JioStar has released the fifth episode of its thought leadership series ‘The Collective’, focusing on how direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands can grow through brand building and stronger connections with consumers.

The episode featured founders and marketing leaders from D2C brands who discussed why businesses need to move beyond performance marketing and focus on building brand preference among consumers.

According to a press release issued by JioStar, the episode featured Akash Sharma, Co-Founder and CEO of Farmley; Saloni Anand, Co-Founder of Traya; Swagat Sarangi, Co-Founder of Smytten; Pradeep Krishnakumar, Co-Founder of Zouk; Konark Gaur, Chief Marketing Officer of Pilgrim; and Arun Iyer, Founder of Spring Marketing Capital. The discussion was moderated by journalist Delshad Irani.

During the discussion, the participants spoke about the limitations of performance marketing, which mainly focuses on reaching consumers who are already interested in a product. They discussed how D2C brands can move beyond capturing existing demand to creating consumer interest and building long-term brand preference.

The episode also explored the role of television and large-screen viewing in brand building. The participants discussed how high-attention viewing environments and shared family viewing experiences can help brands move consumers from product discovery towards purchase.

‘The Collective’ is JioStar’s flagship thought leadership platform that brings together industry leaders from marketing, media, advertising and entertainment to discuss changing industry trends and the role of premium entertainment in business growth.