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Actor and entrepreneur Deepika Padukone entered her 18th year in the entertainment industry, and her journey not only comprises big-screen hits but the actor has also become a brand favorite. From endorsing toothpaste, wall paint, soaps, and jewelry to drinking water, Deepika has lent her stardom and brand value to many companies.
In almost two decades, Deepika has garnered a major fan following for her versatile cinematography, both in India and internationally. When it comes to brands choosing Deepika as the face of their products, experts believe that her star power, consistency and ethics are her strengths.
According to a report by Kroll, Deepika Padukone ranked number five in 2020 among India’s top celebrity brand endorsers. She had a brand value of $50.4 million, which dropped to $51.6 million in 2021 and rose back to 82.9 million in 2022.
Today, Deepika has evolved into an aspirational brand with which audiences connect. As per an exclusive report shared with Social Samosa by TAM AdEx, the actor endorsed 12 brands across 11 categories in 2023 alone. The report also said that the actor's endorsement for Asian Paints and Havells India accounted for more than 70% of the ad share volume on television.
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Ashish Bhasin, Founder of The Bhasin Consulting Group, thinks that her consistency and popularity have been a great factor behind brands choosing her.
He says, “She brings a certain depth and seriousness and doesn’t come across as flippant. She has also been consistent with her collaborations. A lot of times, brand ambassadors are a flash in the pan; in her case, she has been present in the popularity charts for many years. Brands especially like this consistency in the positioning and thus gravitate towards her.”
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In one of her most prominent first ads, Close Up’s ‘Kya aap Close up karte han?’, she portrayed an everyday girl-next-door with essentially no dialogue. After her big-screen debut in Om Shanti Om, she went on to star in various other ads for brands like L'Oreal Paris, Coca-Cola, Tanishq, Axis Bank, Vistara, Asian Paints, Nescafe, Britannia, Gillette Venus, Lux, and more, becoming the face of the campaign.
Speaking about what she brings to the table, Vejay Anand, CEO, Ironhill India & Branding expert says, “Deepika Padukone's elegance, versatility, and authenticity make her an ideal brand ambassador. Her ability to connect with audiences across demographics, coupled with a positive public image and advocacy for mental health, adds a relatable and trustworthy dimension to brand associations.”
In 2014, Deepika was the face of Axis India, where she spoke about going cashless. In 2021, Padukone starred in a CRED ad. With these ads, Deepika worked with brands in the BFSI sector, which is usually known for collaborating with male actors.
Vani Gupta Dandia, Independent Business Consultant, CherryPeachPlum Growth Partners says, “She is associated with a sophisticated and elegant image, and the brands she endorses reflect these classy and refined qualities.”
Asian Paints mirrored her resilience and action-packed persona in its ‘Royale Glitz’ category, where the paint stole the star’s spotlight. Qatar Airways portrayed a similar story by bringing Deepika to highlight its premium experience. Since 2017, Deepika Padukone has also endorsed Swiss watch brand Tissot.
Over the years, luxury brands have collaborated with Deepika to connect with metro and Tier I audiences.
This quality piqued Qatar Airways’ interest too. Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive told press, “This collaboration brings together refinement and grace. Deepika is an obvious choice as she has the right global appeal and charisma for our brand.”
Broadening the categories of brands that she endorses, Bisleri recently announced Deepika as its global brand ambassador. The reason behind joining hands with the actor was to appeal to a larger audience and especially connect with the youth.
On making DP the face of the brand, Tushar Malhotra, Head of Marketing, Bisleri International Pvt. Ltd., told Social Samosa, “We were looking to evolve our communication journey to contemporize the brand and strengthen our youth connect. Deepika is a global style icon and has a great youth connection. We as a brand also resonate with her work ethic and values; therefore, who is better than her.”
Global fame, authenticity, youth connect, panache, and more make Deepika Padukone an attractive brand.
Dynamic shift through movies and more
In 2017, Deepika made her Hollywood debut with XXX: Return of Xander Cage and dipped her toes in the action genre. Back home, with movies like Jawan and Pathaan, she continued on her action-movie streak. Just like her dynamic cinematography, the actor is known for her diversified brand endorsements as well.
Chandramouli Nilakantan, CEO of TRA Research, thinks that her dynamic career is a big reason for the brand’s interest in her.
He says, “She has the panache and ability to stand her stead no matter what she is doing and that makes her a person who can make her space in whichever area she goes to. And brands especially love this fact about her.”
Ashish Bhasin says, “The fact that she has been giving consistent hits on the big screen made her brand image evolve in a great manner. Ultimately a brand ambassador is only as good as the recognition that people provide them, and this has been consistent for her.”
After her debut success and big break, Deepika hit a low in her career where a lot of her work didn’t hit the spot at the box office. She came back with a bang in 2013 with Yeh jawani hai deewani, rising from 22nd to 11th place in Forbes' Celebrity 100 list.
As her career flourished, actor Deepika stepped into more diverse roles and tapped into varied genres of movies. Cut to 2024, Deepika is all set to star in the action film Fighter alongside fellow actor Hrithik Roshan. She is also set to star in Singham Again, a cop universe that exclusively had male actors playing the titular roles.
With this shift, brand Deepika is turning a new leaf, becoming more versatile.
Last year, Deepika was announced as the global brand ambassador for Hyundai India. For the past 25 years, SRK has been the face of the brand, and with this association, the automobile company has made a shift in its endorsement pattern. Similarly, other players in the industry are known for their male-celebrity brand associations. With Deepika as the global face, the brand is taking a small step at breaking the proverbial glass ceiling in a male-dominated industry.
