Mastercard's Raja Rajamannar: From MBA Intern to Marketing Revolutionary 💳

Sometimes the best careers start with "they're overcomplicating this whole thing." That's how Raja Rajamannar's marketing journey began—listening to his boss's advertising struggles during an MBA internship and solving the problem himself. What happened next didn't just launch his career; it changed how he connects with consumers in a world drowning in daily distractions.

From that moment to becoming Mastercard's CMO, Raja's approach reveals what happens when you stop telling people stories and start letting them create their own. His philosophy on consumer engagement and exclusive experiences shows why innovative marketers learn by instinct rather than from just a textbook. Plus, his candid leadership style and surprising royal decree offer insight into one of marketing's biggest transformations.

Raja Rajamannar: His Blueprint for Creating Experiences Money Can't Buy 💳

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🎨 The Accidental Award Winner: Raja "accidentally" became a marketer when he developed the campaign "Is it bad to look good?" during his internship and won multiple awards.

💳 The Industry Hopper: From cosmetics to paints to Unilever to banking to healthcare—Raja's career spans every major industry before landing at Mastercard.

🎬 The Story Making Revolutionary: Shifted from "storytelling" to "story making"—putting consumers IN the story because people face 5,000+ ads daily.

✨ The Passion Point Curator: Creates experiences money can't buy across 10 passion areas—sports, music, movies, arts, travel, and more.

🌱 The Tough Love Vegan: His kids call him a "hard task master," and if he ruled the world, everyone would be vegan.