Surge In Luxury Housing Boosts Celebrity Branding

The trend of celebrity-led branding flourished about 15 years back when residential real estate was marred by unfair practices in an unregulated and opaque environment and developers banked heavily on celebrity brand ambassadors to launch and market their housing projects. But with large-scale delivery defaults, as the image of developers got a severe beating and the confidence of homebuyers was badly shaken, developers quietly weaned away from engaging Bollywood and sports icons. The real estate slowdown also weighed down heavily against hiring celebrities for a hefty fee. Particularly after RERA came into force in 2017, the trend of celebrity brand ambassadors literally died down.

However, unlike in the past when many weak and lesser-known real estate developers banked on the popular appeal of celebrities to market their projects, “Celebrity Branding 2.0” is seeing large, reputed developers with a good track record of execution engaging celebrities to further amplify their image. Also, unlike earlier, when developers hired celebrity brand ambassadors to market their individual projects, now, besides for launching new projects, celebrities are also being used as a symbol of success to highlight the brand philosophy of the company. And like in the past, besides Mumbai, Delhi-NCR is in the forefront to usher in the celebrity brand ambassador revolution.

According to Ashwinder R. Singh, Chairman of the CII Real Estate Committee and Vice Chairman of BCD Group, celebrity brand ambassadors made a visible comeback in 2025 for a clear reason—the return of confidence in the premium and luxury housing cycle. “As ticket sizes rose and competition intensified, developers looked for faster brand recall, sharper differentiation, and emotional resonance, and celebrity associations offered that initial acceleration,” he says.

Adds Alok Gupta, Director of Graphisads: “The revival of brand ambassadors in real estate is significantly driven by the booming luxury segment. Celebrity endorsements effectively align with the aspirations of HNIs as they match the public figure's affluent image with premium properties. This strategy builds vital trust and credibility for developers and differentiates projects in competitive markets.”

More recently, particularly in 2025, several prominent film and sports stars have been associated with real estate brands—the most prominent being the megastars of Bollywood, Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan. Amitabh Bachchan appeared as a brand ambassador for a leading Mumbai developer, House of Abhinandan Lodha (HoABL), for their plotted development in Ayodhya. He was also associated with Pune developer Gera Developments. Superstar Shah Rukh Khan was engaged by Delhi-NCR developer Elan Group to enhance their luxury branding, aligning with Shah Rukh’s image for perfection, ambition, and excellence. Shah Rukh was also associated with India-origin, Dubai-based leading developer Danube Group. The other celebrity brand ambassadors included Sonam Kapoor (Runwal Group), Saif Ali Khan & Kareena Kapoor (Trevor), Kareena Kapoor (Casagrand), Hrithik Roshan (Evoc Realtech), Shahid & Mira Kapoor (Shapoorji Pallonji), and Sunny Leone (Arihant Superstructures). Affordable housing pioneer turned premium housing developer Signature Global continues to bet on their tried-and-tested brand ambassador, film actor Vidya Balan.

South India’s prominent developer, Casagrand, hired a number of South Indian film celebrities for their premium/luxury residential projects in Chennai and Hyderabad. These included prominent film stars from the South: Nayanthara, Nani, and Venkatesh Daggubati. For their Western Indian projects, noted Bollywood star couple Genelia and Riteish Deshmukh were hired.

Some real estate groups placed their bet on sports stars. Delhi-NCR’s well-known real estate group Omaxe appointed Harmanpreet Kaur, captain of the Indian women’s cricket team, as their brand ambassador, building on the launch of “Omaxe State,” an integrated destination for sports, leisure, and culture. Casagrand roped in Sourav Ganguly as their national brand ambassador for reinforcing their luxury residential brand campaign. OneX Properties, on the other hand, placed their bet on wrestler-influencer Sangram Singh for high-end residential sales markets in India and Dubai.

Interestingly, a few distinct trends emerged in the world of celebrity brand ambassadors. HoABL introduced the concept of celebrity endorsement for branded land. More interestingly, it came up with an all-new concept of “organic celebrity association.” Says HoABL CMO Saurabh Jain, “At HoABL, celebrity associations are organic; i.e., several celebrities associated with our brand are customers and landowners first. They experienced the product, trusted our fully digital and transparent buying process, and then chose to invest before endorsing the brand.” Significantly, HoABL’s brand ambassador Amitabh Bachchan is the proud owner of branded land in a plotted residential project in Ayodhya. Danube Properties expanded the concept of celebrity endorsements by launching an entire high-end commercial tower, “Danube by Shah Rukh,” in Dubai, named after Shah Rukh Khan. Danube also cashed in on the popular appeal of Bollywood’s superstar Salman Khan by associating with “Bigg Boss 19,” one of India’s most-watched reality television shows with global viewership. To carry forward this celebrity appeal in 2026, Danube Group’s founder and chairman is hosting “Bigg Boss 19” winners and participants in Dubai on January 6–7.

Considering the magical appeal of celebrities, the moot question is: To what extent do brand ambassadors help in the marketing and sale of real estate projects? More recently, the first phase of the “Elan The Statement” project, endorsed by Shah Rukh Khan, was completely sold out. Similarly, the entire tower of the “Shah Rukh by Danube” project was sold out on the first day of its launch. Does this mean that brand ambassadors directly influence real estate sales? Discerning buyers consider celebrity endorsements as a mere branding tool for emotional pull, not compromising on due diligence on the project. Brand experts say that ultimately, fundamentals like the developer’s reputation and delivery track record, and the project’s features, lifestyle amenities, and long-term value matter in the decision to buy property.

Rizwan Sajan of Danube Group says that though Bollywood celebrities do not directly boost sales, they do help the brand as they have widespread appeal in India and the Middle East, helping reach aspirational buyers more effectively. “But sales are driven by good product quality, right pricing, and easy payment plans, besides the track record of the developer,” he adds. Ashwinder R. Singh is of the opinion that celebrity brand ambassadors do attract attention, but real estate, being the biggest financial and emotional commitment, is not an impulse purchase. “When buyers move from celebrity curiosity to commitment, recognition gives way to reassurance. And buyers lean on expert advice on promises and risks,” he adds. Speaking from his experience in 2025, Alok Gupta of Graphisads says that brand ambassadors became pivotal for branded residences, enabling developers to command a 20–40% premium. “High-visibility outdoor advertising featuring brand ambassadors created powerful brand recall and strategic use of national and regional stars resonated deeply with target buyers,” he reaffirms.

Going forward in 2026, the linkage between real estate brands and celebrities looks to grow deeper and more authentic. Endorsements shaped by first-hand experience with the brand, genuine belief, and ownership rather than mere association will resonate far more strongly, driving marketing effectiveness and sustained brand equity. Ashwinder R. Singh has the last word: “As we move further into 2026, what will matter is product over publicity and credibility over recall.”

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