Mars has some of the world’s most popular brands under its umbrella—including sweet favorites Snickers, Twix, M&Ms and Skittles; as well as pet care giants Royal Canin, Whiskas and Banfield Pet Hospital. They’re iconic brands that many consumers know and love, attracting a large following of loyal customers for generations.

But that doesn’t mean Mars simply relies on the brands’ reputation to increase sales. Gülen Bengi, lead global CMO for Mars, Incorporated, has been leaning hard into technology and social media to continue building the company’s iconic brands and increase engagement. Bengi told me that we’re at a generational inflection point with all of the possibilities of technology for marketing. Today’s edition of the Forbes CMO newsletter focuses on how Bengi has used technology to build brands and amp up engagement with its consumer base.

“It’s a responsibility and a privilege, and I personally believe that the future will be shaped with people, creativity and technology working together—and in that order,” she said.

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A NEW LOOK AT BRAND BUILDING

While it can be argued that Mars’ brands need no work—everyone knows at this point what M&Ms, Kind and Whiskas stand for—Bengi doesn’t take that approach. She’s been architecting a new way to build on those brands since she came to Mars in 2022. The fundamentals of brand building don’t change, she says. Brands need to stand for something, and their meaning and purpose are consistent over time.

What isn’t consistent over time, she said, is the consumer. And while consumers will always want treats and nutrition for themselves and their pets, changes in society necessitate changes in strategy.

“This generation requires a different way of engagement,” Bengi said. “They don’t want to be a passenger. They don’t want to be talked at or innovated at. They want a say in the conversation. That’s why we’re now moving to building relationships that have no dead ends.”

Technology and digital connection can create this enhanced relationship, Bengi said. Mars looks for opportunities for fans of their products to co-create brand experiences. These involve memes, social media experiences, and physical events that bring the brands to the customers. These generate engagement, fun brand........

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