In an exclusive interaction with MediaBrief, Arunima Yadav, Vice President and Head of Marketing, Hindware Bathware & Tiles, speaks about the brand’s creator-led marketing strategy, the role of humour in a traditionally functional category, and how Hindware is evolving its communication to engage younger consumers while preserving its legacy. Yadav also shares insights into the distinct positioning of Hindware and Queo, the metrics that matter beyond reach and impressions, and the consumer and marketing trends she believes will shape the future of the home and lifestyle category. Read on.
Bathware brand Hindware recently launched its #TwoVoicesOneNarrative campaign, partnering with distinct creators who reflect the unique ethos of its dual-brand philosophy. To bring this vision to life, the bathware and tiles brand teamed up with Gaurav Kapoor—a stand-up comedian celebrated for his sharp observational humor—and Sarthak Ahuja, a prominent financial content creator, Chartered Accountant, and ISB Gold Medalist.
Explaining the strategic rationale behind these partnerships and how each creator aligns with the campaign’s distinct objectives, Arunima Yadav, Vice President and Head of Marketing at Hindware Bathware & Tiles, says, “We have two distinct brands in our portfolio, with Hindware Italian Collection, being an aspirational brand built on accessible design and the trust in the Hindware quality, and Queo, a premium lifestyle driven Bathware brand for consumers seeking global designs and the latest in technology, we knew a one-size-fits-all creator approach simply wouldn’t work.
She continues, “The two audiences think differently, aspire differently, and consume content differently. So, the brief to ourselves was clear, collaborate with creators who already speak the language of each consumer, not creators we’d need to mould into our narrative. That led us to a more fundamental question than reach or platform presence: whose voice does our consumer already trust, and why? That became the filter.
“For Hindware Italian Collection,” Yadav says, “Gaurav Kapoor stood out because his comedy is rooted in the everyday rhythms of Indian home life, family dynamics, shared spaces, the everyday moments that the new-age Indian consumer immediately recognises. His audience sees themselves in his content, which made the association feel natural rather than constructed, exactly what an aspirational, relatable brand needed.”
View this post on Instagram
“For Queo,” she says, “the brief was different. We were looking for a voice that could articulate aspiration with credibility and depth, someone whose audience is actively making discerning choices about design, technology, and global trends. Sarthak Ahuja’s content sits at that intersection of data backed insights, lifestyle, ambition, and thoughtful choices, which closely mirrors the mindset of the niche, premium consumer Queo is built for.”
View this post on Instagram
“The result,” Yadav says, “was two distinct stories, told in two different ways, but both anchored in the same belief that the right creator partnership is one where the brand fits into the conversation, rather than interrupting it.”
Bringing humour into a functional category
In an industry traditionally dominated by functional and sterile advertising, humour is rarely the go-to tool for bathware and sanitaryware brands. Yet, Hindware is challenging category conventions with a more light-hearted approach. Speaking about the role humour plays in the brand’s current marketing strategy, Yadav says, “The bathroom has come a long way from being a purely functional space. Today, it’s one of the most design-led spaces in the home, where consumers are making intentional choices about aesthetics, fixtures, and finishes, not just utility. But while design conversations are important, we wanted to break this mould led by Architects and Interior Designer based content strategy.”
She adds, “That’s where humour comes in. For us, it isn’t about making light of the category, it’s about speaking the language our audience already speaks. Humour is the universal language of Gen Z and tapping into that meant finding a way to be a part of their world rather than talking at them. Observational comedy, the kind Gaurav Kapoor is known for, has a particular ability to surface everyday home behaviours and familiar couple dynamics in a way that feels non-intrusive and genuinely entertaining. It lets the brand show up in a cultural conversation already underway, rather than starting one of its own.”
Speaking about how audiences have responded to the brand’s humorous approach, she says, “Consumer response has reinforced that this approach works. When content feels organic and authentic to the creator and resonant with the audience’s own experiences, it stops feeling like advertising. People save it, share it, and engage with it on their own terms, a kind of organic participation that a conventional, product-led campaign rarely achieves in this category.”
Balancing youth appeal with a legacy brand identity
For a legacy brand such as Hindware, attracting younger consumers without diluting its established identity remains a key marketing priority. Elaborating on the brand’s approach, she says, “Hindware has built its legacy over six decades by understanding the evolving needs of Indian consumers, and that remains at the core of our approach today. While our commitment to quality, innovation, and consumer trust is unchanged, we’re continuously evolving how we communicate with our consumer and younger audience to stay relevant.”
“Today’s consumers,” Yadav says, “engage with brands differently, they value authenticity, cultural relevance, and storytelling over traditional advertising. That’s why we’re increasingly adopting a creator-first, digital-first approach that lets us participate in the conversations and content formats audiences already enjoy and trust.
