As a number of southern movies dubbed in Hindi acquire reputation, south Indian stars are rising as pan-India icons. Influencers, too, are having fun with a surge—delivering loyal followings and sharper focusing on at higher worth.
For mass-market manufacturers, sports activities stars, particularly cricketers, stay a dependable guess due to their twin visibility in IPL and Staff India. But, regardless of rising warning, the emotional draw of film stars continues to carry sway, particularly in high-recall mass campaigns.
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Cautious recalibration
“Manufacturers are positively treading extra rigorously round big-ticket Bollywood endorsements currently. When a celebrity’s movie underperforms, manufacturers fear concerning the halo impact—not simply attain however relevance,” stated Neelesh Pednekar, co-founder and head of digital media at Social Capsule, a advertising company.
He famous that telecom and FMCG manufacturers are testing regional stars, influencers, or athletes who ship constant engagement. Even style and auto gamers are shifting towards YouTube influencers with area of interest followings.
“There’s a transparent recalibration,” stated Sahiba Dhandhania, CEO, Confluencr, an influencer advertising company.
“Manufacturers have gotten cautious about associating with actors whose latest movies haven’t carried out. The chance is now not nearly visibility – it’s about alignment.” Pre-covid, she famous, Bollywood faces have been a default selection.
“At this time, manufacturers ask what the narrative, return on funding (ROI), and danger are,” she stated.
The influencer benefit
Influencer advertising has matured.
“For a similar or decrease price of a celeb integration, manufacturers can now work with a spread of creators who supply cross-platform visibility, day by day engagement, and adaptable codecs,” Dhandhania added.
Prof. Sandip Roy of FLAME College agreed that the ROI from Bollywood stars isn’t all the time justifiable anymore, particularly in private care, life-style, and fintech sectors. OTT platforms and the booming creator economic system have additionally diluted the value energy of Hindi movie stars, he stated.
Digital content material creators supply one thing celebrities usually don’t—measurable ROI.
“The best way manufacturers method endorsements in the present day has shifted large time. It’s now not nearly grabbing consideration, it’s about standing for one thing,” stated Anuja Bharadwaj, affiliate artistic director – copy, BC Internet Sensible. “Do folks nonetheless care about what they’re doing off-screen?”
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South steps in
With actors like Allu Arjun, Vijay Deverakonda, and Rashmika commanding ₹7–8 crore endorsement charges, their presence in nationwide campaigns—from boAt to McDonald’s and Plum—underscores their pan-India draw. Sports activities personalities, particularly cricketers and Olympians, additionally stay scorching selections attributable to their authenticity and broad attraction.
The lengthy sport
Nevertheless, not everybody believes Bollywood is fading.
“Actors are like shares. Prudent buyers don’t pull out due to one stoop,” stated Harikrishnan Pillai, CEO of TheSmallBigIdea, a digital advertising company.
There are some actors with whom manufacturers are intertwined, and that’s true for all ambassadors, Pillai added.
“Whereas Bollywood continues to dominate, manufacturers in the present day are extra diversified,” stated Sandeep B Thakurani, affiliate VP, gross sales at Qyuki Digital Media, a creator-focused new media firm.
“High-tier movie stars are nonetheless used for consciousness, whereas creators are leveraged for engagement and conversion. The endorsement mannequin hasn’t shrunk—it’s developed.”
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