Fair & Handsome's Pivot to "Smart" and Inclusive Beauty

Fair and Handsome is a prominent men’s fairness cream commodity that has gained popularity all across Asia. India has been its biggest consumer since 2005. The product targets young adults between the ages of 18 and 35 and promises visible results in up to 3 weeks of regular use.

How Did Fair & Handsome Gain Traction?

Fair & Handsome wanted to portray the message of living life handsomely and larger than life, and to sell this idea to the indian masses, they needed someone who himself was a larger than life character, and who could do it better than the “King Khan” of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan.

This celebrity endorsement deal of Emami’s Fair & Handsome led to a decade of dominance and nostalgic, memorable ads and established Fair & Handsome as the biggest fairness cream shark in India, dominating 30% of the market alone. Fair and Handsome comes under the wing of Emami, which is also the organization behind the success of the product and its marketing campaigns amongst the masses.

Shah Rukh Khan for Fair & Handsome: Impact and Backlash

Shah Rukh Khan in the early 2000s had become one of the biggest celebrities, dripping with success, hard work, and elegance, everything that Fair & Handsome needed from their endorser. With the launch of the product in 2005 and SRK being the face of it, it became an instant hit. The advertisements were centered on boosting men’s confidence by enhancing their looks and providing fairly instant results, all at a very low cost, making it accessible for everyone. 

With ever-increasing sales and popularity of Fair & Handsome, it became a household name, and it represented that everyone could attain confidence and live their life “handsomely.”

However, with the rising popularity, many issues came into the spotlight, leading to a series of cases and lawsuits in the consumer courts. The primary concern with the product was that it was feeding off the insecurities of people with colored skin and was glorifying fair skin complexion as the superior beauty standard. This led to a series of issues for the brand as well as the endorser, primarily SRK, as being associated with a racist propaganda product would be nothing but a tarnished image.

Shift From "Fairness" to "Glow" Overhaul

With increasing backlash from the masses for their alleged racist propaganda, the efficacy of the product came into question since it isn’t a pharmaceutical, and the efficacy of the product was never tested, but many dermatologists suggested otherwise. According to them, without containing bleaching agents and steroids that are harmful, skin complexion cannot be altered or improved. This was followed by multiple cases and lawsuits in the consumer courts, which made Emami liable to pay for damages, false advertisements and vague instructions. This series of events led to the downfall of the share of the market where once Fair & Handsome had a stake of 70%.

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 This called for a new marketing strategy and branding to revive its popularity and clear the slate for the product. The major goal had then become to make the products and their advertisements more inclusive and appealing to the modern market. However, another unexpected blocker came in when Emami filed an infringement case against Hindustan Unilever. It was filed due to the clash between the products of both giants. Unilever’s “Glow & Handsome” was held accountable for copyright violation concerning “Fair & Handsome.”

This led to the rebranding of Fair & Handsome as “Smart & Handsome” and the beginning of a new revival campaign for the brand.

Rebranding for Relevance: Inclusivity Rather than Endorsements in the Influencer Age

The trajectory of Fair & Handsome, from market leadership thanks to Shah Rukh Khan's endorsement to criticism for peddling narrow standards of beauty, marks a vital turn in marketing. As much as celebrity charisma fueled initial success, the decline of the brand reflects the growing value of inclusivity.

The rebranding to "Smart & Handsome" marks a shift away from the problematic emphasis on "fairness" towards a more general notion of attractiveness. In the era of influencers, authenticity and representative diversity tend to resonate more than conventional celebrity endorsements. Micro and macro-influencers can genuinely advocate for inclusivity, fostering stronger relationships with niche communities. Fair & Handsome's experience shows that endorsements can give an initial push, but long-term success lies in adopting inclusivity, ethical communication, and a brand image that resonates with diverse values. The shift to "Smart & Handsome" presents a chance to rebrand and engage with a more conscious consumer segment through authentic representation.