True Fiction Project — S7 Ep 3: "The Practical Marketer"

Host: Reenita Hora
Guest: Saurabh Bajaj, EVP — Prepaid Marketing Head, Vodafone Idea; Author, The Practical Marketer
Date: December 15, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of the True Fiction Project dives into the intersection of the practical and the theoretical in marketing, as explored in Saurabh Bajaj’s book, The Practical Marketer. Host Reenita Hora engages Saurabh in a candid, insightful conversation—part personal journey, part crash course on the real-world rules of marketing. The episode addresses how anyone—founders, authors, storytellers—can build their brand using actionable, demystified marketing principles. Saurabh also shares an inspiring campaign anecdote from his Cadbury Celebrations days, demonstrating the power of authentic consumer insight in driving lasting brand impact.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Genesis of The Practical Marketer

• Saurabh's Pandemic Pivot: Saurabh started writing during the pandemic, sparked by successful LinkedIn posts with tens of thousands of views.

“My book was a gift of the Pandemic... I wrote a post every week... The first post got 35,000 views.” (03:04)

• Finding the Right Publisher: Saurabh meticulously approached over 30 publishers but found a fit with Jeko, appreciating their editorial rigor.

“It took me two years to write the book and two years to edit it... I wanted somebody who would probably [put] as much effort in editing...” (03:37)

2. The Disconnect Between Theory & Practice in Marketing

• Saurabh notes the absence of a true marketing playbook, even in senior-level business environments.
• His book offers a step-by-step, jargon-free guide, aimed to be accessible “even to a 10- or 12-year-old.”

“The rules are not codified and the way we all operate, everybody sort of starts by reinventing the wheel wherever anything needs to be done.” (05:25)

• The Practical Marketer is used as a daily guidebook by several startups.

“Your book is our bible. We come to work in the morning, we turn the page and say, 'Hey, what do I have to do today?'" (05:46)

3. Timeless Rules in a Changing Marketing Landscape

• Saurabh likens clear, accessible marketing knowledge to Hawking’s A Brief History of Time, emphasizing the need to demystify the discipline.

“How come I never found the book for marketing? ...That book, which simplifies and makes it accessible, was just not written.” (07:20)

• Despite marketing’s changing face, some core principles endure, making a clear playbook essential even in a dynamic environment. (06:52–08:03)

4. The Brand Task: Grow the Category vs. Steal Share

• Saurabh outlines a foundational marketing concept:
  • Marketing either grows the whole product category or steals market share from competitors—rarely both at once.

“There are two tasks: Either grow the category or there is steal share. And you have to do only one of the two. And that choice makes all the difference.” (10:03)

• Examples:
  • Cadbury in India: Focused on converting traditional sweet consumption to chocolate, not just pushing Cadbury over competitors.
  • Burger King vs. McDonald’s: Clever campaigns to lure seasoned burger consumers away from McDonald’s, sacrificing first-time buyers.

“No child on the planet will ever have their first burger as a Burger King... But moment you become a burger consumer... Burger King can come in and say, stop having that sorry excuse for a burger and move on to the real thing…” (12:59)

5. Storytellers & Personal Brands: Marketing Beyond Business

• The Practical Marketer principles extend to authors, storytellers, game writers, and more.

“Whether you are a startup founder, an author, or anybody wanting to even build a social media profile... Those are the kind of things my book essentially covers in the simplest language possible, peppered with anecdotes from my life...” (15:21)

• Marketing Tip for Storytellers:
  • Know your “communication audience”—those you target directly (e.g., publishers, buyers)—and your “consumption audience”—those who actually consume and spread your content (e.g., students, general readers).
  • Build virality by focusing on your consumption audience to indirectly reach your desired targets.

“There is a communication audience and then there is a consumption audience… the viral ability which will build will actually help me reach out to my communication audience.” (16:04–16:37)

6. Social Media: Navigating Platforms & Digital Presence

• Saurabh established Cadbury Celebrations’ Facebook presence early, growing to a million fans “with almost zero spent.” (19:18–19:28)

• Social Today:

  • Audiences are fragmented; reach requires turning up where they’re searching for you ("pull" instead of "push").
  • Digital marketing is evolving—SEO now shifting to AI-generated summaries and context-driven discovery.

“The whole power equation from the brands has moved to the consumer... The only way to grab the audience is to turn up when they are searching for you.” (20:34–20:42)

• For Influence & Partnerships:
  • Domain authority remains key for nonfiction; for fiction or creative professionals, brand identity and cultural match with potential partners are essential.