She continues, “Whether through humour, lifestyle content, or social-led storytelling, the objective is to make the brand feel contemporary and relatable while staying true to the values that have defined Hindware for decades. For us, it isn’t about changing who we are as a brand. It’s about finding newer, more relevant ways to tell our story to the next generation of consumers.”
Distinct brands, distinct stories
As brands increasingly rely on targeted storytelling and influencer collaborations to reach specific audiences, clear positioning has become more important than ever. On how Hindware Italian Collection and Queo are differentiated and how that impacts communication and creator strategies, Arunima Yadav says, “Hindware and Queo are clearly differentiated in terms of both their positioning, and the consumer needs they address.”
Elaborating on this, she says, ‘Hindware operates in the mass-premium segment, focusing on consumers who seek aspirational designs, quality products that are reliable, innovative bathware solutions that enhance everyday comfort and convenience. Queo, on the other hand, is positioned as a premium lifestyle brand, catering to discerning consumers who value aesthetics, personalized experiences through tech. adoption, and elevated living experiences.”
“This distinction,” Yadav says, “plays a significant role in shaping our communications strategy. While Hindware’s communication is rooted in relatability, care, comfort, and everyday moments, Queo’s storytelling is centred around design, lifestyle, tech narrative and premium experiences. As a result, our choice of creator partnerships is also highly intentional. We look for voices that authentically reflect the mindset, aspirations, and interests of each brand’s target audience, ensuring that the storytelling feels credible, relevant, and naturally aligned with the consumer journey.”
Looking beyond Reach and Impressions
With creator partnerships becoming an integral part of modern marketing, measuring success now extends beyond reach and impressions. On the metrics that matter most to Hindware, she says, “Reach and impressions are inputs, not outcomes. They tell us how far the content travelled, not whether it meant anything to the people who saw it.”
She continues, “What we focus on equally, if not more, is brand resonance, which we assess across several dimensions. This includes whether the content is sparking genuine conversation around the brand, whether the association is building something that outlasts the campaign window, and whether people are saving and sharing the content within their own networks.”
“We also look closely at the authenticity of audience connection,” says Yadav. “A creator whose followers genuinely trust their perspective on home and lifestyle decisions is far more valuable to us than one with a large but passive following.”
Trends shaping the future of Home and Lifestyle
As the lines between functionality, design, and lifestyle continue to blur, brands are being challenged to adapt to changing consumer expectations. Reflecting on the trends that will influence the home and lifestyle sector over the next few years, Arunima Yadav says, “The home and lifestyle category is undergoing a fundamental transformation. It was once driven almost entirely by in-store experiences and word-of-mouth; today, it’s being reshaped by how people discover, research, and form relationships with brands across entirely new touchpoints.
“A few shifts stand out as particularly consequential,” says Yadav. “The first is the blurring of discovery and purchase. Consumers today, especially Gen Z and Gen Alpha, form opinions about brands long before they walk into a showroom. The research journey happens on screens, through creators, in digital moments brands often don’t control. Brand-building now must happen much earlier, and much more consistently, in the consumer’s daily media consumption.”
“The second is the rising expectation of personalisation and experience,” says Yadav. “Home spaces are increasingly seen as extensions of identity, not just functional environments. Consumers are investing more intentionally in how their spaces look, feel, and reflect who they are, this raises the bar for how brands show up, both digitally and physically.”
Finally third is platform fragmentation, says Yadav. Elaborating on this, she says, “Each platform has its own language, rhythm, and audience behaviour. What works as a reel doesn’t necessarily work on YouTube or OTT. The brands that win will be those who understand these nuances deeply, rather than simply repurposing the same content across formats.”
The marketing principle that never changes
The marketing landscape may be changing faster than ever, but some brand-building principles continue to stand the test of time. On the enduring marketing philosophy that remains central to Hindware’s strategy, Yadav says, “Authenticity of connection. At every point in our brand’s history, whether we were communicating through traditional media or through creator-led digital campaigns, what has consistently mattered is whether the audience feels genuinely spoken to, rather than sold to.”
She continues, “Formats evolve, platforms come and go. Consumer attention fragments and reassembles in new places. But the underlying human need to trust a brand, to feel that it understands your life and your aspirations, remains constant. That’s what ‘Designed for Sukoon’ is really about. It isn’t just a campaign, it’s our overarching brand positioning and promise to our consumers. Whether someone encounters Hindware on a reel, in a showroom, or through a creator they already follow, the experience should carry the same quiet confidence, this brand understands my world.”
“This consistency, across every touchpoint and over six decades of being present in Indian homes, is what we’ve learned is non-negotiable,” says Yadav in conclusion.
