Hausla Hai Toh Ho Jayega: Kotak's brand reboot bets on audacity

From being a bank that proudly stood for physical reach with its 'Kona Kona Kotak' pitch, Kotak Mahindra Bank is now staking its brand future on a very different idea—the courage to dream big. With its latest campaign, Hausla Hai Toh Ho Jayega, the bank hopes to shift perception from transactional utility to an emotionally resonant, future-facing brand that partners with audacious Indians across banking, insurance and investments. In a wide-ranging interview with Mint, Rohit Bhasin, president–head affluent, NRI, business banking and chief marketing officer, explains the deeper shift behind the messaging, the aggressive media strategy driving visibility and why the brand's belief system now goes far beyond advertising, into accelerators, storytelling platforms and cultural relevance. Edited excerpts:
You've moved from 'Kona Kona Kotak' to 'Hausla Hai Toh Ho Jayega'. What's the thinking behind this repositioning?
'Kona Kona Kotak' was right for its time; it helped establish our pan-India presence after the ING Vysya merger. But reach is no longer a differentiator. We realized Kotak was losing brand relevance, not recognition. So, we went back to first principles: what do we truly stand for? Historically, we were the first choice for India's entrepreneurs and SMEs. We were a bank that understood the ambition behind the balance sheet. Today, Indians are more aspirational and audacious than ever. They need a partner who believes in their big, bold dreams. Hausla is our way of saying: if you dare to dream it, we'll help you do it.
Also read: Liqvd Asia acquires AdLift for ₹50 crore to strengthen digital marketing play
But 'Hausla' also implies risk, especially in a conservative, highly regulated sector. How do you translate that into real-world banking decisions?
It's about balanced audacity. We're not underwriting emotion, we're underwriting ambition, backed by data, insight and industry knowledge. Whether it's SME lending, investments or insurance, we've built tools and algorithms that allow us to assess risk holistically. And, importantly, this is a group-wide positioning, not just for banking. It applies across Kotak's insurance, credit card and investment offerings too.
This campaign feels cinematic, even edgy, by Kotak's previous standards. Was that deliberate?
We didn't set out to be edgy. We wanted to tell a story that feels authentic to the new India. The visual tone reflects the diversity of aspirations—a farmer, a designer, a startup founder. That cinematic bus in our film is full of dreamers, all wearing our 'infinity glasses' to see a better future. That said, we've definitely pushed the storytelling style to break the clutter. It's rooted in insight, not just aesthetics.
Also read: Uday Shankar flags need for fresh monetization models, warns against homogenized regulation
What about the campaign's scale and media mix? How much are you investing and how has your approach evolved?
This is a full-funnel, all-in, high-impact blitz. As I like to say, it's not just a brand film, it's a brand commitment. We're present across TV, digital, print, outdoor and social media. What's changed dramatically is our spend split. Earlier, 65% of our marketing budget went to non-digital channels. Today, 65% is digital-first. We're doing dynamic DOOH (digital out-of-home), hyper-personalized storytelling on social and outcome-based advertising across platforms. We've also returned to marquee events like the IPL after years, not just for impact, but because we've rationalized spends elsewhere to make it count.
Banks are now being judged not just on Trust, but on values, tech and experience, too. Where does Kotak see itself in that pyramid?
Trust is non-negotiable. When customers deposit their money, it's an emotional decision rooted in safety. When they borrow, it's transactional, they want the best deal. Our job is to be trusted and efficient. Tech enables both. Our app and platforms are designed to be invisible when needed, powerful when used. That's why we're investing so much in simplifying journeys, like 811, our digital bank, which sees account openings peak at 2 am.
What are the business KPIs you're tracking for this campaign?
Spontaneous awareness is the top-line metric. Since the campaign's launch, we've already seen a significant lift. What took a year earlier, we've achieved in two months. Consideration is next, then sentiment: does the campaign make people feel more positively about the brand? And, of course, business: we're tracking traffic, conversions, leads and uplift across all digital assets.
Is this a one-off refresh or a long-term repositioning?
This is long-term. We want Hausla to become a part of Kotak's DNA—something we can build on for years, maybe even decades. Of course, we'll refresh the articulation to stay culturally relevant, but the core belief that we are the partner to an ambitious India will remain.
Also read: Marketing is a marathon, not a sprint: Federal Bank's MVS Murthy
So, is this just a positioning exercise, or is there a product proof point?
This is very much backed by action. Our Kotak BizLabs accelerator, for instance, is one such proof. We received 1,594 startup applications and selected a final cohort of 55 companies spanning AI, fintech, agritech, edtech and sustainability. These startups are now part of a six-month programme with support in funding, mentorship and business acceleration. It's run in partnership with IMA Ventures, NSRCEL (IIM Bangalore), and T-Hub. We're putting real muscle behind the 'Hausla' idea.
And Hausla Talks?
That's our content platform to inspire. Through Hausla Talks, we're curating stories of extraordinary courage—ordinary Indians doing remarkable things. It's our way of fuelling belief, not just selling financial products.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Time of India

