Neha Sharma

Yesterday, my brother told me to read about an Indian sneaker brand called Comet. I thought - just another shoe brand trying to ride the hype wave. But when I actually gave it a read, I learnt that it wasn't just a sneaker brand. It was a masterclass in positioning, storytelling, brand identity, and cultural disruption. Let me take you through it. Because Comet is doing something bold. Something brilliant. And something that many of us—marketers, brand builders, founders - can learn a lot from. First, the name.   Comet.   Not just a cool-sounding word.   A metaphor. In a world full of repetitive patterns, Comets shine once - unexpectedly, unapologetically.   Their brand line?   Never Shy. Never Sorry.   Boom. That alone tells you who they’re speaking to:   The expressive. The rebellious. The ones tired of playing it safe. The founders - Utkarsh Gupta and Dishant Daryani - left corporate life in the US to build something bold in India.   They weren’t just selling sneakers.   They were crafting a movement. Instead of launching 100s of styles, they went with just four silhouettes: Highs, Lows, Aeons, Slides. Smart move. With fewer base designs, they went wide with story-driven drops. Not “black and white”.   But names like Hazelnut, Twister, Tiramisu, Pumpkin. Each pair doesn’t just look cool.   It makes you feel something. Pricing? Nailed it.   At ₹4,300, their shoes look like ₹10,000 designer pairs.   But they’re still accessible to the aspirational Indian consumer. Drop strategy? Even better.   Limited drops, maximum buzz.   Scarcity drives community. Community drives virality. Search “Comet Sneakers” on YouTube.   You’ll find honest reviews, styling guides, even poetry. What makes Comet special isn’t just the shoe.   It’s the second layer. Every colorway, name, campaign is soaked in insight.   Indian nostalgia. Millennial pride. Gen Z energy. This isn’t “India’s Nike”.   This is something of its own. It doesn’t scream for attention.   It whispers stories. If you’re building something  A brand, a campaign, a company - Let's take notes from Comet: - Start focused - Sell emotion, not just products   - Add layers of meaning - Understand your user better than anyone else   - Be bold enough to not please everyone Because sometimes, it’s not about playing the game better.   It’s about rewriting the rules. Never shy. Never sorry. #BrandStrategy #CometShoes #DTCIndia #Storytelling #IndianStartups

India’s influencer marketing industry may have crossed ₹10,000 crore… That’s not a trend anymore. That’s an economy. And somewhere in the middle of all that money, a very simple question is getting louder: Is anyone actually buying because of this? I’ve watched brands spend lakhs on creator content that “looks” beautiful, gets decent views, and moves exactly zero product. And I’ve watched a reel shot on someone’s phone in a kitchen convert better than a three-day shoot. The difference was never the budget. It was whether the person holding the phone actually used the thing they were talking about. India figured out reach. The next thing to figure out is TRUST. Those are not the same metric. What’s the last thing you bought because a creator recommended it and was it actually worth it? #InfluencerMarketing #CreatorEconomy #IndianMarketing #ContentMarketing

Still carrying the energy and insights from the ET BrandEquity Brand World Summit 2025. It was a day filled with powerful ideas, meaningful conversations, and fresh perspectives. I had the chance to connect with incredible entrepreneurs and marketers, all united by the shared mission of building purpose-driven, future-ready brands. A few moments that truly stood out for me: - Daniel Kim VP Marketing APAC at Tinder posed a simple yet thought-provoking question: Is your brand dateable? It reframed how we think about consumer-brand relationships in the most relatable way. - Neeraj Gulati Chief AI Officer at Monotype delivered an eye-opening session on the power of typography in brand building. What stayed with me most was their commitment to giving back through education. - Tarun Sharma Co-founder, mCaffeine, shared a bold and honest D2C playbook tailored for Gen Z brands. - Prabhu Karthikeyan.V Co-founder, GoodBug reminded us that in the world of health and wellness, education will always outlast trends. - Saloni Anand Co-founder, Traya Health, spoke about the power of consistency and authenticity while sharing her brand journey. - Tarun Joshi Founder and CEO of IGP, highlighted the critical role of regional marketing in achieving deeper brand penetration across diverse markets - The panel discussions were refreshingly real - rooted in experience, experimentation, and real-world challenges. But the highlight for me was witnessing Mr. Prasoon Joshi live. His words, presence, and storytelling were nothing short of magic. His ability to connect beyond language left a lasting impression. And to end on a high note - Vicky Kaushal took the stage and reminded us all that being raw, real, and grounded is the greatest brand strength of all. Grateful to ET BrandEquity for curating such an inspiring summit and bringing together a community that is truly shaping the future of branding. Heartiest Thanks to Sonam Singh for her seamless support throughout the event - it truly elevated the experience:) I left with more knowledge, new connections, and a deeper sense of purpose. #ETBrandEquity #BrandWorldSummit2025