Latest news with #SandalSoap
Deccan Herald
08-07-2025
- Business
- Deccan Herald
Bengaluru airport to host 'Kalaloka', a stall dedicated to Karnataka
The stall, located at the airport's Terminal 2, will sell popular products from across the state, including 28 Geographical Indication-tagged items such as coffee, Mysuru Silk, KSDL's Sandal Soap, Lidkar products, handicrafts, and handwoven goods.
Hindustan Times
24-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Row over Tamannaah Bhatia as Mysore Sandal Soap ambassador: Explained
The Karnataka government recently appointed Bollywood actress Tamannaah Bhatia as the brand ambassador for Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL), the company behind the iconic Mysore Sandal Soap. The contract, signed for two years and two days, is worth ₹6.2 crore. While the government says the move is a strategic push to elevate KSDL's brand globally, it has triggered protests from pro-Kannada activists. On Tuesday, the Karnataka government announced Tamannaah Bhatia's appointment to help promote Mysore Sandal Soap, claiming it was part of a larger strategy to transform the iconic product into an international brand. The government said the move aims to expand KSDL's market reach, particularly in the West and Gulf countries, through new packaging and a global marketing campaign. Karnataka's commerce and industries minister MB Patil said that a committee of experts considered several actresses for the role. They ruled out some popular names like Rashmika Mandanna, Pooja Hegde, and Kiara Advani because of existing endorsements with competing brands or other constraints. He said that Tamannaah was selected based on her availability, wide social media reach, alignment with the brand image, and the ability to help expand KSDL's presence globally. Patil added that this was a business decision, not a cultural or linguistic one. The government wants to expand KSDL's market beyond Karnataka and India, aiming for a turnover of ₹5,000 crore in the future, he said. Despite the government's rationale, pro-Kannada groups have protested outside the KSDL factory in Yeshwanthpur. Activists argue that Mysore Sandal Soap, a traditional Karnataka product, should not have a Bollywood actress as its face. They feel the brand should promote local Kannada talent to preserve cultural identity and pride. 'Do people buy soap because of Tamannaah? They buy it if they need it. This is a Karnataka product. We know that Puneeth Rajkumar endorsed Nandini Milk—and we've all seen how far the brand reached after that. We will not allow any Hindi actor to endorse Mysore Sandal Soap,' said Kannada activist Roopesh Rajanna, speaking during the protest. His comment reflects a larger sentiment among some locals who want KSDL to remain strongly rooted in Kannada culture. Minister Patil has defended the appointment firmly, highlighting KSDL's improved performance under the current administration. He claimed that production has more than doubled, turnover and profits have surged, and new projects are underway, including a new factory in Vijayapura. 'We have a long-term strategy to increase sales to ₹5,000 crore. A new factory in Vijayapura is being established. We've also brought in an officer from Hindustan Unilever, Rajnikant, who worked there for 18 years and is now advising us. We have rolled out 23 new projects,' Patil said. Patil said that the government is committed to promoting Karnataka's heritage but must also embrace modern marketing strategies to compete globally. 'This is part of business—it has nothing to do with Kannada. It's trade. We are in business. This is not just about Karnataka; we have to take the brand global,' Patil added. With PTI inputs
News18
23-05-2025
- Business
- News18
As Tamannaah Bhatia's Mysore Sandal 'Soap Opera' Bubbles Up, Minister Cites 'Global Goals'
Last Updated: Karnataka industries minister MB Patil told CNN-News18 that the move was a purely 'business strategy' aimed at expanding KSDL's reach beyond the state The Karnataka government's decision to appoint actress Tamannaah Bhatia as the brand ambassador for Mysore Sandal Soap and other Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd (KSDL) products has ignited a heated debate. The two-year, Rs 6.2 crore deal has drawn sharp criticism from netizens and pro-Kannada organisations, who question why a local talent, such as Deepika Padukone, or another Kannada actor, was not chosen for the iconic state brand. Industries minister MB Patil, speaking exclusively to CNN-News18, defended the move as a purely 'business strategy" aimed at expanding KSDL's reach beyond Karnataka. Patil emphasised that the decision was not intended as a 'disrespect to Kannada actresses or Kannada people or organisations". 