Karnataka govt appoints Tamannaah Bhatia as KSDL brand ambassador

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has appointed Bollywood actress Tamannaah Bhatia as the brand ambassador of Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL), which manufactures Mysore Sandal Soap.

The state government’s order issued on Wednesday said Bhatia has been appointed as the brand ambassador for two years and two days at a cost of Rs 6.2 crore.

The decision drew flak from certain sections of society who questioned her appointment.

“When local Kannada young actresses like @AshikaRanganath could be taken as brand ambassador why appoint and promote Hindi ones?” a woman questioned the decision on ‘X’.

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 pic.twitter.com/TQe2tjeY4O

— House Of Mysore Sandal (@MysoreSandalIn) May 22, 2025

Reacting to it, state Commerce and Industries Minister M B Patil on Thursday explained that the decision was taken after much deliberation “to penetrate markets beyond Karnataka aggressively”.

The KSDL has the deepest respect and regards to the Kannada film industry, Patil said, adding that some Kannada movies are giving competition to even Bollywood films.

“Mysore Sandal has a very good brand recall within Karnataka, which shall be strengthened. However the intent of Mysore Sandal is to also penetrate markets beyond Karnataka aggressively,” the minister clarified.

“The pride of Karnataka is also a Jewel of the Nation. Hence it’s an independent strategic decision of the PSU board after consulting various marketing experts,” Patil noted.

According to him, choosing a brand ambassador takes a lot of deliberation and also considerations like availability for any given category if they have a non-competition agreement, social media presence, coherence with the brand, product and target audience and marketing fit and reach.

“Our vision is for KSDL to touch annual revenue of Rs 5,000 crore by 2028,” the minister said.