“Some influencers... are also very, very clear on what their brand persona, personality is. And the second thing that brands look for is like a culture match, right?” (24:05–24:19)

7. Brand Archetypes & Authenticity

• Personal brand clarity—knowing your archetype (e.g., magician, jester, king)—aids in both consistency and resonance.
• Saurabh stresses the value of authenticity and vulnerability, sharing that his most successful posts were the most personal—and often uncomfortable—to publish.

“My best performing posts on LinkedIn are always the ones in which I have felt a little uncomfortable putting them out... where I actually make myself vulnerable, where I'm deeply authentic.” (26:40–27:03)

• Memorable Example: Sharing a crisis of meaning during a high-flying career at Diageo, and writing candidly about the “retirement age” in corporate India.

“I was like, you know what? I think I'm moving very fast in the wrong direction... It just felt a little meaningless at some stage.” (27:59–28:21)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Reenita on the genre-busting potential of the book:

  “Theoretical gyan for a 10- or 12-year-old. Okay, can [we] need for an MBA program. Let's just go straight to your book, right?” (06:30)

• On digital marketing shift:

  “50% of marketing dollars have moved to the digital medium. And of the 50%, half... has moved on to just search.” (21:09)

• On strategic self-awareness:

  “The more you are clear of who you are... what is the emotion that I evoke when I interact with people? And can I, once I'm aware of it, can I own it? Can it be my brand?” (25:28–25:45)

• On vulnerability and resonance:

  “Sometimes when you just share [your experience] in a brutally honest manner, they just go off like wildfire because it just resonates with so many people.” (29:14–29:24)

In-Depth Segment: The Cadbury Celebrations Diwali Campaign

[33:24–36:59]

• Problem: Brand stagnation despite popularity.
• Breakthrough Insight: Consumers weren’t buying because “I just didn’t think about it.”
• Market Research: Saurabh conducted intergenerational group sessions in both metros (Delhi, Bombay) and a small town (Bareilly), surfacing a core insight:
  • In Indian life’s fast pace, people were losing genuine connections—the true spirit of Diwali.
• Solution:
  • Developed the campaign “Iss Diwali, Aap Kise Khush Karoge” [“This Diwali, whom will you make happy?”]—encouraging gifting as a way to rebuild real connections.
• Impact:
  • The campaign swept industry awards and became an enduring brand message—still running more than a decade later.

“That joy of relationships is what Diwali is about. Diwali is about real connection. And India in its growth... has forgotten those connections... So we said, can celebrations own this?” (35:33–35:58)

• Result: Dramatic business and cultural turnaround, solidifying both brand and personal legacy.

Actionable Takeaways for Listeners

• Simplify and codify your own practical playbook—don’t just rely on traditional wisdom or theory.
• Be crystal clear about your “brand task”: Are you building a category, or are you vying for share against a competitor?
• Build authority and/or an authentic persona, not just followers.
• For storytellers and creative professionals: Identify your archetype and leverage it for personal branding.
• Authenticity and vulnerability in storytelling are powerful catalysts for true connection—don’t shy away from sharing real life.
• Establish context-driven digital presence for maximum discoverability—own your niche and expand outward.

Where to Find Saurabh Bajaj & Resources

• LinkedIn: Saurabh Bajaj
• Website: thepracticalmarketeer.in
• Instagram: @thepracticalmarketeer

Notable Interactive Element

Book Giveaway Challenge (37:32–38:17)
Saurabh invites audience responses:

“How do you think my book is going to benefit you? How are you going to pick up The Practical Marketeer and what are you seeking out of it?”
Best answer wins a signed copy.

Key Timestamps for Major Topics

• 07:00: The mission to simplify and codify marketing knowledge
• 10:03: Grow the category vs. Steal share explained
• 15:21: Application for storytellers and personal brands
• 19:08: Early social media case study: Cadbury Celebrations’ rapid Facebook growth
• 21:09: The shift of marketing spend to digital/search
• 24:03: Authority vs. brand persona in marketing nonfiction vs. fiction
• 26:40: Audience confusion when crossing genres; value of authenticity
• 33:24–36:59: Cadbury Celebrations Diwali campaign anecdote and industry impact
• 37:32: Book giveaway audience challenge
• 38:18: Episode wrap and call for story submissions

Summary Tone

Crisp, conversational, and pragmatic—mirroring both Reenita’s engaged curiosity and Saurabh’s accessible, storytelling-driven approach to demystifying marketing for everyone from startup founders to creative professionals.

For those who missed the episode:
You’ll walk away with a real understanding of how practical marketing decisions are made, and how anyone—including storytellers and authors—can apply these strategies to build authentic, influential brands or creative projects from the ground up.