Are hyper-targeted ads missing the heart?

In a rush to optimize everything, emotional intelligence, the very thing that creates memorable brands, is being endangered

- Gaurav Laghate

Late last year, a "leaked" HR email from wellness platform Yes Madam showed the company firing two employees for reporting high stress. The mail was a marketing stunt to promote stress relief services, but the backlash was instant and brutal—It was criticized as tone-deaf and insensitive for trivializing job loss and mental health, dealing a reputational blow to the company.

This wasn't an isolated incident. Increasingly, Indian advertising is stumbling through an identity crisis—hyper-targeted and AI-optimized on the surface, emotionally hollow at the core. From ads served next to tragic news stories to brands defaulting to generic performance content, the industry seems stuck in a loop: efficient, but forgettable.

"Retail is moving towards intelligent, not just personalized. That includes empathy, not just efficiency," said Isabelle Allen, global head of consumer and retail at KPMG International. "Consumers today expect brands not only to understand their habits but to reflect their values." And yet, in a rush to optimize everything, emotional intelligence, the very thing that creates memorable brands, is becoming endangered.

Sandeep Walunj, group chief marketing officer at Motilal Oswal, argues that financial marketing is one of the worst offenders. "We're not just speaking to portfolios. We're speaking to fear, ambition, even guilt. But BFSI marketing has long buried that truth under numbers and charts. It needs to be more human."

Even consumer brands that once built emotional moats are under pressure. "The CMO's role today is no longer just creative. It's a business mandate," said Nikhil Rao, CMO of Mars Wrigley India. "You're expected to understand every lever—sales, trade, R&D. That's important, but we also need to remember what builds long-term love for a brand."