MAM
Santoor ropes in celebrity superstars for different regions in its mega campaign
MUMBAI: Santoor, India’s leading soap brand, roped popular celebrities Mahesh Babu, Karthi and Varun Dhawan for its new multi-media campaign. This is the first time that Santoor has roped in three celebrities simultaneously for different regions as part of its hyperlocal marketing strategy.
Mr. Anil Chugh, President – Consumer Care Business, Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting, said, “Through Santoor advertising we tell a new story about ‘Mistaken Age’ in 30 seconds. Focus of our communication is on the Santoor protagonist and key message of Younger Looking Skin. Celebrities helps us to deliver this message sharply in the film, apart from helping to break the clutter and gain high brand recall. Over the years we have carefully chosen celebrities for Santoor. Keeping the essence of Santoor in mind, stars Varun Dhawan, Mahesh Babu and Karthi were the perfect fit to tell our new story of the Santoor Woman.”
Santoor’s new communication includes a TV commercial that presents the brand’s signature campaign of mistaken identity and the core proposition of Younger Looking Skin in a new light. The commercial is shot by advertising agency ADK Fortune.
Capturing India’s passion for cricket, the commercial is filmed in a stadium with the backdrop of a cricket match where the celebrity is in the stands enjoying the match. Suddenly a sixer wings his way and while the celebrity attempts to catch the ball, it is caught by the protagonist. Looking at the protagonist the celebrity feels she can be a new female lead for his next film. While the protagonist is rejoicing, a little girl runs up to the reveler shouting ‘Mummy’, which leaves the celebrity and everyone around surprised.
For over 35 years, Santoor has delivered on the promise of “Younger Looking Skin" through superior product offerings using natural ingredients. Keeping this positioning consistent, Wipro has periodically modernized its campaigns to stay relevant to its target segment.
Commenting on the making of the TVC, Ms. Sonia Bhatnagar, Sr. Vice President and Executive Creative Director, ADK Fortune Communications, said, “The key strength of Santoor has been the uniformity in communicating the core proposition of younger looking skin while refreshing the context and reflecting the aspirations of the new Indian woman. Varun’s youth appeal, Mahesh Babu’s popularity and Karthi’s versatility make them the apt choices to reach potential consumers in their local languages.”
Launched in 1985 as a natural ingredient soap, Santoor is packed with the natural goodness of Sandal and Turmeric. Over the years the brand has grown from a single soap brand to soap variants, talcum powder, deodorants, liquid soap, handwash, facewash and so on and has been constantly launching new brand variants and new products in tune with market demands and needs. Santoor remains as one of the most aggressive personal care brands in India.
Brands
Ascenta elevates Adheip Bakshi to sales director amid growth push
Move aligns with expansion plans and flagship Basalt Hills development
MUMBAI: Ascenta has elevated its co-founder Adheip Bakshi to the role of sales director, signalling a sharper focus on scaling operations and expanding its market footprint.
Bakshi, who has been instrumental in shaping the company’s sales and marketing strategy since its early days, brings over a decade of experience in real estate sales and operational planning. He has played a central role in building Ascenta’s channel network and refining its go-to-market approach.
The leadership move comes as the company gears up for its next phase of growth, anchored by Basalt Hills, a 20-acre low-density villa estate positioned within the emerging Mumbai 3.0 corridor. Designed as a hospitality-led, lifestyle-focused community, the project combines serviced plots, bespoke villas and curated infrastructure within a natural basalt landscape.
Speaking on his new role, Bakshi said, “I’m excited to take on this role at a pivotal stage in Ascenta’s journey. Our focus remains on building a disciplined, channel-driven sales ecosystem while aligning closely with evolving buyer expectations for lifestyle-oriented developments. Basalt Hills is a strong reflection of this direction, and we aim to scale thoughtfully while maintaining the integrity of the product and experience.”
Commenting on the elevation, Ascenta founder and managing director Karan Bahl said, “This elevation reflects a natural progression, recognising Adheip’s contribution to the business and his ability to scale sales operations in a competitive luxury segment. As we expand our portfolio of boutique, design-led developments, strengthening leadership across functions remains a key priority.”
With this leadership shift, Ascenta appears to be doubling down on structured growth while keeping its focus firmly on design-led, premium real estate, a space that continues to evolve with changing buyer aspirations.
