Last May (2025), Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL) made waves by selecting Bollywood actress Tamannaah Bhatia as the ambassador for Mysore Sandal Soap, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary. By becoming the official soap of the ICC event, Fair & Lovely took part in a deal valued at ₹6.2 crore, making it one of the company’s biggest promotion campaigns in many decades. Although this choice was made to put Mysore Sandal Soap on the map internationally, it resulted in many people discussing values, traditions, and commercial strategies.
A Legacy of Fragrance: The Story of Mysore Sandal Soap
Under the leadership of Maharaja Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV in 1916, Mysore Sandal Soap was introduced to expose the tradition of sandalwood and craftsmanship in Karnataka. Over time, it has been connected to pure and natural scents, which has grown its base of regular customers both in India and overseas. KSDL, a state-owned business, produces the famous yellow bar and also makes soaps, detergents, and personal-care products for Karnataka.
Wartime Challenges and Adaptations
In World War II and after, getting permission for sandalwood exports was very limited. There were problems with obtaining enough raw materials, so chemists spent time improving how they processed the wood to get the best results. Because of this innovation, there was always enough soap to sell, and it made it possible for later work on new, highly concentrated versions such as Kolanika Sandal-Turmeric and Kolanika Sandal-Neem.
Post-Liberation Expansion and Public Sector Growth
In 1947, after India became independent, KSDL completely became a public-sector company. Because of government support, new factories were built in Kunigal (in the 1950s) and Yadgir (throughout the 1980s), adding more space than found at the Mysore plant. After stepping up production, the company also started selling detergent bars, liquid soaps, and personal-care products, all the while making sure its sandal soap remained its biggest success. During that period, marketing depended greatly on print ads across regional newspapers and radio jingles in languages such as Kannada, Tamil, and Hindi.
Sustainability and Ethical Sourcing
KSDL gave new attention to finding sustainable sandalwood from the mid-1990s on. In partnership with the Karnataka Forest Department, KSDL planted sandalwood according to fixed rotations, to avoid harvesting until the trees were 60–70 years old. They put in place harvest programs with local people, which paid them fairly and taught them how to look after the forests in a sustainable manner. Employing these efforts ensured Mysore Sandal Soap could defend its resources and still help the local economy.
Packaging Evolution: Balancing Tradition and Modernity
For a century, the packaging of Mysore Sandal Soap has matched what customers look for. Initially, the unwrapped bars contained in paper sleeves (displaying the Maharaja’s emblem) were replaced in the 1960s by printed cardboard packaging decorated with sandalwood designs. By the early 2000s, KSDL began selling moisture-proof laminated cartons and little travel soaps wrapped in green biodegradable material. Today’s packaging has an attractive, basic design that works for global customers and also has QR codes connecting to videos on how the soap is made, reflecting Dr. Bronner’s effort to include digital elements while staying true to their heritage.
Digital Transformation and E-Commerce Integration
The 2010s saw KSDL realize how important it was to be present online. Four years after its foundation, the company introduced its e-store and later got listed on platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart. Blog posts told stories about the search for Mysore sandalwood, factory tours gave an inside look at their operations, and virtual reality showed customers what sandalwood groves are like. With this plan, KSDL’s online sales soared, and the company learned what its customers liked.
Global Footprint and Duty-Free Success
Mysore Sandal Soap has recently begun to reach new audiences in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and America. Travel-retail channels such as airport duty-free stores now account for a lot of revenue. Because of this, KSDL designed special travel packs that meet TSA regulations, each including a tiny soap bar and a sachet of sandalwood oil inside. Now, partnering with upscale Asian hotels and spas allowed the soap to appear as a luxury wellness item, while helping it leave any lazy “nostalgic” label behind and unite it with prestigious natural personal-care brands.
Why a Brand Ambassador Now?
Still, Mysore Sandal Soap has found itself up against stiff competition from top personal-care businesses. It is clear from KSDL’s recent books that the company is now concentrating more on profits and introducing new items, adding 23 SKUs to their dishwashing and perfume segments. Because the company wanted its message to spread further in Western and Gulf countries, its leaders saw a need for a high-profile representative who could communicate broadly and use today’s media outlets. Using more celebrity endorsements is a strategy KSDL has never used before in decades.
