Not only clickbait headlines. These new celebrity launches dominated media coverage, and revealed decent storytelling, impressive brand timing, and a willingness to manipulate coverage.
In reality, as every celeb seeks to become a brand, only a few brands break news and some even go viral. And behind all of the launches that go viral is a PR war room working all hours of the day and night. From pre-launch breadcrumbs to upon launching post-launch amplification, the success of these 10 celebrity brand launches from the previous year proves a single thing: PR is one of the most powerful moves of all.
1. 82°E by Deepika Padukone
Category: Skincare
PR Move: Used authenticity as its PR hook – “self-funded, self-formulated.” Heathens put together media interviews with Business of Fashion, Vogue, and Mint.
Why It Worked: Combined mainstream and niche press; first mover celeb skincare in the Indian beauty market, with a wellnes philosophy.
2. Hyphen by Kriti Sanon
Category: Wellness supplements
PR Move: Launched from a founder POV vs. a celeb face; storytelling as a woman balancing multiple identities.
Why It Worked: Balanced from glam to grounded- nabbed a National Award + now has street cred as an entrepreneur.
3. MS Dhoni x SEVEN
Category: Athleisure
PR Move: Marketed as Made for India, by a cricketer – aspirational, not luxury.
Why It Worked: Coverage in both sports and lifestyle media. Tapped into a sense of national pride at a time of fitness growth.
4. Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty (India launch, 2024)
Category: Beauty
PR Move: Engaged with top-tier Indian beauty influencers & mental health advocates.
Why It Worked: Created Relevance before launch – mental wellness messaging resonated with Gen Z sentiment.
5. Shah Rukh Khan’s D’YAVOL X (with Aryan Khan )
Category: Streetwear
PR Move: Mystery-led drop + a strong tone of voice. Aryan’s directorial debut as a teaser added to virality.
Why It Worked: Youth-culture rebellion + legacy power, = rapid cult buzz.
6. Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Skin (India buzz, 2024)
Category: Skincare
PR Move: Indian beauty creators with a “Rhode review diaries.” No sell in, but brilliant seeding.
Why It Worked: Built demand with no availability! PR flex.
7. Badshah x Dragonfly x Azadi Brewing Co.
Category: Lifestyle bar + alcohol
PR Move: Launch was exclusive and invite-only, with OTT & reel-first coverage.
Why It Worked: Cross-pollination of music, nightlife, and content culture.
8. Twinkle Khanna x Tweak India (now an Amazon India partner)
Category: Women-first content platform
PR Move: Book launches, podcast crossover, opinion pieces in major Indian media
Why It Worked: Content meets commerce. Twinkle’s voice is the product.
9. Mira Kapoor x Ayuga Ayurveda – PR on this campaign felt like a great editorial campaign, not a selling campaign.
Category: Ayurvedic beauty
PR Move: The “Mira Recommends” series, felt like the right strategy, journalism not advertising.
Why it Worked: The series built a clean, calm energy around a heritage-based brand but presented it in a modern voice.
10. Ranveer Singh x Jack & Jones (Reboot) –
PR turned Ranveer’s energy into a limited edition streetwear line.
Category: Apparel
PR Move: A limited-edition line, repositioning Ranveer Singh’s energy into a brand, while adding limited drops.
Why it Worked: Wrote research as endorsement, built a co-creator positioning, and ultimately built on the idea that exclusive drops = + hype towards engagement
PR Intelligence from Trivium Media Group
Trivium Media Group’s work led to a few surprises. The “magic” behind these campaigns was that they were carefully devised but at the end of the day weren’t just celebrity-led, they were narrative-led. When we were able to treat PR, not as a loudspeaker but as storytelling platform, we were successful.
