ORLANDO, Florida — Mastercard is redefining its marketing strategy, said Mastercard CMO Raja Rajamannar.

“We are at the cusp of the fourth and fifth paradigm of marketing,” Rajamannar told the ANA Masters of Marketing conference audience Thursday morning. “There are about two dozen technologies which are disrupting marketing at an unprecedented lvel.”

Technology is deeply infused in our daily lives, and not just with Gen Z “or nerdy technology folks,” he said.

“I remember in the old days, the idea of socialization was going out with your friends,” he said. “But now everything is happening through technology virtually and even without real people on the other side. Connecting with consumers, making those connections truly authentic, is the challenge.”

There are “tons of things” interfering with how brands can interact with consumers, engage them effectively and influence their preferences in favor of a brand, he said. 

But universal passions like sports, music and food transcend boundaries of age, gender, race and culture to bring people together through the things they love most, he said. 

Passion-based segmentation connects all kinds of age groups and psychographic groups, Rajamannar said.

Mastercard is spearheading a passion-driven approach that aims to shatter conventional segmentation, fostering connections across diverse audiences, he said. The company has ventured deeper into novel passion territories such as esports, music and culinary. 

The culinary segment is scaling the fastest and is the most popular among women, Rajamannar said.

Mastercard is opening branded restaurants around the world in Brazil, Hong Kong, Mexico, Rome and New York. The company has also partnered with Michelin. 

Rajamannar brought Onildo Rocha, the head chef for Notie Priceless, Mastercard’s Brazil restaurant onstage for a Q&A to talk about how the culinary segment connects with consumers. The exchange included a chocolate tasting by the audience to experience some of Brazil's unique flavors. 

This branded restaurant is a unique way to connect with consumers and get them to continue to talk about the brand.

“We have been investing heavily in this space, and it’s going to be a core part of our marketing going forward,” Rajamannar said.