Mysore Sandal Reinvents Its Legacy With Tamannaah Bhatia

A history of over a hundred years old, Mysore Sandal has managed to carry the heritage of Indian sandalwood. Tamannaah Bhatia being appointed brand ambassador is a strategic move towards increasing the reach of the brand to new markets and young populations.

One of the most iconic heritage brands in India, Mysore Sandal, is embarking on a new stage of development with the help of a brand ambassador, actress Tamannaah Bhatia. The partnership is indicative of a strategic initiative by Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL) to merge traditional and new branding in a bid to enable the old brand to reach out to younger people and broader markets in India and elsewhere.

Over the course of a hundred years, Mysore Sandal has been associated with purity, luxury and authenticity. The brand is also reflective of the cultural identity of Karnataka, having established a reputation for producing high-quality personal care products that are prepared with natural sandalwood oil.

The core of this heritage is the globally-famous sandalwood oil made in Mysuru. Mysuru sandalwood oil is also known as Liquid Gold and is popularly known all over the world due to its characteristic smell and quality. The oil is a Geographical Indication (GI) product and one of the most valuable natural resources in Karnataka, and an important component of the Indian aromatic heritage.

Santalum album is the botanical name of East Indian sandalwood, which is considered to be one of the best sources of sandalwood oil in the world. Sandalwood oil is a long-lasting and well-known, warm and woody aroma in numerous perfumes, skin care, and wellness products. It is also used as an ingredient in cosmetic and therapeutic preparations due to its natural antibacterial and calming effects.

Sandalwood is also a special part of Indian culture and traditions, which is always said to be a part of life between the cradle and cremation. Its relaxing smell and religious importance have kept it an inseparable part of the rituals, well-being, and daily life of generations.

Mysore Sandal traces its origins to the year of 1916 when the Government Sandalwood Oil Factory was founded in Mysuru under the auspices of the great Sandalwood oil factory, Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar, with the assistance of the great engineer and statesman Sir M. Visvesvaraya. They had a dream of producing sandalwood oil using the rich resources of sandalwood in the region and positioning Mysore on the world map as a manufacturer of high-quality sandalwood oil.

With the help of scientists of the Indian Institute of Science, more sophisticated methods of distillation were invented so that sandalwood oil can be extracted with a high level of purity and fragrance. With time, Mysuru sandalwood oil became well known internationally and was referred to as the Fragrant Ambassador of India.

On this success, there were attempts to transform the precious oil into consumer goods. Sri S. G. Sastry was a young and bright student who was taken to the United Kingdom to obtain special training in oil technology. Once back in India, he did extensive experiments and came up with a distinct formula of soap with sandalwood oil as the base fragrance.

In 1918, his research and innovation saw the introduction of Mysore Sandal Soap, which became a landmark in the history of industrial and cosmetic products in India. The soap became famous due to its natural scent, purity and the fact that it was skin-friendly.

Mysore Sandal Soap is still unique even today. It is one of the few soaps in the world that is prepared with purest natural sandalwood oil mixed with vegetable oil and hence, offers comfort and genuineness in every bar.

The brand is currently owned and operated by Karnataka Soaps and Detergent Limited (KSDL), which is also the Geographical Indication (GI) tag holder of both Mysore Sandal Soap and Mysore Sandalwood Oil. This identification protects the brand name, maintains a high quality standard and prevents any illegal usage of the name by other companies.

Creating a New Market Opening

Since Mysore Sandal has introduced Tamannaah Bhatia as its brand ambassador, it is now seeking to increase its presence beyond its traditional strongholds. The fact that Tamannaah has a strong presence in various Indian film industries and that she is pan-Indian gives the brand a chance to tap younger audiences and increase its presence in the up-and-coming markets.

The collaboration is viewed by industry observers as part of an overall plan to make Mysore Sandal a modern heritage brand in the changing personal care and beauty market. The brand is bound to build its strength in India, and at the same time, it seeks to venture into global markets by merging the everlasting genuineness of sandalwood and the modern-day celebrity power.

This ruling has also created a debate among the population in Karnataka, where Mysore Sandal is closely associated with a regional identity and pride. Though there are voices which argued about the selection of an ambassador, the move is indicative of the desire of the brand to introduce a historic Karnataka product on a broader national and global platform.

Over 100 years after its production, Mysore Sandal remains a symbol of the rich cultural heritage of Karnataka and India and its olfactory heritage. The legendary soap will bring its age-old fragrance to a new generation of customers worldwide with a new outlook and a modern brand ambassador.

(Note: This article has been written by the Brand Desk.)