That the iconic Mysore sandal has signed up the celebrity multi-lingual cine star Tamanna Bhatia for a whopping Rs 6.5 crore for two years for endorsing it has aroused both resentment and parochial outbursts in addition to rational opposition to the largesse. She is an outsider is the refrain of many regional outfits. That is hardly rational, given the fact that the brand holds appeals beyond the state borders. In any case, in this day and age when one talks of a global community, resentment on account of the outsider tag is simply outlandish. The son of the soil argument is wearing off in every walk of life, more so in the glamorous world of modelling.

Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd (KSDL), the owner of the Mysore Sandal brand, says in its 44th Annual Report for the year ending March 31, 2024, that on a turnover of Rs 1,380 crore, it earned a net profit after tax of Rs 362 crore, which is quite impressive. A net profit ratio of 26% is nothing to scoff at. On the contrary, it sums up the rude financial health of the company insofar as profitability is concerned. It is an established brand of roughly half a century’s antiquity. Sandalwood attracts every aesthetic sensibility. No wonder the Kempa Gowda International Airport, Bangalore, has covered itself with glory by covering its interiors with sandalwood, whose pleasant smell wafts through the entire airport. It is averred that a good product sells itself. Indeed, quality is the best brand ambassador. One can also add price because Indians, by and large, are price sensitive.

Of course, Tamanna Bhatia herself is guiltless because she has obviously bargained hard with the ad agency to land this tidy sum that translates roughly to 0.2........

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