Public opinion study
Does Star Power Really Sell Gadgets?
Among 1,676 Indian buyers of sub-INR 10,000 gadgets, celebrity pull is strong but shallow. 73.6% would likely switch brands for a rival star and 73.3% trust features because a star endorses them. Yet only 17.5% name a celebrity ad as their primary purchase reason, and build quality ranks first for smartwatches.
Explore the findingsBought a sub-INR 10,000 gadget in the last year
Likely to switch for a rival favourite star (4 or 5 of 5)
Rate 4 or 5 on trusting features because of endorsers
Based on 1,676 completed responses. Public opinion study.
What we set out to answer, and what we found
We asked 1,676 gadget buyers what celebrity endorsements are actually worth
How loyal is anyone in this category?
We asked how likely people were to switch their current gadget brand if a rival signed their favourite celebrity or athlete.
Does a star make technical claims believable?
We asked how far they trust features such as health-tracking accuracy or sound quality just because a top star endorses the product, and which ambassador type looks most premium.
What actually decides the purchase?
People ranked decision factors for a smartwatch under INR 5,000 (build quality, sensors, discount, looks and celebrity endorsement) and named the primary reason for their last purchase.
Where do celebrity ads help, and where do they break?
We asked how credible four specific celebrity and product pairings feel, and where people notice gadget advertising.
The market is saturated and loyalty is fragile. 88.9% bought a gadget under INR 10,000 in the last 12 months, and 73.6% are highly likely to defect to a rival that signs their favourite celebrity or athlete. Older buyers are the most likely to switch, at 78.1% of the 55+ group against 72.3% of 25 to 35 year olds.
Star power can protect margin. A celebrity ad is the primary purchase reason for 17.5% of buyers, exactly level with heavy discounting. The report therefore frames star spend as a way to hold price instead of discounting.
Entertainment icons look more premium than tech experts. 54.7% say a movie star makes a budget gadget brand look more reliable and premium, against 22.5% for tech influencers and 19.3% for athletes.
Trust in stars is high, but specific pairings are not believed. 73.3% trust technical claims because a top star endorses them. Yet only 19.2% find a Bollywood actor endorsing a lifestyle smartwatch highly credible, and 37.4% find a Bollywood actor endorsing fashion audio gear hard to believe.
Stars get attention, specs close the sale. Celebrity ads got 52.3% of buyers interested before they checked reviews and specs. Build quality and display is the top smartwatch decision factor, and celebrity endorsement ranks last.
Retail media and streaming get noticed most. E-commerce banners (37.8%) and OTT platforms (36.8%) are where most people notice gadget ads, ahead of Instagram (27.7%) and TV commercials (23.9%).
Celebrity as Primary Reason
Level with heavy discounting
73.6% Would Switch Brands for a Rival Star
Respondents rated from 1 to 5 how likely they would be to switch their current gadget brand if a rival signed their favourite celebrity or athlete.
Likelihood of Switching Brands for a Rival Star
Base: 1,676 respondents
View the data behind this chart
| Answer | Share |
|---|---|
| 5 of 5 | 30.9% |
| 4 of 5 | 42.7% |
| 3 of 5 | 19.6% |
| 2 of 5 | 4.4% |
| 1 of 5 | 2.4% |
01. 88.9% of the 1,676 respondents bought or received a personal gadget priced under INR 10,000 in the last 12 months, so the report argues that growth must come from taking share from rivals, not from educating new buyers.
02. 73.6% rate themselves 4 or 5 out of 5 on switching if a rival signs their favourite celebrity or athlete. Loyalty here follows the endorser more than the product.
03. Older buyers are the most likely to switch, which runs against the usual youth-first assumption. 78.1% of the 55+ group show top-two-box switching intent (41.5% choose 5 out of 5), and the 36 to 45 group follows at 76.5%, against 72.3% of 25 to 35 year olds.
Gadget Use Is Situational, Not Always-On
Respondents were asked how many times a day they wear or use their primary sub-INR 10,000 gadget.
How Often People Use Their Primary Sub-INR 10,000 Gadget
Base: 1,676 respondents
View the data behind this chart
| Answer | Share |
|---|---|
| Several times a day during specific tasks | 44.6% |
| Once or twice a day | 30% |
| Almost constantly (throughout the day) | 14.8% |
| A few times a week | 8% |
| Rarely | 2.6% |
01. 74.6% use their primary gadget only during specific tasks or limited daily windows. That is 44.6% for specific tasks and 30.0% once or twice a day.