'KSDL was filled with controversies, corruption, and scandal. The chairman of KSDL was behind bars," Patil stated, highlighting the company's turnaround under his leadership, with profits soaring from Rs 180 crore to Rs 400 crore and overall revenue increasing from Rs 1,200 crore to Rs 1,700 crore. Patil revealed that the appointment of Tamannaah Bhatia was part of a 'prolonged strategy" to take Mysore Sandal Soap 'pan-India". He explained that 82% of the soap's sales currently come from outside Karnataka, underscoring the brand's national appeal. The minister clarified that other prominent actresses like Pooja Hegde, Rashmika Mandanna, and Deepika Padukone were considered but were unavailable for the two-year duration. Tamannaah Bhatia was ultimately chosen due to her extensive fan base, a factor deemed crucial for KSDL's ambitious growth targets. We're thrilled to welcome the iconic Ms Tamannaah Bhatia (@tamannaahspeaks) as the brand ambassador for Mysore Sandal Soap! A symbol of grace and versatility, Tamannaah perfectly mirrors the legacy, purity, and timeless appeal of our heritage brand.. #Ksdl #BrandAmbassador — House Of Mysore Sandal (@MysoreSandalIn) May 22, 2025 Patil cited KSDL's remarkable 17% growth in the FMCG sector, surpassing giants like HUL and Wipro, with a target of Rs 5,000 crore. He unveiled KSDL's plans for global expansion, including new international packaging, entry into the Gulf and European markets, and the introduction of new products like an international jasmine sandal soap, catering to specific market preferences. Furthermore, Patil announced KSDL's foray into the perfume market, with a team having visited Kannauj, India's perfume capital. 'We are going global, and tomorrow you'll again ask me this question, and we'll have a Hollywood actress here," Patil quipped, reiterating the government's vision to transform KSDL into a globally recognised brand.
India Today
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Explained: Tamannaah's Mysore Sandal deal and non-Kannadiga ambassador backlash
The Karnataka government's decision to appoint actor Tamannaah Bhatia as the brand ambassador for Mysore Sandal soap has sparked a wave of backlash online. With a Rs 6.20 crore deal signed for two years, a section of people is questioning why a non-Kannada actress was chosen over homegrown talent. MB Patil, Minister for Commerce & Industries, Infrastructure GoK, has defended their decision, calling it a way to reach markets beyond Sandal Soap has been manufactured since 1916 and is still one of the most popular choices among people in the South. King of Mysore, Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV, set up the government soap factory in Bengaluru in the early 1900s. Hence, the brand holds cultural significance in Tamannaah is making headlines for bagging a brand deal, we explain why and how this professional gig has snowballed into a TAMANNAAH'S BRAND DEAL IS FACING BACKLASH? Actor Tamannaah Bhatia enjoys a whopping 28.2 million followers on Instagram and 5.8 million followers on X. Being an actor with a pan-India reach, she has represented many brands throughout her she was appointed as the brand ambassador for Mysore Sandal soap and other products, manufactured by Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL). Her contract, worth a massive Rs 6.2 crore, has been drafted for two years. advertisement While this deal may be another professional milestone for Tamannaah, a section of social media users expressed disappointment with the Karnataka government for choosing the 'Odela 2' actor over Kannada GOVERNMENT FACES WRATH OF INTERNET USERSSoon after news of Tamannaah's appointment as the soap's brand ambassador broke, many congratulated her. However, some raised pertinent questions to the Karnataka government over the decision to overlook local talents from the Kannada film industry. 'Is there a dearth of talent in Sandalwood?' asked one user, while others criticised the government for not promoting local artists and X user tagged Karnataka minister MB Patil and asked, "When local Kannada young actresses like @AshikaRanganath could be taken as brand ambassador why appoint and promote Hindi ones @MBPatil (sic)."Here's the post: Another user asked if it was worth signing actor Tamannaah for two the post: While some of them questioned the government's decision, others defended the government as are some reactions: advertisementBigg Boss Kannada contestant also opposed Tamannaah's appointment as brand ambassador. Pro-Kannada activists are also opposing Tammana Bhatia's appointment as Mysore Sandal Soap's brand MINISTER DEFENDS BRAND AMBASSADOR CHOICEMB Patil, Minister for Commerce & Industries, Infrastructure GoK, explained Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited's decision to choose to sign Tamannaah as the brand ambassador. Stating that the brand already has great recall value within Karnataka, he wrote, "However, the intent of Mysore Sandal is to also penetrate markets beyond Karnataka aggressively (sic)."The minister further added that the decision was arrived at after discussions with marketing experts. He also listed out the parameters for choosing a brand his reaction: advertisementMinister MB Patil stated that KSDL's vision is to increase the annual revenue by 5,000 crore by is yet to react to the Reel