Ashish Bhasin says, “Earlier, the automobile industry was perceived as a male-dominated and male-decision-making category. That is no longer the case; women today are playing an increasingly important role in both their and their family’s purchase decisions. I feel, that as more women start earning more and the automobile industry starts targeting them, more female brand ambassadors will get recognition not just for their face values but their understating of the automobile sector.”
This collaboration is also opening new doors for Hyundai.
“Deepika's influence extends beyond the silver screen, resonating with a diverse audience, especially the vibrant youth. In this exciting partnership, we envision Deepika as the perfect catalyst to bridge the gap between our cutting-edge automobiles and the aspirations of the young and dynamic demographic,” Tarun Garg, COO of Hyundai Motor India, told the press.
Vejay Anand also thinks that this partnership will help diversify Hyundai’s audience base. He says, “Hyundai India's decision to enlist Deepika Padukone as its brand ambassador not only taps into the star power of Bollywood but also underscores a dedication to diversifying representation within the industry.”
The Bollywood star’s appeal has crossed borders beyond the big screen as well. In 2022, she was signed as the first Indian brand ambassador for the French bag brand – Louis Vuitton, expanding her global appeal as a star and later went on to be onboarded by Cartier.
Arnaud Carrez, Cartier’s Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, mentioned in a press statement that the brand onboarded her for ‘values of celebrating creativity, universality and open-mindedness.’
Taking her global appeal a notch up, Padukone made history by becoming the first Indian to reveal the FIFA trophy in 2022 and to present it at the Oscars in 2023, further marking India on the global map.
Apart from being a global star and face for many brands, Deepika Padukone became an entrepreneur with the launch of her skincare brand 82°E in 2022. To promote this brand, 82°E makes use of brand Deepika to the fullest. It leverages her keen interest in skincare and her social media presence of 78.2 million followers to connect with consumers.
By showcasing her authentic self and persona, she occasionally posts behind-the-scene videos of her brand endorsements, gaining good engagement in the process. According to media reports, Deepika Padukone charges Rs 1.5-2 crore per Insta post.
As the top ten most followed Indian celebs on Instagram, brands aptly use Deepika’s clout to their advantage.
Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh
Apart from her standalone appeal, many brands have tapped into her and her husband and actor, Ranveer Singh’s dynamic as well. Many brands have captured this duo’s chemistry in their ads by banking on the couple's offscreen camaraderie and opposite personalities.
According to a TAM AdEx report, the pair made it to the top 10 celebrity couples endorsers in the Jan-Jun’23 quarter. The audience’s love for the couple was also evident when the talk show Koffee with Karan released its eighth season and the first episode starred Deepika and Ranveer. With the anticipation, hype and fan love for the couple, the episode reportedly achieved 9.3 million views, making it the most-watched episode of the season.
The fan love has been visible in brand endorsements as well. Brands like Llyod, Jio, Asian Paints and others have leveraged the couple’s fan following.
Vani Gupta Dandia, Marketing Consultant, thinks that the couple’s unique dynamic is a good point for brands to leverage as it is relatable and aspirational.
She says, “Deepika Padukone's association with Ranveer Singh, known for his eccentric personality and bold fashion choices, adds a dynamic and colorful dimension to her image. We see her as someone who embraces diversity and creativity. There's a sort of Power-Couple presence that they have. These glimpses into their relationship make them relatable and aspirational, capturing the audience's hearts and positioning them as a couple to admire.”
Tips for brands
Vejay Anand says, “Brands can join hands with her to showcase their products or services in a way that aligns with her values and creates authentic content that resonates with her audience. As an influential style icon, her endorsement can significantly impact purchasing decisions. By partnering with her, brands can expand their reach and establish a meaningful connection with their audience, increasing engagement and brand loyalty.”
As Deepika achieves more global recognition, she has been picky with the brands that she endorses. According to TAM’s exclusive report, the actor’s endorsement on TV saw a 33% degrowth in 2023 compared to 2022, and the number of brands endorsed by her reduced as well.
Ashish Bhasin says “Ultimately a brand ambassador is only as good as the recognition that people provide them.”
This has been true for Deepika, despite her brand value noticing dips and changes through the years. Bhasin believes that this is a result of her values aligning with the brands that she chooses to endorse.
He mentions that brands should keep this factor in mind while strategically tapping into DP's brand. He opines, “What the brand stands for and what the brand ambassador stands for have to be in sync with each other. Oftentimes, brands make the mistake of onboarding a celebrity as the face of the brand just because of their popularity alone.”
Deepika, as a brand, has always been portrayed as a humble and family-oriented figure. This is reflected in various ads she has done where her family members have participated as well. This is also evident in how she carries herself in public and in conversations she chooses to be a part of.
Vani Gupta thinks that brands should further tap into these values to build brand recall.
She says, “Deepika Padukone's non-controversial public image, coupled with her humble roots in Bangalore, enhances her relatability. Her close relationship with her father and their shared love for badminton portrays her as grounded and connected to her roots, resonating positively with the audience.”
Deepika is one of the only Indian celebs to have openly talked about her mental health struggles and continues to advocate for the cause. In the past, she has worked with The Live Love Laugh Foundation, an NGO focusing on mental health, and urged the audience to be vocal as well.
Experts think that this has made Deepika more authentic. As a celebrity, Vani Gupta says, “Deepika's openness about her struggle with depression has transformed her into an authentic and approachable power figure.”
Bhasin feels opening up about her struggles and educating the public about them has elevated her brand image as well. He says, “One of the key points that has evolved her brand image was when she came out and transparently spoke about her mental health.”
Deepika Padukone started her brand journey by endorsing a toothpaste brand and moved on to become one of the top 10 celebrity endorsers in India. With domestic and international brands in her roster, according to experts, brand Deepika Padukone will likely keep making it big.