How Branding Elevates Affordable Products to Luxury Status

In an era where perception often trumps reality, branding has emerged as the alchemy that transforms low-cost products into aspirational luxuries.

In India, a market historically driven by value-for-money, this shift is reshaping consumer behaviour. Between 2020 and 2025, several homegrown brands have mastered this art, leveraging storytelling, celebrity endorsements, and digital platforms to imbue affordable goods with an aura of exclusivity. From earphones to beer, here’s how five Indian brands—Boat, Wow Skin Science, Campus Shoes, Bira 91, and Zouk—have turned the mundane into the coveted, rewriting the rules of luxury.

The cornerstone of this transformation is branding’s ability to craft an emotional connection. Boat, a Delhi-based audio accessories firm, exemplifies this. Starting with earphones and smartwatches priced between ₹999 and ₹2,999, Boat was a budget player in a market ruled by Sony and JBL. From 2020 to 2025, its marketing pivoted to a rebellious “Plug Into Nirvana” ethos, targeting India’s youth. Endorsements from cricketer Hardik Pandya and actor Kiara Advani, coupled with sleek, colourful designs, repositioned Boat’s Airdopes and Rockerz as fashion-forward lifestyle items. By 2025, Boat’s valuation hit $300 million, and it commanded over 30% of India’s wearable market, per Counterpoint Research, proving that style and swagger can outshine price tags.

Similarly, Wow Skin Science, a Bengaluru-based personal care brand, turned budget shampoos and face washes (₹300-₹500) into “natural luxury” staples. From 2020, it rode the global clean beauty wave, marketing sulfate-free, paraben-free products with vibrant packaging and Instagram influencer campaigns. Its apple cider vinegar shampoo and ubtan face wash became millennial must-haves, rivalling The Body Shop. By 2025, Wow’s revenue crossed ₹600 crore, per company filings, a testament to how eco-conscious branding can elevate inexpensive ingredients into aspirational self-care.

Footwear brand Campus Shoes, meanwhile, took a different tack. With sneakers priced at ₹800-₹1,500, it was once a practical choice for middle-class India. Between 2020 and 2025, Campus targeted Gen Z with a streetwear makeover—think aggressive digital ads, collaborations with rapper Badshah, and limited-edition drops. This narrative of youthful rebellion and Indian pride saw sales surge 150% in 2023, per industry estimates, making Campus a cool, urban icon, not just an Adidas knockoff.

Bira 91, a craft beer brand, turned ₹100-₹200 cans into a millennial lifestyle drink. From 2020 to 2025, its quirky flavours emphasis on bold flavours like Bira Blonde, graffiti-style branding, and music festival tie-ups gave it a hip, urban edge. By 2025, sales had doubled since 2023, per industry reports, positioning it as a vibe-driven rival to Heineken.

Finally, Zouk, a vegan leather bag brand, transformed ₹1,000-₹2,500 handbags into artisanal luxury. Its “cruelty-free” ethos, bold Indian prints, and 2022 Shark Tank India buzz helped it triple revenue by 2024, competing with Hidesign. These brands show that in India’s evolving market, branding can turn affordability into aspiration, one story at a time.

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