At a time when skincare advertising is dominated by female celebrities and premium digital-first brands, Shah Rukh Khan fronting a face wash campaign for Joy Personal Care stands out. But for Poulomi Roy, Chief Marketing Officer at Joy Personal Care, the decision was never about disruption for the sake of it. It was about credibility, mass appeal, and building a skincare brand that speaks equally to all households across India.
In a conversation with IMPACT, Roy discusses why the brand chose Khan, how traditional ingredients like Ubtan are being reimagined for modern consumers, Joy’s evolving media strategy, and what it takes to compete against giants like Himalaya and Pond’s in a crowded skincare market.
Q] Joy first worked with Sanya Malhotra and then, brought in Khan for skincare campaigns. What was the thinking behind the choices?
This is actually our third year of Khan endorsing the face wash category. Face wash has always been a key category for the brand. We always knew it would eventually become a gender-neutral space, and we needed someone who could bring credibility while also resonating with the masses.
We wanted someone who resonated across genders and generations, and few personalities do that as effortlessly as Khan. He transcends boundaries—men, women and children alike connect with him.
Q] Was there pushback on the decision?
Initially, some questioned whether consumers would perceive it as a men’s face wash. My response was simple: would women stop buying the product because Khan endorsed it? The answer was no. And if more men began seeing it as a product for them too, that only expanded the category.
For us, celebrity endorsements are not about driving overnight sales; they are about building credibility. In a crowded skincare market, consumers trust that someone like Khan would not endorse a product he does not believe in. That trust is invaluable today.
Q] The Ubtan face wash campaign centres around traditional ingredients. Why did you choose to modernise something so familiar?
We have consistently seen strong consumer acceptance for familiar ingredients. Honey and almond moisturisers, for instance, perform well because consumers already understand their benefits. Ubtan enjoys similar trust, with deep roots in Indian households.
What excited us was the opportunity to make Ubtan more relevant to modern lifestyles. Most consumers do not have the time to prepare it at home, so we brought its benefits into a convenient face wash format. The formulation was designed for Indian weather, tanning concerns and active lifestyles. Once market testing showed strong consumer acceptance, we knew the brand had the potential to scale significantly.
Q] Has Khan’s association translated into tangible business impact?
His association has benefited the entire organisation, energising sales, distribution and retail teams alike. But endorsement alone is not enough. Consumers must be able to find the product easily across quick commerce, e-commerce, modern trade and general trade. That combination of strong visibility and wide availability has driven significant category growth for us and delivered a strong multiplier effect over the past three years.
Q] Featuring a superstar like Khan involves major investment. Has the return justified the spend?
We have grown at around 20 to 25 per cent year on year, which is a strong indicator for us. But FMCG does not work overnight. Large-format campaigns need time. Distribution networks, retail visibility and consumer recall need to align before growth starts reflecting meaningfully.
By the second and third year, we began seeing clear category growth and market share gains.
Q] The skincare market today is extremely crowded. What makes Joy stand apart?
Our biggest differentiator is that we are one of the very few homegrown Indian brands offering a complete skincare portfolio at mass-market pricing. A lot of new-age skincare brands operate in premium digital-first spaces. We are not directly competing with them because our positioning is different. We are a brand for Bharat. Our consumers are middle-income households looking for accessible skincare solutions.
At the same time, we understand aspiration. Consumers today want effective skincare without paying premium prices. That is where we fit in. Be it face wash, sunscreen, gel creams or deep moisturisers, we provide a complete range under one umbrella while staying affordable.
Q] What does Joy’s media mix look like today, and how much do you invest in advertising overall?
Our current mix includes linear TV, CTV, YouTube, Meta platforms, influencer marketing and local activations. Today, digital contributes nearly 45 to 50 per cent of our media investments. However, television still remains important for household penetration. Categories like lotions are often household decisions rather than individual purchases. So, while digital helps us target consumers personally, television helps us enter the household conversation itself.
Our marketing spends operate roughly between 15 and 17 per cent of overall turnover.
Q] What kind of product innovation is Joy currently focusing on?
Innovation for us begins with observing consumer behaviour closely. For example, our honey and almond cream was already successful, but we realised that consumers also want lighter moisturising options for summer. That insight led us to develop our hydrogel cream, which offers hydration without stickiness and suits India’s long summer season.
Similarly, not every consumer wants the same kind of face wash. We continue to introduce variants based on specific needs and skin concerns. Our R&D teams are constantly working on improving formulations and identifying emerging opportunities.
We have products like serums as well, but we aggressively focus on categories with larger consumption volumes because, as a mass player, scale matters to us.
Q] What can consumers expect from Joy next?
More exciting products at accessible price points, stronger campaigns, and a continued effort to break category clutter. Being a challenger brand, we are not afraid to experiment. We also have some exciting launches coming up, especially in the sunscreen category. Our ambition is to continue building one of India’s strongest homegrown personal care brands while staying true to our mass market roots.
PROFILE
Poulomi Roy, CMO, Joy Personal Care (RSH Global), is a strategic marketing leader with over 20 years of experience. She has been instrumental in scaling the brand from `75 cr to
`700 cr.+ in FY25, with a clear trajectory towards `1000 cr. Known for building purpose-led campaigns, she has driven high-impact partnerships with Shah Rukh Khan, Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals. Her approach combines inclusive storytelling with measurable brand growth and strong consumer recall.
ABOUT THE BRAND
Joy Personal Care, a brand from RSH Global, is a leading Indian skincare player with a diverse portfolio spanning face washes, lotions, creams, serums, and sunscreens. The brand’s face wash range is endorsed by Shah Rukh Khan, alongside collaborations with prominent celebrities. It is also an associate sponsor of Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League, and partners with Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Giants.
FACTS
Creative Agency: in-house, with execution partners ONBOARDED as needed
Media Agency: Madison World
PR Agency: Adfactors PR
Digital Agency: Madison World
Social Media Agency: Webenza
