Mastercard's Raja Rajamannar Named 2025 ARF CMO Award Winner

NEW YORK, Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) is proud to announce Raja Rajamannar, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Mastercard, as the winner of this year's Chief Marketing Officer Award.

Raja is celebrated for revolutionizing Mastercard's marketing by combining data science, consumer insights and creativity to drive global brand leadership. Since joining Mastercard in 2013, he has championed innovations such as the company's award-winning sonic brand identity, which now features across more than 1.75 billion touchpoints worldwide. His bold decision to drop the Mastercard name from its logo — based on consumer testing across 26 countries — and his launch of inclusive products like the True Name™ Card and Touch Card reflect a commitment to insight-led, socially conscious marketing.

Raja's thought leadership extends beyond Mastercard. His book, Quantum Marketing, is a global bestseller and a fixture in business schools, including Harvard and Yale. He has served as President of the World Federation of Advertisers, sits on multiple nonprofit and corporate boards and continues to shape the industry as a frequent keynote speaker.

"Raja Rajamannar is a visionary who has redefined what modern marketing can achieve," said Scott McDonald, President & CEO of the ARF. "His integration of science, empathy and innovation sets a powerful standard for our industry."

The CMO Award honors marketing leaders who have embraced analytics, championed consumer insights and elevated the stature of marketing within their organizations. Raja will be formally recognized at ARF's fourth annual Creative Effectiveness event this October.

About the ARF
Founded in 1936, the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) has emerged as the preeminent authority on unbiased quality in advertising, media and marketing research. With over 400 member companies, ARF's powerful knowledge, unified standards and best practices have proven invaluable, time and again. The ARF continues to drive continuous improvement in advertising and marketing practices by fostering collaboration and innovation, shaping the industry's future.

For more information contact:

Philip Perry
Senior Content and Communications Manager
The Advertising Research Foundation (ARF)
Email: [email protected]

Phone: (212) 751-5656 ext. 5757

www.thearf.org 

SOURCE The Advertising Research Foundation