Mastercard’s Raja Rajamannar on Experiential Marketing & Brand Innovation

2 Jun 2026 · 31 min
30:44

In a Speed of Culture interview recorded at CES 2026, Matt Britton talks with Raja Rajamannar, Mastercard’s Chief Marketing Officer, about his global career path, the dual B2B‑B2C nature of Mastercard’s business, and how the company has shifted from traditional advertising to experience‑led, multi‑sensory marketing. Rajamannar explains Mastercard’s three‑layer operating model (brand building, business growth, platform creation) and how marketing generates insights, crafts product value propositions, and produces sales assets for banks and merchants. He details the move away from ad‑heavy tactics toward "Priceless" experiences, citing large‑scale sponsorships, the "Priceless Tables" restaurant concept, and the acquisition of experience‑focused companies. The conversation covers Mastercard’s multi‑sensory strategy—expanding beyond sight and sound to taste (culinary experiences) and sound (a 10‑layer sonic branding architecture). Rajamannar also outlines Mastercard’s forays into fintech, open banking, crypto (partnership with Coinbase), NFTs, and collaborations with Apple Pay, positioning these as marketing‑as‑a‑service offerings. He shares brand performance metrics (rising to #12 in Interbrand’s top‑100, fastest‑growing brand), the challenges of fragmented media and short consumer attention spans, and the importance of authentic, person‑to‑person communication. Finally, he offers leadership advice—continuous learning, building strong teams, networking with CEOs and peers, and leveraging diverse talents—culminating in a personal mantra about maximizing one’s gifts.

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