For years I’ve noticed how when an Indian celebrity promotes a product, instantly we need it and it’s changing our life. Amitabh Bachan promotes digestive pills? Boom—everyone’s stomach issues disappear overnight. Virat Kohli is the face of a credit card? Well, now you’re sure it’s the best financial decision of your life.
This isn’t just clever marketing—it’s cultural alchemy. An age old philosophy that not only perfected how to sell products to the Indian consumers but also sometimes makes problematic ideas seem somewhat okay. Hello, Priyanka Chopra and the Fair & Lovely era, or Ajay Devgn glamorizing paan masala and spitting with the two-finger ‘V’ hand gesture.
I’ve always thought of it like some borderline sorcery that has such a strong power to influence us. But why does this work so well in India, more than anywhere else? Why don’t Western consumers fall for this in the same way? So I decided to decode some behavioral science principles at play here.
Number 1: Self-concept congruity theory
We prefer brands and messages that align with how we see ourselves—or how we want to be seen. In a country with rising aspiration but social constraints, celebrity culture acts as a mirror of who we wish we were. The product becomes a bridge between the current self and the ideal self. We’re not just buying a phone or a pair of shoes. We’re buying a version of ourselves we like better—one that’s more successful, stylish, admired. Using the same perfume as Shahid Kapoor? Congratulations, you now smell like success and screen presence.
Number 2: Social Identity Theory
People derive a part of their self-concept from the groups they belong to or aspire to belong to. In India, celebrities are cultural reference points. By aligning with brands they promote, Indian consumers feel like they’re part of a higher-status ‘ingroup’, even if it’s aspirational. Buying what a celebrity endorses isn’t just a consumer choice—it’s a signal. It says, ‘I’m aligned with this world. I belong there, too.’ That’s Social Identity Theory on steroids.
Number 3: Cultural Tightness-Looseness theory
Cultures vary in how strictly they adhere to norms and rules (“tight”) or tolerate deviation and individualism (“loose”). India has pockets of both, but when it comes to consumer culture, it’s surprisingly “tight”: norms are easily shaped and quickly followed—especially if a celebrity sets the tone. If a celebrity wears a certain brand, it doesn’t just start a trend—it creates a social norm. And in India’s tight consumer culture, norms spread like wildfire.
But Wait—Do They Even Use This Stuff?
Here’s the kicker, or you’re smart enough to already know this. Most of the time, celebrities probably don’t even use the products they’re selling us.
Let’s be real. Do we really think Akshay Kumar uses that toothpaste? That Ranveer Singh actually eats chips on the regular and still has those 6 packs?
Nope. But that’s the thing—we’re not buying facts. We’re buying fantasy.
And this fantasy is curated by their PR teams, brand managers, and a paycheck with way too many zeroes. But we conveniently ignore that, because the illusion? It’s just so good.
So… Will This Ever Change?
Short answer? Probably not.
Yes, Indian consumers are becoming more digital, more skeptical, and more into influencer reviews and YouTube unboxings. (Wait, is this why most of our celebrities are now also instagram influencers?)
But as long as Bollywood rules our hearts and cricket dominates our screens, celebrity endorsements will remain the gold standard of marketing in India, even if it’s not a cricketer but a cricketer’s wife .
Because in India, celebrities don’t just sell products—they sell dreams. An aspirational lifestyle, a status symbol, and a quiet hope that maybe—just maybe—using that same product will help us feel a little closer to that world.
Even if it’s just for 30 seconds.
The behavioral backdoor 