02. Only 14.8% wear or use their gadget almost constantly, so the always-on companion device is the exception.
Stars Lend Technical Credibility, and Movie Stars Look Most Premium
Trust in Gadget Features Because a Top Star Endorses It
Base: 1,676 respondents, rated 1 to 5
View the data behind this chart
| Answer | Share |
|---|---|
| 5 of 5 | 30.9% |
| 4 of 5 | 42.4% |
| 3 of 5 | 20% |
| 2 of 5 | 5.5% |
| 1 of 5 | 1.2% |
Ambassador Type That Makes a Budget Brand Look More Reliable and Premium
Base: 1,676 respondents
View the data behind this chart
| Answer | Share |
|---|---|
| Movie star or actor | 54.7% |
| Tech influencer or YouTuber | 22.5% |
| Athlete or sports star | 19.3% |
| None, I prefer ads with no famous faces | 3.6% |
01. 73.3% rate their trust in a gadget's features at 4 or 5 out of 5 just because a top star endorses it, so endorsers are treated as guarantors of technical performance as well as lifestyle symbols.
02. Movie stars carry more than double the premium perception of tech influencers (54.7% against 22.5%) and nearly triple that of athletes (19.3%).
03. Consumers who pick movie stars (n=916) or athletes (n=323) as the most premium ambassador are also the most likely to switch (mean scores of 4.032 and 4.012) and the most trusting of endorsed feature claims (4.005 and 3.994). Those who prefer no famous faces score 3.217 on switching and 3.35 on trust.
Product Quality Beats Star Power on the Smartwatch Decision
Decision factors ranked for a smartwatch under INR 5,000. The narrative quotes higher first-place figures than the ranking table (71.0% for build quality, 58.9% for sensors, 6.6% for celebrity endorsement); the ranking table values are charted here.
First-Choice Decision Factor for a Sub-INR 5,000 Smartwatch
Base: 1,676 respondents (ranking table)
View the data behind this chart
| Answer | Share |
|---|---|
| Build quality and display (AMOLED, metal frame) | 50.5% (Borda 2,637) |
| Sensors and health tracking accuracy | 26.0% (Borda 1,874) |
| Heavy discount or low price | 15.8% (Borda 1,684) |
| Sleek aesthetics, premium looks, colours | 6.1% (Borda 1,315) |
| Endorsed by a celebrity or athlete I like | 1.6% (Borda 764) |
01. Build quality and display dominates with a Borda total of 2,637, 50.5% of first choices, 67.7% top-three placement and a mean rank of 1.469. Buyers expect premium materials even at budget prices.
02. Sensors and health tracking accuracy is the next strongest driver, at 26.0% of first choices and a mean rank of 1.889.
03. Celebrity endorsement is the weakest of the five factors, at 1.6% of first choices, 8.2% top-three placement and a mean rank of 3.902. Among 18 to 24 year olds, 52.0% put build quality and display first, against 1.9% who put celebrity endorsement first.
Celebrity Ads Hook 52.3% but Rarely Close the Sale
Did a Celebrity in the Ad Influence Your Last Tech Accessory Purchase?
Base: 1,676 respondents
View the data behind this chart
| Answer | Share |
|---|---|
| Yes, it got me interested, but I checked reviews and specs | 52.3% |
| Yes, it was a major reason I chose that brand | 30.1% |
| No, their presence made no difference | 15.2% |
| I cannot recall seeing any celebrity ad | 2.3% |
Primary Reason Behind the Most Recent Sub-INR 10,000 Gadget Purchase
Base: 1,676 respondents
View the data behind this chart
| Answer | Share |
|---|---|
| Influenced by an ad featuring a celebrity | 17.5% |
| Found an irresistible deal or discount | 17.5% |
| Recommended by friends or family | 17.3% |
| Bought it as a fashion or lifestyle accessory | 17.1% |
| To replace a broken or outdated gadget | 15.3% |
| To try a newly launched model | 15% |
| Other | 0.2% |
01. 52.3% say a celebrity ad got them interested but they checked reviews and specs before buying. Another 30.1% say it was a major reason for their brand choice.
