is when you hear consumers talk good about your campaign or product. The most challenging is to ensure you get everything right in the marketing mix because once that’s done, you know it will be a big success.
Synergyzer: Can you describe a moment when you saw a brand you worked on growing significantly and how that felt?
Sara: I recently worked on Knorr and launched a teen brand called Blazin in Pakistan. This was the biggest risk we took on the brand with a differentiated positioning, product, and pricing. However, the insight was spot on and hence it instantly became the talk of the town. It became the fastest billion rupee brand at Unilever Pakistan. It of course made me extremely proud but more so, made me confident that banking on the right insights and data can go a long way.
Synergyzer: How do you balance working with big global brands versus local brands at Unilever?
Sara: Working at Unilever means you get to work with both global and local brands. Global brands make you learn the power of synergy and local brands teach you the importance of heritage and culture.
Synergyzer: Can you explain the importance of big local insights when it comes to marketing both types of brands?
Sara: Local insights are relevant for all. Whether you’re working on a global or a local brand, if the brand is for a particular consumer, you will always need to resonate with the consumer first.
Synergyzer: What is your opinion on how creative agencies in Pakistan conceive and conceptualize ideas true to local insights?
Sara: Local creative agencies are amazing at capturing and translating local insights into award-winning campaigns. Boutique agencies are even more agile since they have the right talent and the guts to take some risks. They don’t want to be diplomatic but really want to stand out.
Synergyzer: Do you think the model used by Pakistani creative agencies could be replicated successfully worldwide? If so, how?
Sara: Absolutely, I think the ability to take risks is something that can be replicated by creative agencies across. That can only happen when the agencies hire talent that is as close as possible to the consumer. For example, I worked with an agency that only hired Gen Z gamers and specialized in social media execution plans. They didn’t even have to do insight mining in order to suggest what was best for my brand.
Synergyzer: What similarities do you find between the marketing strategies used in the US and Pakistan?
Sara: The United States is a much bigger and mature market than Pakistan hence some things come naturally to the marketing plans here. Like a digital launch, a plan is the starting point. Pakistani market still relies on traditional media to reach the masses. Hence the skills required to adapt to each are different.
Synergyzer: How do consumer behaviors compare between the two regions?
Sara: Consumers even though in different regions, react and behave similarly when you hit the right interest spot. The interests might be different and that’s why you need to be close to what is trending among consumers
Synergyzer: Have you noticed any shared challenges or opportunities in marketing between the US and Pakistan?
Sara: The shared challenge for every brand is for sure to stand out in the sea of campaigns. And when you do stand out, how do you stick with the consumer? Because now every brand is striving for attention.
Synergyzer: How do you manage marketing budgets effectively to maximize impact in the US?
Sara: National, mass campaign launch is not as common since it is extremely expensive and not very impactful. Hence there is a lot reliance on precision marketing, targeting the right audience with the right interests in the right location.
Synergyzer: Can you compare the budget allocation and the impact of marketing campaigns between the US and Pakistan?
Sara: The US requires a much larger budget only because its economy is stronger, labour is much more expensive, and space is much more competitive.
Synergyzer: What strategies do you use to ensure high impact despite budget constraints?
Sara: High impact campaigns can be created when your targeting is spot on. Even despite budget constraints, data can really help target your consumers accurately and in the right mediums. I rely heavily on data to plan and execute my campaigns to get maximum returns.
Synergyzer: How is PR and influencer marketing evolving in the US, especially in the context of social media?
Sara: PR and influencer marketing is the real deal in the US. Mediums like TikTok and Instagram are thriving because of influencer strategy. The concept of UGC is not new, but it’s evolving rapidly and the brands are relying on it even more.
Synergyzer: Why do you think influencer marketing is becoming the next big thing in the marketing landscape?
Sara: It already is the biggest thing, especially in this day and age. It gives your brand a voice and makes consumers feel that the brand is tangible and more human. This is increasingly required as Gen Z today aspires to associate themselves with purpose and voice-driven brands.
Synergyzer: How do you stay updated with the latest trends and changes in the marketing world?
Sara: I have to admit, that social media is what keeps me updated. What’s trending, what’s not. I love to read case studies as well, specifically following what worked and what didn’t for particular brands.
Synergyzer: Can you share a memorable marketing campaign you have worked on and what made it stand out?
Sara: A memorable campaign for me was when I was working on the Lifebuoy shampoo brand and launched a campaign about girl-child education in Pakistan. It was a long shot trying to land a purpose-driven campaign with a brand that was so functional but seeing the impact it would have made me even closer to the campaign and the brand.
