Malabar Gold & Diamonds appoints M S Dhoni as brand ambassador

The jewellery retailer has brought cricketer M S Dhoni on board to reinforce messaging around trust, transparency and informed purchases. Malabar Gold & Diamonds operates more than 450 showrooms across 14 countries.

— Source publishedTue, 28 Jul, 2026, 16:17 IST·First seen Tue, 28 Jul, 2026, 16:31 IST·Source ET Small Business

What happened

Malabar Gold & Diamonds appointed cricketer M S Dhoni as brand ambassador, positioning the association around trust, transparency and informed jewellery

Key facts

  • Established in 1993
  • Over 450 showrooms
  • Presence across 14 countries

Why this matters

Malabar’s use of a nationally trusted celebrity strengthens its strategic position in jewellery partnerships and market-entry conversations by making the brand more recognizable across existing and new geographies.

What to watch

  • Increase in branded-search volume, social engagement and showroom footfall following campaign launch.
  • Festive-period same-store sales growth versus major organised jewellery competitors.
  • Whether campaign messaging features purity certification, price transparency, exchange value or responsible sourcing rather than only celebrity imagery.
  • New celebrity signings or trust/provenance campaigns from Tanishq, Kalyan Jewellers, Joyalukkas and regional chains.
  • Evidence of stronger traction in GCC and international markets versus India-only advertising.
  • Any reputational or social-media controversy involving the ambassador that could dilute a trust-led positioning.
  • Launch a multi-market campaign linking Dhoni to gold purity, transparent pricing, buyback policies and responsible sourcing.
  • Use Dhoni-led creative around Akshaya Tritiya, Dhanteras, wedding season and key GCC/Indian diaspora shopping periods.
  • Deploy showroom-specific QR, appointment and offer tracking to measure ambassador-attributable footfall and conversion.
  • Expand regional-language digital content and cricket-adjacent media buys to reach middle-income and aspirational household buyers.
  • Bundle the campaign with exchange, instalment, wedding-jewellery and lightweight-gold promotions to turn trust messaging into transactions.