Darpan Sanghvi reveals why even the biggest celebrities can’t save brands with weak fundamentals

New Delhi: As India’s festive season approaches, the advertising landscape gears up for its most competitive quarter. From Diwali to regional festivals, brands open their pockets wide, and a significant slice of that spend often goes to celebrity endorsements.

But according to Former CEO and Founder Darpan Sanghvi, CEO, The Good Glamm Group, the rules of the celebrity game are shifting. His recent LinkedIn post, paired with a series of insight-packed slides, challenges marketers to rethink their festive endorsement strategies.

“Celebrity deals can turn brands into phenomena, or into cash-burning expensive noise.”

This duality lies at the heart of the discussion. While a star’s association can instantly boost visibility, the wrong match can lead to wasted budgets and negligible ROI.

The slides highlighted a simple truth: during the festive period, brand clutter reaches its peak. Every sector, from FMCG to fintech, turns to celebrities to cut through the noise. But in such a crowded field, the value of star power becomes less about sheer visibility and more about strategic fit. "Consumers aren't stupid. They know the difference between ‘I was paid to hold this’ and ‘I built this for you,’" said Sanghvi.

Today’s audiences demand authenticity. A celebrity simply posing with a product may have worked in the 90s, but in the age of social media, this approach risks alienating savvy consumers.

One of the strongest points from Darpan’s commentary is the difference between contractual fees and equity-based involvement. "Fees buy time, not loyalty. Equity deals buy true commitment. If they won’t put cash in, they’re not really in."

An equity stake, he suggested, transforms a celebrity from a hired face into a genuine stakeholder in the brand’s success. This alignment often results in deeper involvement, creative input, and a more organic brand narrative.

The festive calendar is unforgiving; campaigns must be executed flawlessly within tight timelines. Ahead of this, Darpan cautioned brands to go beyond performance metrics and evaluate the personality behind the persona.

"Ask around about the celebrity you are about to sign up with. If he/she has a reputation of being difficult, try to avoid signing them. No contract is going to help you then." This advice points to an often-overlooked reality: operational headaches caused by a difficult celebrity can derail an entire campaign.

From his visual breakdown, a few core themes emerge. Timing is critical: the earlier a celebrity is locked in, the greater the creative and logistical flexibility. Relevance beats reach, meaning a smaller but hyper-relevant celebrity can outperform a mass-market name with little brand alignment.

Leverage their ecosystem: celebrities bring more than just their face; their digital platforms, PR clout, and personal networks can be activated. Also, it is important to measure beyond impressions, track sales uplift, brand sentiment, and earned media value, not just campaign views. Lastly, plan the exit: celebrity contracts should have clear terms for conclusion or renewal to avoid awkward public disengagement.

In the B2B marketing community, celebrity deals have often been seen as high-risk, high-reward investments. But with rising endorsement fees, the proliferation of influencer alternatives, and shifting consumer expectations, the ROI question has become sharper.

Darpan’s perspective frames it well; celebrity endorsement during the festive rush isn’t about matching the market’s noise level; it’s about creating a signal that cuts through it. The smartest brands will focus on partnerships where the celebrity’s involvement feels like an extension of their own personal brand, not just another seasonal contract.

Interestingly, Sanghvi’s own entrepreneurial journey offers a telling counterpoint. Despite his deep belief in celebrity-led growth, his flagship brand under the Good Glamm Group eventually faced severe headwinds and shut down, even after signing an impressive line-up of stars.

Over its lifecycle, the brand roped in Shraddha Kapoor, Sidharth Malhotra, and Karan Johar; collaborated with Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt around the release of Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani; served as the official makeup partner for Bigg Boss 16; and executed numerous other celebrity-driven campaigns. 

The fact that such a celebrity-rich strategy could not ultimately salvage the brand underscores a key truth: while celebrities can accelerate awareness, they cannot alone guarantee sustainable success without strong fundamentals in product, distribution, and unit economics.

For marketers entering the festive season, Sanghvi’s words carry both inspiration and caution, a reminder that in the pursuit of quick wins through celebrity endorsement, the brand story, product promise, and operational execution must still deliver beyond the glitz of the campaign.