Blog

At CDS, we place great value on our network of friends and colleagues.  Our Alumni MBA Fellows are an important part of the Center and are continuously working on new projects with various companies on strategies and business technology. This blog is a way for our network of alumni to share updates on their current work, their pathways after Tuck, and what lessons they learned that can be helpful to students interested in digital strategies.

Tapasya Govindarajan T’15
Manager, Global Brand, PepsiCo

Where are you currently working and what type of work are you doing?

I work at PepsiCo in the Global Beverage Marketing Group. I work specifically on brand Pepsi. I am responsible for the global strategy of the brand and the key campaigns that support the strategy. At the global level we help create efficiencies across regions and work to create consistency in messaging and positioning. My work consists of both strategic planning, creative development and brand tracking.

I partner on a daily basis with our design team and lead agencies to execute creative campaigns. I work to think of new innovative ways to get our message to today’s consumer. We are responsible for the short term execution of the brand plans, and also the future innovations and planning for the brand (3-5 years).

Do you think about digital strategies in your current role? How often?

As a marketer I no longer think about ‘marketing’ and then ‘digital marketing’, it is just ‘marketing’. We have to support our message on the right platform at the right time for the right consumer. I work in partnership with our lead platforms (FB, Twitter, Snap) to talk about the role and strategy of each and how to best fit the message to the platform.

How have digital technologies impacted your company/industry since leaving Tuck and the CDS?

It is becoming increasingly hard to ‘break through the clutter’. Consumers today are faced with so many messages throughout the day it becomes critical to be relevant and timely. There are huge advancements happening across the platforms to help better target the right consumer and ensure your message is being seen.

What lesson(s) did you take away from your time as a CDS MBA Fellow that has been useful in your career?

I completed my year long project on the rise of multi-screens. Now more than ever it is important to create content fit for the format. When briefing creative development with agencies I think about the brief for TV which is different than the brief for social channels. For example, knowing that most consumers watch content on their mobile device we create content that is fit for that screen (larger, brighter images with small simple text). Furthermore, for some digital platforms (YouTube) it is important to show branding in the first 3 seconds to drive impact so we create content that adheres to those needs.

What advice do you have for our current MBA Fellows when it comes to digital strategies and careers?

Stay curious and keep thinking where will digital strategies go next. At PepsiCo we pride ourselves on constantly innovating to stay relevant. We look for the latest platforms and technologies to get our message across to the right target groups. Don’t be afraid to challenge the norm and share what’s happening in the industry and how that will impact business in the future.

The CDS offers several MBA Enrichment programs to Tuck School students.  The MBA Fellows Program gives second year students the opportunity to deep dive into digital stategies through in depth research projects, on campus events, networking opportunities, and more.