- Asian Paints shifts focus from products to consumer emotions.
- AI enhances home design but can’t replace human creativity.
- Understanding consumer aspirations drives competitive advantage.
The eighth edition of Brand Equity’s Brand World Summit (BWS) 2026 brought together India’s leading marketers, brand custodians and business leaders to discuss the ideas shaping the next decade of branding. Held in Mumbai, the summit convened over 1,000 attendees, 100+ CMOs and decision-makers, with conversations spanning AI, consumer behaviour, creativity and brand building.During a keynote fireside chat titled ‘The New Indian Home: Where Aspiration Becomes Lifestyle’, Amit Syngle, managing director & CEO of Asian Paints, spoke about why the company’s evolution beyond paints has been driven not by diversification or scale, but by a singular focus on consumer emotions.From ‘share of surface’ to ‘share of space’Syngle said Asian Paints’ shift from pursuing a “share of surface” to a “share of space” was rooted in understanding the emotional role homes play in consumers’ lives. “We never had scale in mind. What we had in mind was the whole area of consumer joy,” he said.According to Syngle, the company realised that consumers don’t view their homes merely as physical spaces but as an extension of their identity, memories and aspirations. This understanding as per him has prompted Asian Paints to participate across every stage of the homeownership journey.He also mentioned that the company’s entry into categories such as bath fittings, kitchens, lighting, furniture and décor was never viewed internally as diversification. Instead, it was seen as an opportunity to simplify the home-making journey through integrated solutions.Emotion over productsResponding to how Asian Paints continues to differentiate itself in an increasingly competitive market, Syngle said that brands often over-index on product superiority while overlooking consumer emotions.He said product attributes have become hygiene factors, while consumers increasingly seek products and experiences that reflect their personalities, preserve memories and enable self-expression.”Our focus is very clear. We don’t really believe in product marketing; we believe in emotional marketing,” Syngle said.He added that in an era of micro-segmentation—where brands are catering to Millennials, Gen Z and Gen Alpha simultaneously, understanding consumer aspirations has become a far more sustainable competitive advantage than product innovation alone.AI can assist, but it cannot replace creativityOn artificial intelligence, Syngle described AI as an enabler rather than a replacement for human creativity.”I believe AI can never replace creativity. It can never capture human emotion,” he said.According to Syngle, Asian Paints has focussed its AI investments on two critical aspects of the customer journey—visualisation and execution.The company uses AI to help consumers visualise their homes by bringing together inspirations from multiple sources, including travel, digital platforms and in-store experiences, before combining them into personalised design possibilities. Human designers then add the emotional context required to create homes that truly reflect consumers’ aspirations.On the execution side, he said AI is helping improve the company’s home painting services by making the process smoother, more predictable and hassle-free, ensuring consumers receive the experience they envisioned.
