Crafting Brands That Connect: Lessons from Khawaja Wohaib’s Marketing Journey
Khawaja Ahmed Wohaib has built his career on the simple belief that great brands don’t just sell; they make people feel something real. A global brand architect and award-winning marketing strategist, he’s worked across the USA, Pakistan, and the MENA region, creating campaigns that connect creativity with cultural impact. His work has shaped global icons under PepsiCo, helped launch a pioneering dairy venture for Nishat Group, and now drives purpose-led innovation in New York’s environmental sector.
Wohaib began his professional journey at BBDO Pakistan, where he helped lead major campaigns for PepsiCo brands like Mountain Dew, Sting, and 7UP. Among them, Sting’s Remake The Boxer with boxing legend Amir Khan became a viral hit, generating over 100 million impressions. For Mountain Dew, he led adrenaline-fueled projects like DewVenture and Dew Action, turning the brand into a cultural movement for youth and adventure. His work with 7UP’s #FoodiesWithoutBorders united communities through food and culture, proving how marketing can bridge people rather than products.
He later joined Nishat Dairy Pvt. Ltd. as Brand & Marketing Manager, leading the launch of the NAFL–SÜTAŞ Joint Venture, a collaboration between Pakistan’s Nishat Agriculture Farming Ltd. and Turkey’s SÜTAŞ, one of the world’s top dairy producers. The project introduced global dairy innovation to Pakistan and showcased Wohaib’s ability to build a brand combining international standards with local authenticity.
Now based in New York City, Wohaib serves as Strategic Brand & Marketing Architect at Lead & Mold Detectives, where he’s helping reimagine the company as a purpose-driven environmental brand. His work focuses on raising awareness around sustainability, health, and safety, using creativity to make a tangible difference in urban life. From energizing youth through Mountain Dew to protecting families in New York, Khawaja Ahmed Wohaib’s story is one of growth, empathy, and the belief that meaningful marketing always starts with truth.
You’ve worked across three continents. How has that global experience shaped your approach to brand storytelling?
Every culture teaches you a new rhythm of communication. From the bold storytelling of New York to the emotionally layered narratives of Pakistan—I’ve learned that authenticity travels further than any trend. Global exposure gave me the humility to listen before creating, and the confidence to speak in a language that transcends borders: human emotion.
What inspired your belief that great marketing should make people feel something real?
Because people don’t buy ads—they buy feelings. I’ve seen campaigns with million-dollar budgets fall flat because they lacked heart. I’m obsessed with the kind of marketing that makes people pause—to laugh, to remember, to feel seen. If it doesn’t stir something, it doesn’t stick.
In leading the 7UP #FoodiesWithoutBorders campaign, what did you learn about connecting brands to community?
That food isn’t just flavor—it’s identity. We weren’t selling a drink; we were celebrating belonging. The campaign taught me that community-driven storytelling isn’t built in a boardroom—it’s built in the laughter between bites, the nostalgia in recipes, and the shared joy that brands can amplify when they step back and let people shine.
What were the main challenges you faced in introducing the NAFL–SÜTAŞ Joint Venture to the Pakistani market and establishing its brand identity?
Bringing a Turkish dairy legacy into Pakistan meant blending precision with passion. The challenge wasn’t just translation—it was transformation. We had to merge two cultures, two consumer mindsets, and one shared dream of raising the standard of local dairy. I treated it like curating a cultural handshake—respectful, ambitious, and distinctly fresh.
At Lead & Mold Detectives, you’ve helped reposition a service brand into a purpose-driven one. What does purpose mean to you in modern marketing?
Purpose isn’t a tagline—it’s the heartbeat behind every campaign. With Lead & Mold Detectives, our message wasn’t just “we test environments”; it was “we protect lives.” When a brand anchors itself in service to others, every communication becomes more than marketing—it becomes meaningful.
How do art, design, and your experiences in New York’s creative scene influence your professional work?
New York teaches you to color outside the lines—boldly. I carry that creative fearlessness into my strategy work. Art keeps my instincts alive; design keeps my execution sharp. My New York years gave me a creative compass: if it’s been done before, I’ll find a new way to do it—and make it look good.
You often reference advertising greats like Ogilvy and Sullivan. How do you balance timeless principles with today’s digital realities?
Ogilvy taught me discipline; the digital world taught me agility. I believe in marrying classic craftsmanship with modern velocity—strategy that’s precise yet playful. The rule is simple: be timeless in thought, trend-savvy in execution.
What kind of stories or causes do you hope to champion next through your work in the near future?
Stories that make noise and make sense. I want to continue building brands that stand for something—sustainability, health, inclusion, or empowerment. My next chapter? Bridging creativity with conscience and proving that doing good and doing well aren’t opposites—they’re the ultimate collaboration.