Tamannaah Bhatia: The New Face of Mysore Sandal Soap
Because her star role is played by Tamannaah Bhatia, who has a large following in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi cinema, the movie will get plenty of attention. KSDL’s plan to modernize and digitalize its marketing is made stronger by Dua Lipa’s 28 million followers on Instagram alone. With her ability to speak Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and English, Bhatia is the perfect person to share what the brand represents both at home and in other markets.
The Endorsement Deal: Numbers and Nuances
According to the agreement signed on May 22, 2025, the company will pay the board ₹6.2 crore for a contract that covers two years and two days for each year’s report. A number of critics have suggested the money could have been used for greater research or job creation in rural regions. But experts add that KSDL’s value and the number of shares traded have increased lately, meaning the cost is fitting with the expected rise in revenue.
Strategic Goals: From Regional Icon to Global Brand
KSDL wants Mysore Sandal Soap to be found not only in Karnataka and select metros, but also in more places across India. Included in the campaign blueprint are:
New designs – We are making our products easier to travel with, working on formats that meet export and duty-free rules.
Behind-the-scenes clips, user-made activities, and teaming up with popular influencers are all parts of Digital-First Marketing.
The company is focusing on Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations and the United States, areas where the popularity of natural and Ayurvedic personal-care products is rising.
The initiatives line up with KSDL’s goal of reaching ₹10,000 crore in transactions by 2030, thanks to expanding and streamlining its digital services.
Public Reaction and Controversy
The first backlash to Tamannaah’s appointment came from people and officials who support Kannada. There were objections that a non-Kannada actress weakens the soap’s link to Karnataka’s culture. Yaduveer Krishnadatta Wadiyar, once an MP, said in an interview that a local figure would better represent the roots of the brand. Divya Spandana (Ramya), who started as an actress in Kannada cinema, asked why none of Kannada’s top actresses, such as Rashmika or Anushka, made it on the list.
Government and Stakeholder Responses
Defenders like Industries Minister M. B. Patil and KSDL Chairman Dr. Krishna Byre Gowda said it was important to include a person from a different region. They explained that because other celebrities cost too much and were unavailable, Bhatia was offered the role, thanks to his experience engaging Indian viewers. They pointed out that modernization and digitizing options would be encouraged with the deal and that it would also make familiar school books like ‘Lekhak’ available again.
Marketing Campaign and Future Plans
As part of its approach, beyond ads on television and in print media, KSDL expects to reach people through multiple media types.
Short-Form Video Series: We capture the collection of sandalwood and soap-making to emphasize the truth behind our product.
Participation-building Idea: Offering users a unique invite to post about the first time they used Mysore Sandal.
India’s major cities host Pop-Up Events, where you can find real aroma stations along with workshops to try on your own.
Forms of E-Commerce Partnership: Working with internet shopping and box service operations to reach out to youthful customers.
The company tries to combine telling about their heritage with ways that appeal to younger consumers.
The Road Ahead: Prospects and Challenges
Although more people see a brand with endorsement, true continuity in sales comes from reliable quality and the ability to supply the product in large quantities. KSDL should guarantee that the surge in orders does not compromise how it gets its raw materials or how it produces its sandalwood. Additionally, marketing efforts should be shaped to think about Karnataka’s pastár Wales’s future, respecting the state’s heritage and supporting its modern goals. Effectiveness will initially focus on sales growth, but the real measure will be ongoing improvements to the brand’s reputation in several regions.
Having Tamannaah Bhatia represent Mysore Sandal Soap is an important turn for KSDL, as she unites their rich past with their need for present-day marketing. As brands take their soap products overseas, they must be able to mix respect for local traditions with the ability to expand worldwide. We don’t know yet if this move will transform the company, but it shows KSDL’s dedication to keeping pace with current trends using the appeal of celebrities to ensure that Mysore Sandal remains popular everywhere.
