#453 From FMCG to AI: Prashant Agrawal on Rethinking Marketing in the Age of LLMs

The CTO Show with Mehmet Gonullu

“AI won’t replace marketers—but marketers who use AI will replace those who don’t.” – Prashant Agrawal

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we sit down with veteran marketer and educator Prashant Agrawal to explore how AI is transforming the marketing function. From his roots in traditional FMCG marketing to his deep dive into the world of LLMs and AI tools, Prashant shares a refreshingly honest and practical view on what it means to integrate AI into business and marketing strategies today.

Whether you’re a tech leader, CMO, or founder trying to make sense of all the AI noise—this one is for you.

🧠 Key Takeaways

• The ChatGPT moment that shifted Prashant’s career toward AI

• Why AI in marketing is neither a magic button nor overhyped

• Practical misconceptions about AI most business leaders still have

• Why cost-cutting is the wrong way to think about AI in marketing

• The must-know tools for marketers (hello, “Mrs. Peg” stack!)

• How to use prompt engineering and conversation-driven workflows effectively

• The skillsets marketers and teams need to futureproof their roles

• Why strategic experimentation beats all-in AI transformations

• What AI agents mean for the future of marketing automation

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🎓 What You’ll Learn

• How to critically evaluate AI tools and avoid chasing buzzwords

• Tips for training your team to embrace AI without fear

• The importance of data literacy and prompt fluency in modern marketing

• How to use LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity to solve real-world problems

• Why iterative thinking, not just prompting, is the future of AI collaboration

👤 About the Guest

Prashant Agrawal is a seasoned marketing leader with over two decades of experience in brand building across 40+ countries. From heading marketing at Himalaya Herbals to co-founding Swiss Image in Europe, he’s now focused on AI, consulting, and teaching. Prashant brings a rare mix of hands-on experience and academic insight to the table.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/prashant-agarwal-8353848/

⏱️ Episode Highlights & Timestamps

• [00:02:00] Prashant’s transition from FMCG to entrepreneurship and AI

• [00:06:30] The spectrum of AI misconceptions in business

• [00:08:45] Why AI is about quality and creativity, not just cost savings

• [00:13:00] The “Mrs. Peg” AI stack: Tools marketers should explore

• [00:20:00] Deep search, thinking LLMs, and the new research paradigm

• [00:26:00] Critical AI skills: Data literacy and prompt engineering

• [00:31:00] Advice for leaders: how to start integrating AI without fear

• [00:35:00] Continuous learning and AI’s accelerating pace

• [00:41:00] What’s next: AI agents and hopes for hallucination fixes