'Marketing is not a support function': Manesh Palli, the fractional CMO for iGaming
In today’s saturated digital market, many companies are still treating marketing as a last-mile add-onsomething that sits beneath sales or product and gets pulled in at the end. But for Manesh Palli, a seasoned marketing leader and fractional CMO in the iGaming and tech industries, that mindset is outdatedand costly.
Instead, he argues, companies need to rethink how marketing is structured, who leads it, and how tools like AI can be used to improve execution without compromising on vision. At the centre of his approach is a modern, lean marketing leadership model: the fractional CMO, as he explained to SiGMA News.
Marketing is a strategic functionnot a support service
One of Palli’s most strongly held beliefs is that marketing is not a side function. “Marketing isn’t just about making things look good. It’s not a presentation factory or an order-taking department. It’s strategic.”
Many founders, he says, misunderstand this. “They complain they don’t have enough leads. But if you want leads, you have to build your brand. You need the messaging and the visual identity in place before you run ads or go to market. Otherwise, you’re just another company that looks and sounds the same.”
What frustrates him most is when leadership becomes an obstacle. “My job isn’t to educate the CEO about marketingit’s to deliver results. But if the CEO is my biggest hurdle, then half my energy is spent just trying to justify what needs to be done.”
Cutting through the noise: brand clarity comes first
Palli believes the real competitive advantage today is authenticity. “We’re in a world where everyone is using AI. Everything looks the same. So how do you stand out? By being real.”
“I always tell clients: no one can compete with you being you. Your competitors can copy your features, but they can’t copy your story, your reason for existing. That’s your edge. That’s what you lead with.”
For Palli, marketing is not about chasing trendsit’s about clarity. “Most companies look the same, feel the same, and sell similar products in similar ways,” he explains. “My job is to clarify what makes them different. I usually start by sitting down with the founder and asking, ‘Why did you start this company? What makes your approach unique?’ Then I take that and shape the brand’s messaging around it.”
His method is intentionally lean. “Big agencies will say you need to interview a hundred people, run surveys, gather data. But when you’re a startup, you don’t have that luxury. I go straight to the sourcethe founderand build messaging from there.”
AI is a toolnot a voice
While AI is transforming marketing, Palli is clear on where it fits: execution, not vision.
“AI can probably do 50% of the jobcreating content, building assetsbut it needs to be guided by a real brand voice,” he says. “That’s where the CMO comes in. You need someone to define the message and train your team to use AI in a way that reflects your uniqueness.”
His model? A fractional CMO plus a “marketing technician” trained in using AI. “You don’t need a massive team anymore. With the right structurefractional CMO, technician, and AIyou can save 50% of your marketing team budget. That budget can then go into events, campaigns, and real growth.”
Rethinking the CMO
A fractional CMO, he explains, isn’t just consulting in disguise. As Palli makes clear, “A fractional CMO is essentially in-house. It’s like having a regular CMO who sits on the board, attends all the meetings, and helps drive the company forwardjust on a limited, as-needed basis.”
Unlike traditional consultants, fractional CMOs are deeply embedded in the business. “If a fractional CMO is doing a good job, it shouldn’t feel like they’re part-time,” says Palli. “They deliver outcomes, lead strategy, and make sure the company’s marketing direction is clear.”
This structure is especially suited to high-growth companies. “Startups want to grow fast, but they don’t always needor can’t afforda full-time CMO. That’s where a fractional CMO comes in: to provide strategic leadership without the full-time commitment.”
Leaner teams, smarter spending
“The old way of hiring a full teamCMO, managers, channel specialiststhat costs 180k to 200k a year. With a fractional CMO, one marketing technician, and AI tools, you can get the same output for around 95k to 100k.”
This, he says, is the future. “It’s more efficient. It’s scalable. And it puts strategy back where it belongsat the center of everything.”
Random acts of marketing don’t work
Many companies, Palli notes, are busy but ineffective. “I see so many businesses doing things that were never needed in the first place. Random tactics. Activities that don’t move the needle.”
His approach is to simplify: “Why are we doing this? What are we getting out of it? If it’s not delivering, why keep doing it? Strategy is about choosing what not to do.”
Adapt now, or fall behind
For companies slow to change, the message is clear. “The way we do marketing is changingfast,” Palli warns. “If you wait too long to adopt AI or rethink your marketing structure, you’ll fall behind.”
And as the line between brand and business strategy continues to blur, he believes the role of the CMOfractional or notis more important than ever.
“Marketing is the foundation. It’s how people find you, how they trust you, how they choose you. Treating it like a support function? That’s a mistake no company can afford to make anymore.”
