It's a brand that has been endorsed by the likes of Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan in the past.
But when Emami announced a fresh new identity for its men’s brand, Fair And Handsome, now rebranded as Smart And Handsome, the Kolkata based brand chose to go with Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan as its new brand ambassador. While Aaryan's age bracket might have played a large role in his selection, Emami executives say that it was his extreme popularity with the target age group of 18-34 that swung the decision in his favour.
The repositioning comes at a time when the brand is showing little or no growth in the Indian market. However, male grooming as a category is showing a lot of promise.
Advt
According to Emami, the men's grooming market is all set to double over the next five-seven years. From a value of INR 17,850 crore in 2023, it is expected to touch INR 34850 crore by 2032.
As the graph above indicates, in an FMCG category that's struggling for growth most players are gravitating towards this segment that's showing green shoots for future growth. India led the world among product launches in men's grooming in the last five years, ahead of even countries like Japan and China.
No longer a 'Fair' proposition
Over the last few years the lure of fair has lost its colour. Emami executives insist that the word 'fair' does not have the same negative implications in the male category, as it does in the female space. However, they admit that the lexicon used by consumers has undergone a drastic change. Keywords like Radiance, Aura, Glow, Even skin tone, de- tanning and others play a key role in the skin care category. For instance, the growth of sunscreens in India has been unparalleled in recent times, say Emami executives.
Dropping the term 'fair' from the brand name also helps the company enter a lot more categories than it could in the past. The pool of face wash and male fairness creams was just INR 759 crore in 2023, while the entire male grooming space was upwards of INR 17,000 crore. This gives the brand a larger room to play. The category choices that it can be a part of also increases manifold.
This significant transformation marks a bold step forward, reflecting the brand’s leadership in the male grooming market for nearly two decades and embracing the cultural shift towards more holistic grooming practices. Men's grooming is thriving because men are spending more and more time on their appearance. Studies indicate that men invest more than 40 minutes per day in personal grooming. They purchase at least three products every month. That amount of investment in personal care is obviously attractive to FMCG players who are forever in the pursuit of growth.
Advt
The new positioning statement, "Har Roz Handsome Code," captures the brand’s commitment to providing men with grooming solutions that enhance both their confidence and personality. It is not just about looking good but feeling confident in one's skin every day, the company stated in a press release.
The new identity emphasises the brand’s holistic approach to male grooming—offering effective solutions for face, body, and hair care. For a rebranding transition, the new packaging will prominently feature the message, "Fair And Handsome is now Smart And Handsome," reinforcing familiarity and trust with the consumers, it added.
To accelerate this milestone step in the brand’s journey, Kartik Aaryan has been crowned as the new face of Smart And Handsome. Known for his young energy, style and charisma, Aaryan embodies the brand’s ethos of encouraging men to look and feel their best every day. His association is expected to strengthen the brand’s connection with its young male target audience across urban and emerging markets, the company said.
"We see a tremendous opportunity to address a broader spectrum of grooming needs for today’s dynamic young men. The rebranding from Fair And Handsome to Smart And Handsome is a strategic decision driven by consumer insights that highlight a shift towards individuality, diversity, and confidence focusing on natural skin health among today’s young men. Consumers are increasingly open to multiple new-age product formats and solutions that can help achieve and maintain best versions of their own skin,” said Mohan Goenka, vice chairman and wholetime director, Emami.
“With exciting new product launches on the horizon and Kartik Aaryan as the new face of the brand, we are confident that this refreshed identity as Smart And Handsome as a comprehensive grooming solution will further solidify our leadership in the evolving male grooming market,” Goenka added.
Kartik expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, "I’m truly excited to join the Emami family as the face of Smart And Handsome. Grooming today goes beyond appearances—it's about confidence, individuality, and self-expression. The brand’s vision of holistic grooming resonates deeply with me, offering modern men effective and inclusive solutions that empower them to be their best selves. I’m looking forward to being part of this exciting journey."
The rebranding campaign, starring Kartik Aaryan, will launch in mid-January and will include television, digital, and social media activations. The refreshed packaging will act as a bridge to ensure consumer recognition and loyalty during this exciting transition, the company added.
Watch the video here:
- By BE Staff ,
- ETBrandEquity
- Published On Jan 10, 2025 at 07:44 AM IST
Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals
Subscribe to our newsletter to get latest insights & analysis.
Download ETBrandEquity App
- Get Realtime updates
- Save your favourite articles

- Fair And Handsome rebranding
- Emami rebrands men's grooming
- Smart And Handsome
- Kartik Aaryan brand ambassador
- Emami Fair And Handsome
- men’s skincare products
- Emami
- Kartik Aaryan
- brand ambassador
- emami rebranding