For decades, Hindustan Unilever’s (HUL) Lifebuoy has been shorthand for hygiene. Its jingle — Lifebuoy hai jahan, tandurusti hai waha — was a promise wrapped in red and white packaging.
The brand is now looking for a bigger playing field — from being a germ fighter, Lifebuoy wants to be a skin protector. And to lead this evolution, HUL has enlisted the help of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan.
The first spot announcing the reposition (created by MullenLowe Lintas) opens with the shot of Khan in a bathrobe, playfully misremembering the brand’s jingle. It’s a deliberate slip — one he swiftly corrects —underscoring the shift from antiseptic utility to dermatological sophistication. The scene moves from playfulness to the clinical — complete with lab coats, scientific reassurances, and a quiet assertion that Lifebuoy is changing with the times.
That SRK is Lifebuoy’s new face is a twist in itself.Historically, Lifebuoy’s messaging was directed at women — the mother more specifically, who is a primary decision-makers for household purchases related to family health and wellbeing. By leveraging a “father” figure — SRK’s on-screen persona has also moved beyond the 1990s and 2000s lover-boy image —Lifebuoy is not only refreshing its brand appeal but also aligning with a larger consumer cohort, say experts.
Experts also say SRK’s appeal will help Lifebuoy break free from its “problem-solution” approach and pursue a more aspirational trajectory. With sales of over 2,000 crore, Lifebuoy is a dominant player in the 28,000 Indian soap market. Over its 130-year existence in India, the brand has tried to gradually move beyond its germ-protection identity to tap into broader skincare aspirations. Its previous attempts, such as the launch of Lifebuoy Gold and the expansion into handwash products, signaled this transition. The latest move to rope in SRK will bridge the gap between health and skincare, says Yasin Hamidani, director, Media Care Brand Solutions. “His involvement provides credibility and trust, positioning Lifebuoy as both effective and modern in its new category,” he adds.
The potential is easy to see. The soap market is driven by mass-market brands, which command around 45% of the segment, followed by mid-market brands at 40%. Premium bar soaps, despite their high-margin appeal, make up only about 15% of the category in value terms but it is growing the fastest. “Health-first is the new luxury,” says Anushka Sanghvi, chief marketing officer at Nofiltr. “Featuring SRK in a clinically proven soap ad aligns with this shift.”