Emotion isn’t a garnish; it’s the main ingredient: Avi Kumar, FNP

Not too long ago, gifting in India was a quiet and personal affair. A box of mithai carried to a neighbour’s home, a handwritten note tucked into a birthday card, a bouquet delivered by the local florist. There were no hashtags or personalised offers. No one spoke about ‘consumer journeys’ or ‘gifting behaviour’. 

But today, the act of gifting and giving has changed. The number of occasions on which one can send gifts has increased, and all of this is shaped by technology, speed, and a new kind of emotional logic. Gifting is no longer just about what’s being sent; it’s about how fast it gets there, how thoughtfully it’s packaged, and whether it reflects the sender’s intent.

The industry itself is growing in response to these changes. India’s gifting market is estimated to be worth over $75 billion, but only around $300 million of that is currently online. That slice, however, is expanding fast, fuelled by trends like self-gifting, experience-based products, and gifting as a service.

This is the world Avi Kumar finds himself working in today. Over the past two decades, his journey has taken him through radio, streaming, and digital commerce, where he learned how people connect, what they celebrate, and what kinds of gestures truly stick.

Today, as the CMO at Ferns N Petals (FNP), he’s trying to bring those lessons into a space that still holds memory and emotion at its core but is moving faster than ever before. In this conversation, Avi talks about building a marketing culture rooted in empathy and experimentation, the role of AI and data in shaping how we gift, and what it means for a brand to become part of someone’s special moment.

Edited Excerpts: 

Avi, your career has spanned BIG FM, ZEE5, IGP.com, and now FNP. How have each of these roles shaped your understanding of marketing in emotionally driven, occasion-led categories?

Each chapter of my journey has been about understanding the emotional triggers behind consumer decisions. BIG FM taught me immediacy, local cultural insights, and meaningful storytelling that adds value to daily life. ZEE5 helped me decode digital audiences at scale in a fast-evolving space. At IGP, I deep-dived into the psychology of occasion-led commerce and brand refresh. And at FNP, I’m bringing it all together — marrying emotions with technology to make every gift and every celebration more personal and every campaign more meaningful.

What kind of marketing team culture are you trying to build at FNP? What are the non-negotiables for you when it comes to creative thinking or campaign execution?

At FNP, marketing isn’t a department; it’s a mindset. I encourage teams to be fearless in ideas, obsessed with consumer insights, high on tech and AI adoption, and agile in execution. The non-negotiables? Respect for data, originality in thought, and campaigns that add real value to customers. Execute, fail, learn, succeed — fast. If an idea doesn’t move the needle for our customers, it doesn’t make it out of the room.

You’ve worked in high-pressure, high-visibility brands. How do you personally define a campaign as 'successful' beyond just metrics?

A campaign succeeds when it sparks conversations, drives affinity, solves for the brand, the consumer, and the culture — and of course, meets KPIs. At FNP, we go beyond campaigns. It’s about daily interactions — when the brand becomes part of someone’s celebration story, that’s when we know we’ve truly connected.

Gifting habits differ between metro cities and smaller towns. What patterns have you observed in gifting behaviour, and how do they influence your product and campaign strategies? 

We view customers more through psychographics than just demographics. From curating Hatke gifts for Gen Z to offering FNP Luxe for discerning audiences, to accessible products for relationship-led occasions — our catalog mirrors India’s diversity. One key trend: metro consumers are more time-pressed and part of smaller families, leading to higher intercity and instant gifting. These insights keep our campaigns sharp and our offerings inclusive.

What insights on purchasing behaviour drive your media mix, creative tone, and channel prioritisation across regions?

Our media mix is deeply insight-led. Digital takes the lion’s share — with influencer collaborations, Instagram reels, and AI-driven personalization leading the way. In smaller towns, vernacular content and festive storytelling dominate. Globally, from the UAE to the US and UK, we tap into local cultural nuances to shape what works best for each market. Tone-wise, it’s always a balance: aspirational for some audiences, nostalgic for others — but always authentic.

FNP recently launched ‘Hatke’, a pop‑culture gifting category focused on Gen Z. What’s the marketing strategy behind this, and how does it speak to youth culture? Why did you feel the need to create a sub-category just for Gen Z? 

Gen Z doesn’t just gift; they make statements. Hatke speaks their language — bold, pop-culture-infused, unapologetically fun. It’s a brand created by Gen Z, for Gen Z — fast, trend-aware, and identity-driven. In just a few months, Hatke has contributed significantly to our new customer acquisitions, with over 30% of its buyers being first-time FNP customers — reaffirming that this generation wants gifts that reflect who they are, not just what they’re celebrating.

With the festive season around the corner, starting from Raksha Bandhan, right up to Diwali, Christmas and New Year's, the gifting space sees a major surge in demand. How are you planning your festive campaigns this year, and what are some shifts you're seeing in consumer expectations or buying behaviour during this time?

The festive season is our Super Bowl — or IPL! We’re investing in hyper-personalisation, faster deliveries, and richer storytelling. As India’s most loved gifting brand, FNP is curating hampers and experiences that truly make occasions special for both givers and receivers. We’re also scaling quick commerce partnerships and using data to craft tailored offers and communication. Last year, our festive campaigns saw a 25% spike in premium high value orders — this year, we aim to push that even further.

You’ve spoken about using AI for personalisation. How is tech helping you build smarter gift recommendations or more relevant messaging? Are you seeing results?

AI is a game-changer. From predicting the perfect gift for every occasion to curating personalised offers, tech enables us to move from reactive to proactive. Early results show higher conversions, better engagement, and — most importantly — happier customers who feel understood. In fact, AI-driven recommendations now influence nearly 25% of our online purchases.

The gifting category in India is evolving, with the rise of experience boxes, sustainability, corporate gifting, gifting-as-a-service, and self-gifting. How are you ensuring your campaigns speak to emerging consumer needs before others catch on?

For more than three decades, Ferns N Petals has been the most trusted choice of consumers and a trendsetter in gifting. We keep our ears to the edges of culture — self-gifting, experience boxes, corporate gifting-as-a-service — and move fast. Our research and product design teams ensure that by the time the market catches up, we’re already shaping the next big thing.

What would you say to marketers trying to build strong, emotional brands in fast-moving categories like gifting? Any lessons you’d want to share?

Emotion isn’t a garnish; it’s the main ingredient. Listen deeply, tell stories that make people feel seen and heard, and show up consistently with empathy and purpose. In fast-moving categories, brand love is built not just through big campaigns but through every single touchpoint.