Mumbai, India — GIVA, an Indian direct-to-consumer jewellery brand, has withdrawn a Raksha Bandhan advertisement featuring Bollywood actor Kriti Sanon following criticism from segments of the public, the company confirmed in a public statement.
In its response, GIVA said: “If our recent advertisement has inadvertently hurt the sentiments of some segments of society, that was not our intent at all. Out of respect, we have withdrawn the said advertisement from all media.” The brand did not elaborate on the specific nature of the criticism that prompted the withdrawal, nor did it identify which platforms or communities raised objections.
What Happened
The advertisement was released in the lead-up to Raksha Bandhan, the Hindu festival celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters, and was part of GIVA’s seasonal campaign featuring Sanon as its celebrity face. Following its release, the campaign drew criticism from a section of the public. GIVA moved to pull the advertisement from all media outlets, indicating the decision was made within a short window after the backlash surfaced.
Kriti Sanon, one of Bollywood’s leading actors with a substantial social media following, had not publicly commented on the withdrawal at the time of reporting. Her association with GIVA extends beyond the disputed campaign; the actor has appeared in previous promotional material for the brand and is among a roster of celebrity endorsers that direct-to-consumer jewellery companies in India have used to build consumer trust and visibility in a market historically dominated by traditional jewellers.
GIVA, which sells affordable silver and gold-plated jewellery through its own online channels and a growing offline retail footprint, has positioned itself as a digitally native alternative to legacy brands such as Tanishq, Malabar Gold, and Joyalukkas. Celebrity endorsements featuring film actors have been central to its marketing strategy, particularly during festival seasons when jewellery purchases traditionally spike in India.
Why It Matters
The withdrawal reflects the commercial and reputational risks that brands in India face when advertising campaigns intersect with cultural and religious sentiments tied to widely observed festivals. Raksha Bandhan, in particular, occupies a sensitive space in Indian public discourse, with the festival’s rituals, symbolism, and commercial representations frequently subject to debate and, at times, public protest.
For direct-to-consumer brands like GIVA, which depend heavily on social media engagement, influencer partnerships, and earned media to compete with established jewellers, any perception of cultural insensitivity can translate rapidly into reputational damage and consumer backlash. The cost of an unresolved controversy, measured in lost goodwill, declining sales, and damaged relationships with celebrity endorsers, often outweighs the cost of withdrawing a campaign.
The episode also illustrates the speed at which brand decisions are now forced in the digital age. Unlike traditional media cycles, where advertisers had days to respond to a controversy, social media platforms allow criticism to amplify within hours, shortening the window in which companies can mount a defence before public pressure forces a withdrawal.
Background and Context
GIVA, founded in 2019, has emerged as one of the more prominent names in India’s growing direct-to-consumer jewellery segment, a category that has attracted significant venture capital investment in recent years. The brand competes alongside other digital-first players such as CaratLane (acquired by Titan), Melano, and Suki, all of which have pursued aggressive celebrity-driven marketing to capture market share.
The Indian jewellery market is one of the largest in the world, with the sector valued at over $80 billion in recent industry estimates. Traditional jewellers, organised retailers, and regional players have historically dominated the landscape, but the rise of online-first brands has introduced a new competitive dynamic, particularly among younger, urban consumers who are more comfortable purchasing jewellery through digital channels.
Celebrity endorsements have played a central role in this expansion. Kriti Sanon joins a list of Bollywood actors, including Alia Bhatt, Deepika Padukone, and Kiara Advani, who have been associated with jewellery and lifestyle brands. Such endorsements are typically signed under multi-crore rupee contracts and are designed to lend aspirational appeal to products targeting middle-class and upper-middle-class consumers.
This is not the first time an Indian jewellery advertisement has been pulled following public criticism. In recent years, several major brands have withdrawn campaigns that drew accusations of being insensitive to religious sentiments, misrepresenting cultural practices, or perpetuating social stereotypes. In 2020, Tanishq withdrew a television advertisement depicting an interfaith marriage after it faced significant backlash online. That incident became a reference point in industry discussions about the limits of socially progressive advertising in a diverse consumer market.
The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), the industry’s self-regulatory body, has also called attention to the need for greater cultural sensitivity in advertising, particularly during festival periods. However, ASCI’s guidelines are voluntary, and brands often face pressure from public sentiment that operates outside formal regulatory channels.
Analysis:
The incident reflects a recurring pattern in Indian advertising: brands move quickly to withdraw campaigns that attract public criticism, even when the objections appear to come from a vocal minority. The decision to pull an advertisement is rarely an admission of wrongdoing; rather, it is a risk-management calculation aimed at limiting further reputational harm.
For GIVA, the withdrawal is consistent with the playbook adopted by several Indian brands in similar situations. Issuing a statement that acknowledges the feelings of those who took offence, while stopping short of apologising for the content itself, allows the brand to project respect for public sentiment without formally conceding that the advertisement was inappropriate. The phrasing “that was not our intent at all” leaves open the possibility that the brand stands by the creative concept while regretting the manner in which it was received.
The episode also highlights the asymmetry of public discourse around cultural representation in advertising. Campaigns that draw criticism, whether or not the objections are broadly representative, can produce outcomes that discourage brands from engaging with culturally resonant themes altogether. Critics of this dynamic have argued that the chilling effect of such withdrawals narrows the space for advertisers to reflect the diversity of Indian society, while supporters maintain that brands bear a responsibility to avoid provocation in a market where religious sentiment is closely tied to consumer identity.
For direct-to-consumer brands, the stakes are particularly high. Unlike legacy jewellers with diversified product lines and entrenched retail networks, digital-first brands rely on a narrower set of brand associations and influencer relationships. A controversy involving a high-profile celebrity face can have an outsized impact on consumer perception, making rapid withdrawal the safest available option.
What to Watch Next
Whether GIVA issues a more detailed explanation of the criticism or revisits the campaign concept in an altered form in the coming weeks.
Whether Kriti Sanon or her representatives make a public statement regarding the withdrawal and her ongoing association with the brand.
Whether the episode prompts broader discussion within the advertising industry about the balance between creative risk-taking and cultural sensitivity during festival campaigns.
Whether the Advertising Standards Council of India or other industry bodies issue guidance or commentary on the standards expected of advertisers during religious festivals.
Whether GIVA’s competitors adjust their own Raksha Bandhan or other festival-season campaigns in response to the heightened scrutiny of celebrity-led jewellery advertising.
Conclusion
GIVA’s decision to withdraw the Kriti Sanon-fronted Raksha Bandhan advertisement is the latest example of an Indian brand retreating from a campaign under public pressure rather than defending its creative choices. The episode underscores the fragility of celebrity-led marketing in an environment where social media can convert a small but vocal objection into a brand-threatening controversy within hours. For GIVA and its peers in the direct-to-consumer jewellery space, the incident is likely to be studied as another case in the growing catalogue of campaigns where the cost of standing by a creative decision proved higher than the cost of pulling the advertisement altogether.
Sources
– The Hindu: https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/kriti-sanons-rakhi-ad-pulled-by-jewellery-brand-after-controversy/article71391734.ece
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Story synopsis gathered from: The Hindu – National — source
