For India’s largest consumer goods maker, which spent ₹6,380 crore on marketing in fiscal 2024, television campaigns have historically been the dominant medium to target potential customers, cornering the bulk of the spending. Bollywood stars Shahrukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, and Madhuri Dixit were its brand ambassadors for Lux soap. Ananya Pandey endorses Lakmé.
Now, the young, social media-first generation has made the company draft in creators to promote its Indulekha hair oil and Lakme lotions to Surf Excel detergent. The shift has been drastic. Last year, HUL partnered with over 200 influencers for just one brand — Vim dishwasher.
“Our business groups are all using creators in different ways,” an HUL spokesperson said in an emailed response to Mint’s queries. “Each campaign requires a unique take on how creators can be used to drive brand objectives across the funnel. While the scale may differ, influencer marketing is a “key component of our digital marketing mix”.
The burst in HUL’s online engagement in FY25 mirrors the surge in India’s creator marketing, which is expected to grow to ₹3,375 crore in 2026 from ₹2,344 crore last year, according to EY data.
Gen Z is projected to drive half of India’s consumer spending by 2035, making them a critical target for brands like HUL, said Lakshmi Balasubramanian, co-founder and chief executive officer at influencer marketing agency Greenroom Network. “Recognizing this shift, HUL has doubled down on influencer marketing, seeing firsthand its impact in driving brand engagement.”
The focus on online marketing is warranted. About 80% of shoppers discover brands through social media, and two-thirds make purchases after viewing Instagram Reels, according to Meta’s GWI Beauty Report 2023. The trend is especially relevant as companies target younger consumers in categories such as beauty, personal care, and food.
Creators boost brand recognition
While HUL, which generated ₹59,579 crore in revenue in FY24, did not share how much it spends on influencer engagement, the company’s spokesperson said the effectiveness and efficiency of platforms, target audience and marketing objective determine its media investments.
HUL has a team to manage its creator partnerships and relies on an in-house tool, Sangam, to build the right media plan based on geography, affluence, and marketing objectives.
“Campaign objectives determine the criteria for picking creators. The quality of content also plays an important role, along with creator performance metrics like their engagement rate, view rate, the audience they cater to,” the company spokesperson said.
The FMCG giant owns brands across categories such as laundry, shampoo, face wash, soaps, toothpaste, tea, coffee, dishwasher bars, make-up and skin care.
“There has been a significant increase in the amount of work I’ve been doing with HUL brands, which has also led to an increase in collaboration fees compared to what they disbursed two years back,” said fashion and lifestyle influencer Anushka Hazra, who has worked with Dove, Indulekha, Love, Beauty and Planet.
In October, the company hosted an ‘Indulekha Influencers Conclave’ in Kerala, featuring beauty influencers, including Nancy Tyagi and Sakshi Sindwani, to offer an immersive experience at the company’s manufacturing unit. HUL acquired the ayurvedic haircare products maker in 2015.
Lakmé and Pond’s rope in influencers such as Sakshi Shivdasani and Aaliyah Kashyap. HUL recently launched its electrolyte drink Liquidiv in India, leveraging influencer partnerships with model-actor Nauheed Cyrusi, creator Kareema Barry and others. And it isn’t uncommon to see the same influencer endorse the company’s multiple brands.
HUL not only runs multiple influencer campaigns “month on month, but also actively participates in the production process, closely working with influencers to vet the script and ensuring their brief is met”, said Shivangi Sharma, a beauty creator for seven years with over 127,000 Instagram followers on her handle @shivangi.msharma.
“Every campaign is different, and the agendas could range from launching new products to boosting sales of the existing ones. Relatable content from creators also increases the brand’s recall value,” said Sharma, who has worked on campaigns for Pond’s, Vaseline and Lakmé.
Digital advertising dominates
The rise of digital-first consumer brands and online retailers like Nykaa, which heavily leverage influencers, is also pushing traditional firms to increase their online spending. HUL is integrating influencers into its marketing approach, ensuring that its new and legacy brands connect authentically with Gen Z.
“Campaigns across digital platforms, collaborations with social media creators, and influencer-led storytelling are now central to its strategy,” Balasubramanian of Greenroom said.
Sandeep Goyal, managing director at advertising firm Rediffusion, said HUL is very consumer-connected and spends where it thinks the company can best reach its buyers. “In any case, the spends on digital exceed TV-plus-print together in the overall advertising kitty in India,” he said. “HUL, too, is doing the same.”
Digital advertising, including digital extensions of traditional media, will account for 60% of the total advertising revenue in India this year, estimates a GroupM report.
The HUL spokesperson said creators have a pulse on culture and build an authentic connect with audiences. “The media landscape is constantly evolving,” the company said, adding, “We plan our spends as per the reach and effectiveness of mediums.”
“Traditional FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) companies have really started listening to influencers over the last five years, said an influencer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “While a lot of large luxury brands have been reactively active, more mass-market brands are now experimenting with influencers.”
However, according to Goyal, the general entertainment channels were the primary media vehicle for HUL to sell laundry detergents, soaps and tea because their primary audience was women. “One would love to know if digital reach for women is really the same for HUL brands.”