These celebrity endorsers, many of whom are not A-list Bollywood actors, have the ability to connect with Indian consumers through social media campaigns and Brand endorsements.

In the past week alone, at least six such celebrities were named as brand ambassadors, including Samantha Ruth Prabhu for Tommy Hilfiger women’s watches, Manushi Chhillar as Estée Lauder’s global ambassador, and Athiya Shetty as the first brand face for Korean beauty company Laneige in India. Although Shetty may just have a few films to her credit, she now works with several global brands, including Versace watches and Sephora. In addition, Nautica named Aditya Roy Kapur as its new season’s brand ambassador, while Kartik Aaryan became the ambassador for Armani Exchange in India.

The trend signals a de-emphasis on traditional A-list celebrity endorsements and towards a more diverse range of celebrities who can better capture the pulse of the nation’s young and tech-savvy consumer base.

To be sure, while top Bollywood stars are still part of many brands’ promotional plans, the recent trend reflects a growing recognition that younger and more relatable stars may be better suited to connect with the rapidly evolving consumer base.

In January, for instance, watchmaker Movado started working with actor Sidharth Malhotra. Similarly, Swiss luxury watchmakers named actors Ranveer Singh and Siddhant Chaturvedi last year: Franck Muller renewed its contract with Singh for another year, while Ulysse Nardin signed Chaturvedi. Additionally, French luxury brand Louis Vuitton announced actor Deepika Padukone as its latest ‘House Ambassador’ or someone representing the brand in one particular country.

Shudeep Majumdar, the co-founder of influencer marketing firm Zefmo Media, said many international companies have discovered that Indian faces resonate well with audiences. “There is a large Indian population around the world, and several companies find that their clients resonate better with Indian faces. Even in Dubai, Indian actors are used extensively for campaigns,” he said.

According to Majumdar, India could emulate the increasing global popularity of Korean pop culture. If that happens, Indian celebrities may make a significant impact on the international market in the near future.

Typically, A-list actors who endorse global brands charge triple or more than they would from a local brand. So, the average cost of such a celebrity would be around ₹1-2 crore a day. However, brands like Louis Vuitton, which Padukone endorses, would spend far more to secure a local ambassador. The return on investment for such endorsements could take anywhere between 18-24 months, according to experts.

On the other end of the spectrum, less established “star kids” can be hired as brand ambassadors at a 25-70% cheaper rate.

“With such influencers, brand-building activities can be far more successful and may have a return on investment of just 9-18 months since the budgets are far lower,” Majumdar said.

Rohan Vaziralli, general manager of Estée Lauder Companies in India, said celebrities, particularly those from film and television backgrounds, form the cornerstone of popular culture in India. “Consumers have now become increasingly vocal about their expectations for inclusivity from brands,” he said. The company has worked with several celebrities over the years to connect with consumers. MAC Cosmetics, for instance, collaborated with actor Disha Patani in 2019, while actor Diana Penty was signed as Estée Lauder’s first Indian ‘brand muse’ in the same year. Bobbi Brown has Tara Sutaria as its brand ambassador, Smashbox Cosmetics has Sobhita Dhulipala, and MAC Cosmetics has Bhumi Pednekar.

Erol Baliyan, managing director of Middle East, Africa and India for Franck Muller, said earlier that the company made the “right” decision by getting Ranveer Singh on board in 2019. “Normally, we don’t appoint brand ambassadors. Singh is a great passage to the consumer. We saw the impact on sales within two or three months of appointing him as an ambassador in 2019. He is a fashion icon, and at the movie star level, we don’t have any such ambassador anywhere in the world,” he said.

Mini Sood Banerjee, assistant director and head of marketing and training at AmorePacific Group India, which sells Laneige, said that the brand has a millennial audience that primarily shops online. With Shetty as the brand’s first face in India, the company hopes to generate greater traction through e-commerce re-sellers such as Nykaa and Myntra, who are displaying the campaign featuring Shetty.

Similarly, watch firm Movado said it “forges associations with ‘unique’ personalities across the world, whose talents are rooted in motion.”