From drawers to IPL: How India’s sock brands are betting big on ads and bigger on ambition

New Delhi: The sock drawer is no longer the most ignored corner of your wardrobe. It’s now a battlefield of brands, influencers, celebrity-endorsed campaigns, and high-stakes marketing gambits. Socks, once a utilitarian afterthought, are now slowly becoming fashion currency, and India’s biggest players in the category are lacing up for serious visibility.

Who would have thought socks would be advertised during the IPL or get celebrity endorsements? But that's exactly what Supersox pulled off this year by launching a high-impact campaign during IPL 2025, fronted by Bollywood star Kartik Aaryan. For a brand that had been making socks for five decades behind the scenes for retail giants and sportswear brands, this marked a bold move into the consumer spotlight.

Supersox’s shift from behind-the-scenes OEM to front-and-centre branding was driven by a desire to close the gap between strong backend performance and low brand recall.

“Advertising during IPL was a strategic decision for us,” said Harsh Saraf, Director at Supersox. “We have been in the sock manufacturing space for over 50 years, supplying leading brands, but consumer awareness was a challenge. Even with one of the largest market shares, people would say, ‘We’ve never heard of your brand.’ That’s when we realised we don’t just need distribution; we need recognition. Partnering with Kartik Aaryan and advertising during the IPL gave us a massive platform to reach a larger, more mainstream audience.”

The Supersox ad featuring Kartik Aaryan:

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A post shared by KARTIK AARYAN (@kartikaaryan)

Instead of focusing on functionality, the brand leaned into emotion. “Traditional socks advertising is functional — this fit, that fabric. We decided to flip that. Our film is aspirational. It reflects quality and lifestyle, not just function,” Saraf explained.

Saraf told BestMediaInfo.com that the initial signs of advertising during IPL are promising: increased inbound interest, rising search traction, and media coverage. With IPL spots, TV, digital, and cinema in their media mix — and print and outdoor under consideration — Supersox is monitoring campaign results closely before committing to future spends. "In hindsight, we could’ve started smaller earlier, but this was the right time for a big move," he added.

But they’re not alone in this newly charged space.

Bonjour, a Rs 200 crore mid-premium socks brand, is going full throttle on consumer-facing storytelling. After Supersox, Bonjour will now be stepping beyond influencer and digital campaigns into evaluating full-scale 360-degree advertising, including outdoor and TVCs featuring celebrities.

The company is currently investing in influencer and digital marketing, along with in-store displays. But Bonjour is now actively considering a 360-degree campaign across outdoor, print, and even television.

“This is the right time to expand. We’re seriously evaluating a full-fledged advertising push. If one brand is visible, the other has to do even more,” said Rajkumar Jain, Managing Director of Bonjour. A brand ambassador deal is also “under discussion,” he confirmed.

Bonjour is investing up to 10% of its revenue into marketing — a significant jump from earlier levels — in response to competitive pressure and shifting consumer expectations.

Next comes legacy player Rupa Footline, which brings sheer distribution muscle with over 1.5 lakh retail points. But it’s not resting on reach. Instead, the brand has launched emotional storytelling campaigns like "Pahen Liya to Pahen Liya" to capture consumer imagination.

The transformation of socks from a low-involvement category to a lifestyle product is being driven by changing consumer attitudes. Today’s buyers want their socks to reflect their personality, with choices ranging from funky, colorful designs to premium, performance-oriented styles.

"Today’s consumers see socks not just as utility wear, but as a statement of comfort, fashion, and identity," said Vikash Agarwal, Director, Rupa and Company, which owns the brand Rupa Footline. While e-commerce and influencer-led initiatives are scaling up, the brand is also exploring D2C strategies to remain agile.

Retail remains a stronghold thanks to Rupa’s expansive network, but digital has emerged as a “game-changer”, particularly for youth and urban consumers. “Influencer-led content, Amazon/Flipkart visibility, and regional campaigns have worked well for us,” Agarwal noted. Celebrity endorsements are under active consideration as the category matures.

At the D2C end of the spectrum, The Sock Street is rewriting all the rules. Run by a youthful team that has positioned socks as a lifestyle product akin to sneakers, the brand thrives on creative design, quick commerce and story-rich product lines like “Weekly Socks” and “Gym Packs.”

"Socks are no longer just a commodity. They’re part of a lifestyle, like sneakers. We’re building a brand around joy, identity, and storytelling," said Udit Mayor, CEO of The Sock Street.

The Sock Street has gone all-in on marketing. The company currently spends 40% of its revenue on advertising — a strategy Mayor calls essential for a high-visibility D2C brand. “About 40% of the revenue we spend is on our ads, which is on the higher side, because we have to make and build a brand. Later on, it will be reduced to 15 to 20%. We focus heavily on creative content, influencer campaigns, and brand collaborations. Marketing plays a huge role in educating the consumer about our quality and differentiation,” he explained.

With live campaigns already running on a small scale, the brand is gearing up for large-scale visibility drives across platforms by the end of FY25. “TV campaigns and celebrity collaborations are absolutely on the cards,” Mayor confirmed.

Marketing, Mayor said, plays a key role not just in visibility but in consumer trust-building. “Even if our designs are copied, the quality can’t be replicated.”

Interestingly, The Sock Street does not work with external ad agencies. “One of our co-founders handles the ad strategy — he has agency experience and manages it in-house. We’ll outsource when needed, but we’re happy with our control for now,” Mayor said.

“We’re profitable, but branding is crucial if we want to break out in this low-involvement category,” Supersox Director Saraf said. “The biggest challenge is communicating our product’s quality and design — something tangible — to consumers who traditionally see socks as a basic, forgettable item.”

