Audio and wearables Boat launched its festive campaign ‘Upgrade to Boat’ on Monday featuring popular creators like Samay Raina and KR$NA, who illustrate the importance of high-quality audio technology during celebrations with a dose of asinine humour.
Snapdeal is banking on employee-generated content. Its short film ‘Nazar Atak Jaaye’ blends slice of life with humour, while a rap video performed by an employee traces the brand’s journey, underlining its resilience.
A new ad by Flipkart features popular math teacher Dr R.D. Sharma, whose books are staple for generations of students. In the Big Billion Days film he asks shoppers to share quirky maths problems that are linked to special offers, fusing nostalgia, education and excitement all in one campaign.
This is that time of the year when brands roll out their most ambitious campaigns betting on big names to front them, spending almost 50% of their annual budgets quite often. For decades, the choice was almost reflexive: film stars and cricketing legends, with their unmatched ability to command attention, were considered the safest bet for mass recall. But this year, as marketers cut their festive films, the recipe has a slight twist. The relatability of influencers is giving a tough fight to the mass appeal of celebrities.
That is not to say Bollywood and cricket icons are going out of fashion anytime soon. Flipkart’s Big Billion Days 2025 ad, for instance, brings together 11 stars, including Amitabh Bachchan, Alia Bhatt, Mahesh Bhatt, and Jannat Zubair, into a world where “anything can happen”. With the new GST slabs coming into force, analysts say ad spending will shoot up this season. Willy-nilly expect more stars to add to the noise.
That the glow of celebrity endorsements has been fading is proven by data. According to TAM AdEx, the volume of celebrity-led TV ads declined 12% in the first half of 2025 compared to two years ago, while non-celebrity campaigns now dominate at 71%. Film stars still tower over other categories — accounting for nearly three-fourths of all celebrity-led ads, with Shah Rukh Khan topping visibility charts and MS Dhoni endorsing a remarkable 43 brands — but the overall balance is changing.
“Celebrity endorsements remain an integral part of the brand marketing arsenal, but their growth trajectory is now relatively stable,” says N Chandramouli, CEO of TRA Research. “In contrast, influencer-led campaigns have seen a steep upward curve, driven by their digital-native approach and sharply defined audiences. The rise of influencer marketing doesn’t necessarily signal a decline in celebrity endorsements; rather, it reflects a shift toward more segmented, outcome-driven brand engagement.”
In many cases, marketers are learning to blend the two. HUL, for instance, continues to lean on Shah Rukh Khan to front its marquee detergent campaigns while simultaneously pouring money into influencer-led pushes for its beauty portfolio. “GroupM’s reports show celebrity endorsements are steady, but influencer-led spends are rising faster,” says Yasin Hamidani, director at Media Care Brand Solutions.
That segmentation has become especially important as younger consumers fragment across platforms. Influencers often command engagement rates of 3–10%, far higher than traditional ads, and their appeal can feel more genuine. Dhruv Goel, founder and managing partner at Brand Catapult, notes that “about 60% of Indian Gen Z and millennial consumers report being influenced by social media creators, while only 20% find traditional celebrity endorsements ‘genuine’ today. Brands earn an average of $5.78 return for every dollar spent on influencer marketing, showing cost-effectiveness and growth.”
Celebrity first country
Yet India remains a celebrity-first country, where star power carries cultural weight beyond the marketplace. “Just look at how people still gather outside SRK or Big B’s homes every week, that kind of love and connection doesn’t fade,” says Sudeep Subash, co-founder and CRO at Collective Artists Network and CEO, BigBang Social. “For brands, that emotional pull usually translates into higher recall and stronger impact compared to a plain ad without a star face.” At the same time, he points out, endorsements themselves are evolving. Brands have started roping in mid-tier celebrities or influencers for shorter stints, three to six months, and quick bursts of visibility. These may not always be ‘big endorsements’ in the traditional sense, but the intent is the same: to borrow their influence and connect with audiences in a sharper way.
That pragmatism often drives decisions during high-stakes festive launches. “Brands usually decide between a celebrity and an influencer by looking at the job they need the campaign to do,” says Yash Chandiramani, founder and chief strategist of Admatazz. “If it’s a high-stakes launch where mass reach, instant fame and trust are critical, a big celebrity still wins, you get salience overnight. But if the goal is ongoing engagement, community conversations or quick commerce, influencers make more sense because they’re faster to activate, more cost-flexible and measurable.”
For appliance maker Thermocool, both celebrities and influencers have distinct roles to play. “While Saif Ali Khan gives us national-level visibility, credibility and aspirational value, influencers help us drive targeted engagement and grassroots conversations,” says Tanuj Gupta, Director–Sales & Marketing, Thermocool Home Appliances.
That hybrid play, experts agree, is increasingly the future. “ROI isn’t a straight contest between celebrities and digital-first campaigns; it depends on the job you need done,” says Chandiramani. “Big celebrities still deliver unmatched salience and reach, especially on TV or mass-media bursts where fame effects drive long-term brand lift that digital metrics can’t fully capture. Digital-first creator programs, on the other hand, offer faster testing, lower entry costs and better attribution.”
Mix & match
For certain categories, though, celebrity faces remain indispensable. TAM AdEx data shows FMCG continues to lead in celebrity endorsements, particularly in food and beverages, personal care, and household products, with toilet and floor cleaners surprisingly topping the charts. These everyday categories often use star power to lend trust and glamour to products that otherwise struggle for consumer mindshare. “An automobile player like Hyundai leaned on Shah Rukh Khan for mass credibility, while a beauty brand like Nykaa invests heavily in influencers for product trials and authentic reviews,” Hamidani says. “It depends on scale and relevance.”
What comes next is likely to be shaped by both regulation and technology. “The next few years will be shaped by two dominant forces: regulatory tightening and AI-led personalisation,” said Chandramouli. “As endorser and influencer guidelines become more rigorous, brands will need to be more discerning in their associations. Simultaneously, AI will drive a new level of campaign precision. Influencers are naturally positioned to deliver this personalised engagement, making them more integral to brand strategy.”
Still, few believe the glow of celebrity will dim completely. “Celebrities will remain relevant for broad-reach, top-of-funnel impact,” Chandramouli adds. Subash agrees, but predicts greater flexibility: “Celebrities will become a little more flexible, taking up shorter campaigns instead of only multi-year contracts. That makes them more accessible to brands, even for quick-turnaround campaigns.”
The celebrity-led TV ad may no longer stand alone at the center of the stage, but paired with influencers, regional creators, and non-celebrity storytellers, it continues to form part of an evolving constellation, conclude experts.