Innovation is key to thriving; survival is relatively easy: Sahil Shah

Sahil Shah, President of Dentsu Creative, has built a leadership style centred on passion and authenticity. Starting his career as a writer and now leading one of India’s top creative agencies, Shah’s journey highlights how purpose can drive long-term success. Over the years, he has developed digital marketing strategies for both global and Indian brands, addressing the challenges of different sectors by combining creativity with data-driven insights.

In this conversation, Shah shares key leadership lessons, focusing on the importance of outcomes over micromanagement and how he encourages teams to push boundaries. With a strong focus on performance metrics, especially during the festive season, he emphasizes the need for brands to track drop-offs and address them early to ensure campaign success. In a crowded digital landscape, Shah advises brands to own a clear perception and build on it across platforms to create meaningful connections with consumers.

Excerpts:

Sahil, you started your journey as a writer and now lead Dentsu Creative. What key leadership lessons have you learned while navigating the ever-evolving digital landscape, especially in an industry driven by constant change? How do you ensure your leadership style adapts to the rapid pace of technology while fostering creativity across your teams?

I fundamentally believe that if you are passionate about what you do, everything else falls into place. A leader, of course, needs to embody everything the world expects her or him to be, but passion for your work is an internal drive. If it’s not calling you, it’s not. My leadership style has been quite simple: I don’t micromanage, I don’t sweep issues under the rug, I focus on outcomes, I provide people with the platform to perform, and I often push people to go beyond to find gold.

Having worked with brands as diverse as Tata Motors, Bajaj Allianz, and SBI Life, how do you adapt digital strategies for industries that are so distinct in their goals and consumer bases? Are there common digital marketing principles that work universally across sectors, or does each industry require a specialised approach?

There are some common principles at the brand level are timelines. Digital is a platform that enables brands to express themselves to people and learn from people. Because it’s always evolving, brands across sectors are also evolving. And that’s what keeps it exciting.

The digital marketing space is changing rapidly. What strategies or habits help you stay ahead of trends, especially with newer technologies erupting?

Nothing in particular, actually. I feel that staying ahead of trends and constantly trying new things is overrated. More than digital, I believe brands today need to know their purpose and have a clear strategy. Based on that, they can explore the world of digital with its myriad possibilities, but always keeping outcomes in mind.

It entirely depends on the kind of brand, its life stage, the primary target group’s consumption habits, and the objectives at hand. Only then can one decide between various platforms and mediums.

Given the rising role of digital platforms, do you think traditional media is losing its relevance, or is it still crucial in an integrated marketing strategy? What’s your view on omnichannel marketing, and how do brands avoid fragmentation in their messaging?

Digital platforms are growing, but that doesn’t mean traditional mediums are losing relevance. A significant portion of reach still comes from traditional media if you consider all of India as your target audience. Omnichannel or not, really depends again on so many factors. My overall advice is to find points of differentiation and innovation in any medium you choose to operate in, backed by solid insights or strategies. Don’t do it just for the sake of it.

What key metrics should brands prioritise to gauge the effectiveness of festive season campaigns, especially when blending traditional and digital media? From your perspective, are there certain pitfalls brands tend to fall into when trying to integrate these channels effectively?

During festive, the key outcome every marketer is tracking is business/sales and the way to gauge it is to do it across the funnel. Wherever there are drop-offs, consider fixing them early on to get to a successful campaign. And that’s the biggest pitfall brands tend to fall into.

Reports suggest that digital ad spending in India is set to increase by 15.9%, reaching ₹580 billion in 2024 during the festive season. How do you see the role of AI and data-driven strategies evolving for brands looking to capture the attention of increasingly digital-savvy consumers during the festive season?

The role of AI and data-driven media campaigns, thanks to platforms like Google and Meta, started approximately 5-7 years ago. Now, these platforms have sophisticated models that utilize AI at scale, which brands have access to. Whether it’s during the festive season or not, this evolution is already happening. AI in creatives is still a relatively new concept, and I am very excited to see how brands will innovate using it.

With AI driving many aspects of digital marketing, is there a risk that brands may become too dependent on machine learning and lose the human touch in their storytelling?

That could happen, but probably by 2035, not now. I don’t see it as a risk at all, as AI and machine learning may become as good as, or even better than, humans. At some point, one might not even be able to tell the difference.

In a crowded digital space where consumer attention spans are shrinking, how can brands differentiate themselves and make a lasting impact?

Own a space or perception, and then build on it through multi-platform marketing and any form of customer interaction. Stay true to that perception, and evolve with it, and I’m certain it will have a lasting impact.

What advice would you give to young professionals looking to make a mark in the digital space, an industry where innovation is key to survival?

Correction here: Innovation is key to thriving; survival is relatively easy. In fact, survival can be boring for young professionals today, which is why they want to keep pushing boundaries. My only advice is to use various platforms to build their personal brand, gaining insights into what works and what doesn’t. Since brands today also need to act like creators, why shouldn't you become one too?

Can you share one message for the Social Samosa’s 30 under 30 winners?

Remember, this is just the beginning. You already know much more than you think. Stay confident and humble and keep striving for more. Congratulations on this win! Now many more miles to go, so enjoy the journey along the way.