The changing face of brands

Brands are moving beyond young female archetype to include men, older consumers or diverse personas in ads

- Neethi Lisa Rojan

Endorsements that were once seen as experimental, such as Shah Rukh Khan's appearance in a Lux ad, are now becoming more mainstream.

(PTI)

Indian brands are widening the lens on who gets to sell aspiration.

The once-dominant young female archetype is giving way to a broader mix of faces—older consumers, men, and more diverse personas—as marketers chase households with real purchasing power.

"Kantar's analysis shows that Indian audiences respond more positively when people in ads are portrayed as confident, capable, and socially relevant, rather than flawless," Soumya Mohanty managing director and chief content officer, South Asia, Kantar, told Mint.

"For younger audiences especially, this kind of portrayal sends a powerful signal: confidence doesn't have an expiry date, and relevance isn't limited to one life stage. That's a very Indian idea of aspiration," she added.

The shift is visible in endorsements once considered unlikely. Shah Rukh Khan's 2005 appearance in Lux ads with the entirety of female celebrities who were ambassadors was treated as a careful experiment.

Today, the playbook has flipped. Beauty and personal care e-retailer Tira has hired actor Ahaan Panday as brand ambassador along with actress Kareena Kapoor in its latest series of ads. Meanwhile, the world's largest diamond miner De Beers has cast star cricketer Abhishek Sharma, in its ads promoting 'natural' diamonds.