The company clocked Rs 100 crore in revenue last year and is targeting Rs 150 crore by FY26. Offline channels contribute 75% of revenue, with online (Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Zepto) accounting for the rest.

The brand caters to a diverse customer base — men and women split 50-50 — with strong demand across Tier 1, 2, and 3 cities. While online margins are thin due to high acquisition costs and commissions, Saraf insists that omni-channel presence is necessary. “Quick commerce works well for legacy FMCG brands like Britannia. For us, pricing pressures still limit profitability online.”

Still, customer loyalty is visible in marketplace performance. “We’re among the top brands on Amazon and Zepto, and doing well on Flipkart and Myntra. Offline, our distributors continue to sell in the same stores year after year — that speaks volumes,” he noted.

Bonjour is focusing on product innovation, like its new bamboo socks promoted as “7 days, no odour.” Jain explained, “There are people who live alone or travel a lot. They want low-maintenance, high-quality socks. We cater to those use cases.”

"People are buying more socks than they need, not just for function, but for style and self-expression. That’s why branding and communication are becoming critical," said Jain. Bonjour is seeing strong traction from Tier 2 and 3 cities, while its 40% customer return rate shows brand stickiness that outpaces the industry norm.

The Indian socks market, Jain estimates, is around Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000 crore, split across school, mass-market, and mid-premium segments. Bonjour occupies the mid-premium space and is gunning for a 20–25% CAGR. "We’ve even discussed a 10x growth in four years," he admitted.

With over 2 lakh pairs sold in FY24 and a revenue target of Rs 100 crore by 2028, The Sock Street is currently seeing monthly sales of about Rs 20 lakh. They leverage in-house creative and focus on brand-building via platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Blinkit, and soon, Zepto and Swiggy.

"Cheap imports are hurting the market, and many D2C players are just rebranding Chinese stock. But our socks cost three times more to make, and we deliver quality. That’s why our repeat rate is already at 30%," Mayor added.

The brand's breakout products include playful offerings like Weekly Socks (a five-pair set labelled Monday to Friday) and Gym Packs (with socks themed around ‘leg day,’ ‘chest day,’ etc.), aimed squarely at health-conscious, style-driven youth. “We try to inject joy into a simple product through great design, packaging, and storytelling,” said Mayor.

The Sock Street sells primarily through e-commerce — its own website, along with Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, and Ajio. Quick commerce integration with Zepto and Swiggy is underway. “We are already present on Blinkit and have strong traction in Tier 1 cities,” said Mayor, adding that retail stores will be launched in the current financial year.

Mayor emphasised that in a market flooded with cheap imports and counterfeit socks, education is key. “Many so-called D2C brands just relabel low-quality Chinese imports and sell them online at unsustainably low prices,” he said. “Our socks cost three times more to produce, but we deliver real quality. The difference is felt by customers — and that’s why we already have a 30% repeat customer base.”

Even as The Sock Street maintains a strong focus on sales via digital and quick commerce platforms, its real bet is on brand equity. “We’re not just chasing revenue. If the brand is strong, customers will come back,” said Mayor. “Design, quality, trust — that’s our edge.”

When it comes to the wave of D2C sock startups, Bonjour’s Jain remains unbothered. “Their sales are minuscule. Some are at Rs 1 crore, others even less. Most rely heavily on promotions and don’t sustain beyond the initial push,” he said.

He acknowledged that startups are building brands online and moving offline — the reverse of traditional models. “But many of them lack patience. They want to become big brands quickly without building long-term value,” Jain noted.

Rupa sees significant room in the premium and health-conscious segments, and with the Indian socks market projected to grow from USD 214.7 million in 2024 to USD 336.8 million by 2033, it’s playing the long game.

With startups shaking up the socks category through direct-to-consumer (D2C) models, custom packaging, and quirky designs, Footline sees this as healthy competition. “Startups have pushed the boundaries, and that’s a good thing. But we bring to the table manufacturing scale, distribution muscle, and product legacy,” said Agarwal, adding that Footline is also exploring its own D2C strategies to stay ahead.

Currently, Rupa Footline is available in over 1.5 lakh retail outlets across India. Backed by modern manufacturing units, the brand delivers a wide range of SKUs—across basics, performance, and fashion—to serve both domestic and export markets.

Still, the biggest challenge, Agarwal admits, has been shifting consumer perception. “We had to make people see socks as a brandable, aspirational product. Creating recall in a low-engagement category takes consistent effort—be it through packaging, visibility at retail, or digital storytelling.”

One of the biggest challenges for sock brands is breaking the perception that socks are a low-involvement, functional product. Unlike shoes or apparel, which command high emotional and aspirational value, socks have traditionally been seen as mere afterthoughts in the wardrobe. However, this mindset is shifting as brands invest in marketing strategies that emphasise style, comfort, and self-expression.

So why is socks advertising booming?

Premiumisation: Consumers want socks that align with fashion and wellness goals. Bamboo, hemp, odour-free technology, and cushioned fitness socks are in demand.

Digital fluency: Gen Z and millennial buyers expect storytelling. Socks have become a blank canvas for themes, moods, and everyday rituals.

Advertising ambition: With Bonjour and The Sock Street chasing brand ambassadors and Supersox already leading the IPL pack, ad spend is no longer a barrier.

And yet, the challenges remain. "Until you’re doing Rs 200–500 crore in revenue, spending Rs 20–50 crore on media isn’t viable," Saraf said. "You need branding to scale, but you need scale to afford branding."

The next wave of socks advertising will see more celebrity tie-ins, retail rollouts, expansion into quick commerce and overseas markets, and the rise of functional-yet-fashionable socks for gym-goers, runners, and wellness shoppers.