02. Older buyers are swayed more directly. 37.5% of 36 to 45 year olds call the celebrity a major reason, against 28.2% of 18 to 24 year olds, while 55.1% of 18 to 24 year olds treat the ad as a starting point before checking reviews.
03. A celebrity ad is the primary purchase reason for 17.5% of buyers, exactly level with an irresistible deal at 17.5% and close to recommendations (17.3%) and fashion or lifestyle matching (17.1%). The report reads this parity as a way to hold price instead of discounting.
Specific Celebrity Pairings Are Not Believed
Respondents compared actors and athletes and rated how credible they find each endorsement pairing.
Credibility of Four Celebrity and Product Pairings
Base: 1,676 respondents
View the data behind this chart
| Highly credible | Somewhat credible | Hard to believe | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athlete, workout earbuds | 23.6% | 45.3% | 31.1% |
| Bollywood actor, fashion audio | 20.1% | 42.5% | 37.4% |
| Bollywood actor, lifestyle smartwatch | 19.2% | 56.1% | 24.8% |
| Athlete, fitness tracker | 15.2% | 54.4% | 30.4% |
01. Even the most logical match, an elite athlete endorsing sweat-proof workout earbuds, is rated highly credible by only 23.6%. 45.3% call it somewhat credible and 31.1% find it hard to believe.
02. An elite athlete endorsing a fitness tracker fares worst on credibility, with 15.2% calling it highly credible, 54.4% somewhat credible and 30.4% hard to believe.
03. A Bollywood actor endorsing a lifestyle smartwatch is highly credible to only 19.2%. The other 80.8% rate it somewhat credible (56.1%) or hard to believe (24.8%). Fashion audio gear draws the most disbelief, at 37.4% hard to believe against 20.1% highly credible.
04. There is a clear gap here. 73.3% say they trust features because a star endorses them, yet once the pairing is spelled out, belief falls away.
E-commerce and OTT Lead Where Gadget Ads Get Noticed
Respondents were asked where they most often notice advertisements for these accessory and wearable brands. Multiple answers were allowed, so shares add to more than 100%.
Where People Notice Gadget and Wearable Ads
Base: 1,676 respondents, multi-select (average 1.82 choices)
View the data behind this chart
| Answer | Share |
|---|---|
| E-commerce sites (Amazon, Flipkart banners) | 37.8% |
| OTT platforms (Hotstar, Netflix, JioCinema) | 36.8% |
| YouTube videos (ads or tech channels) | 34.1% |
| Instagram Reels and posts | 27.7% |
| TV commercials | 23.9% |
| Outdoor billboards or mall displays | 21.8% |
| Other channels | 0.2% |
01. E-commerce banners (37.8%) and OTT platforms (36.8%) get the most ad attention, followed by YouTube at 34.1%. TV commercials (23.9%) and outdoor billboards (21.8%) lag.
02. 44.7% of 25 to 35 year olds notice ads on e-commerce sites against 33.4% of 18 to 24 year olds, an 11.3 point gap. Among 18 to 24 year olds, OTT platforms lead at 35.4%. The report treats age differences here as directional.
What we would recommend
Practical priorities drawn from this study for further validation.
Defend retention with exclusive, multi-year talent contracts.
73.6% are highly likely to defect if a rival signs their favourite star, rising to 78.1% among the 55+ group. The report recommends multi-year, exclusive contracts with high-impact entertainment icons to keep competitors out.
Put most of the ambassador budget behind entertainment icons.
Movie stars account for 54.7% of premium and reliability perceptions, against 22.5% for tech influencers and 19.3% for athletes. The report therefore favours Bollywood and screen stars over niche tech experts.
Bridge the conversion gap with verified specs at the point of sale.
Celebrity ads got 52.3% of buyers interested, but those buyers then checked reviews and specs, and build quality and display is the top smartwatch decision factor. Every star campaign should point to landing pages and retail banners that show verified technical specifications.
Move media spend towards retail media and OTT.
E-commerce banners (37.8%) and OTT platforms (36.8%) lead on ad recall, ahead of Instagram (27.7%) and TV commercials (23.9%).
Show stars using the gadget in specific daily tasks.
74.6% use their gadget only during specific tasks or limited daily windows. The report recommends task-specific scenarios over generic lifestyle ads, and avoiding mismatched pairings that 30% or more find hard to believe.
