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Global Voices on Marketing and Tech: Raja Rajamannar Joins Grand Jury of Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity
Raja Rajamannar, Senior Fellow at Mastercard and a leading global voice on the future of marketing, joins the Grand Jury of the Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity, strengthening the platform’s focus on creativity in an AI- and tech-powered age.
Raja Rajamannar brings a future-facing perspective to the jury, shaped by global scale, technological change and a people-first view of creativity.
As marketing and advertising are reshaped by data, technology and artificial intelligence, creativity is increasingly judged by its ability to scale without losing meaning. Reflecting that shift, Raja Rajamannar, currently Senior Fellow at Mastercard and one of the world’s most influential marketing thinkers, has been appointed to the Grand Jury of the Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity, the newly launched platform recognising excellence in modern advertising and brand storytelling.
The Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity were conceived to mirror the realities of contemporary brand communication, where ideas are shaped as much by platforms and algorithms as by insight and craft. The awards span categories across brand film and storytelling, integrated campaigns, digital and social innovation, purpose-driven creativity, design and visual craft, creative effectiveness, and next-generation formats such as AI, gaming and creator collaborations. Together, they aim to recognise work that is culturally resonant, strategically grounded and relevant to how audiences engage today.
The jury brings together leaders who’ve shaped brands, culture and economic thinking in India. The panel includes Amitabh Kant, the force behind Incredible India and one of the country’s most respected reformers; Praveen Someshwar, CEO of Diageo India; Prasoon Joshi, Chairman of Omnicom Advertising India; strategists and commentators Suhel Seth and Santosh Desai; Nikhil Sharma, Managing Director of Perfetti Van Melle India; Anil Viswanathan of Mondelez Europe; Shantanu Deshpande, co-founder of Bombay Shaving Company; Radhika Gupta, CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Fund; and Raja Rajamannar, Senior Fellow at Mastercard.
Creativity at the Intersection of Technology and Meaning
The timing of Rajamannar’s appointment is significant. Creativity today operates in an environment defined by automation, personalisation and constant measurement. Brands are expected to harness technology without becoming mechanical, and to use data without losing empathy. The most effective ideas are those that blend imagination with intelligence.
The Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity have been structured around this reality. Entries are evaluated on originality, cultural relevance, storytelling depth, platform fit, executional craft, innovation and, where applicable, measurable impact. The framework reflects a belief that creativity must work harder in a world where attention is scarce and accountability is high.
A Global Voice on the Future of Marketing
Rajamannar’s career has been closely associated with this evolution. During his tenure as Mastercard’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, he oversaw the transformation of the brand into one of the most recognised and culturally fluent names in global business. Mastercard’s marketing under his leadership moved beyond traditional advertising to embrace purpose, experience-led storytelling and technology-enabled engagement, helping the brand establish a distinct voice across markets.
In recent years, Rajamannar has emerged as a leading thinker on the future of marketing, examining how artificial intelligence, neuroscience, data and creativity intersect. His work has consistently argued that while technology can enhance marketing effectiveness, it must remain in service of human connection—a perspective that resonates strongly with the ethos of the Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity.
Judging Creativity in an AI-Powered Era
The inclusion of a global marketing leader like Rajamannar signals the awards’ ambition to benchmark Indian creativity against international standards while remaining rooted in local culture. It also reflects a recognition that creativity today is inseparable from business strategy and technological fluency.
As agencies, brands and creators prepare to submit work released in 2025, the Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity are positioning themselves as a platform that understands the changing nature of excellence. With a jury that spans public policy, brand leadership, cultural commentary, entrepreneurship and global marketing, the awards aim to recognise ideas that are both imaginative and intelligent.
Rajamannar’s presence on the grand jury adds a future-facing lens to that mission—one shaped by global scale, technological transformation and a belief that creativity remains most powerful when it keeps people at its centre.
SPOTLIGHT
From purpose-driven work and narrative-rich brand films to AI-enabled ideas and creator-led collaborations, the awards reflect the full spectrum of modern creativity.
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