GIVA pulls Kriti Sanon Rakshabandhan campaign after staff-safety concerns

Jewellery retailer GIVA withdrew its Rakshabandhan campaign featuring Kriti Sanon following backlash that raised concerns for store and on-ground employees. Founder Ishendra Agarwal said the brand’s campaign message had not changed, but staff safety took priority.

— Source publishedSat, 29 Aug, 2026, 22:49 IST·First seen Sat, 29 Aug, 2026, 22:51 IST·Source Mint

What happened

Indian jewellery brand GIVA withdrew its Kriti Sanon Rakshabandhan campaign after backlash created safety concerns for store and on-ground staff. Founder

Key facts

  • ₹10 lakh initial investment
  • ~₹4,924.55 crore valuation as of July 28, 2026
  • Daily orders rose from around 1 to nearly 250
  • ₹72.35 crore consolidated net loss in FY25
  • ₹58.65 crore consolidated net loss in FY24
  • Negative EBITDA of ₹51.30 crore in FY25

Why this matters

For potential partners or acquirers, the episode highlights the importance of diligencing GIVA’s brand-governance, crisis-response and retail workforce-safety capabilities.

What to watch

  • Whether backlash declines after the withdrawal or shifts to criticism of GIVA's response.
  • Reports of protests, harassment, threats, or security incidents at GIVA stores or activations.
  • Changes in Rakshabandhan-period store footfall, conversion, online search interest, and social engagement versus prior campaign benchmarks.
  • Any statement or further action from Kriti Sanon, GIVA leadership, employees, or organized online groups.
  • Whether competitors capitalize with alternative Rakshabandhan messaging or safety-focused brand positioning.
  • Deploy a replacement Rakshabandhan campaign centered on gifting, product, and customer stories rather than the withdrawn creative.
  • Increase security, escalation protocols, and manager communications for stores and on-ground activations in potentially affected locations.
  • Provide staff with clear scripts, reporting channels, and reassurance that frontline safety overrides campaign continuation.
  • Monitor social sentiment, store incidents, walk-in traffic, conversion, and employee absenteeism market by market.
  • Review celebrity, festival, and cultural campaign approvals for reputational-risk and physical-safety exposure before launch.

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