an hour ago

• Time of India

Can India continue its balancing act after nuclear strikes in Iran?

For India, the immediate anxiety is economic because every $10 rise in Brent adds about $1bn a month to the import bill. A second priority is the safety of nearly 9mn Indians working in West Asia

Business Standard

4 hours ago

• Business Standard

DLF targets ₹2,500 crore sales from new housing project in Mumbai

DLF will launch more than 400 homes in the first phase of its upcoming project, marking the company's entry into Mumbai's residential property market Press Trust of India New Delhi India's largest realty firm DLF Ltd is set to enter the Mumbai housing market as it plans to launch a luxury housing project in the city worth about ₹2,500 crore in the next two weeks. DLF will launch more than 400 homes in the first phase of its upcoming project, marking the company's entry into Mumbai's residential property market. According to sources, the company has got all regulatory approvals to launch this project, which will be developed in partnership with Delhi-based Trident Realty. DLF has received RERA approval for its first premium residential project in Mumbai. The project, located in the suburb of Andheri, is expected to be launched within the next two weeks, they said. In the first phase, the company will develop 416 units in four towers. DLF plans to sell these apartments in a price range of ₹5-7 crore per unit. The spokesperson declined to comment. Earlier this month, the company launched and completely sold the DLF Privana North housing project in Gurugram, comprising 1,164 units. DLF will invest around ₹5,500 crore to develop this 17.7-acre project, which has already been completely sold out for about ₹11,000 crore. Aakash Ohri, Joint Managing Director and Chief Business Officer of DLF Home Developers, highlighted that 27 per cent of the demand came from non-resident Indians (NRIs). The project is part of a 116-acre integrated township -- DLF Privana in Sectors 76 and 77, Gurugram. In this 116-acre township, the company had last year launched and completely sold out two projects -- 'DLF Privana West' and 'DLF Privana South' -- for around ₹12,800 crore. DLF, the country's largest real estate firm in terms of market capitalisation, reported a record sales bookings of ₹21,223 crore in the 2024-25 fiscal year, an increase of 44 per cent from ₹14,778 crore in the preceding financial year. DLF's MD Ashok Tyagi recently gave sales bookings guidance for the current fiscal year at ₹ 20,000-22,000 crore, almost in the same range as the previous financial year. With the successful launch of the Gurugram project, DLF has already achieved 50 per cent of its annual sales bookings target. On financial performance, DLF's net profit increased to ₹4,366.82 crore during the 2024-25 fiscal year from ₹2,723.53 crore in the preceding year. Total income rose to ₹8,995.89 crore in the last fiscal year from ₹6,958.34 crore in the 2023-24 financial year. Since its inception, DLF has developed more than 185 real estate projects and developed an area more than 352 million sq ft. DLF Group has 280 million sq ft of development potential across residential and commercial segment, including current projects under execution and the identified pipeline. The group has an annuity portfolio of over 45 million sq ft. DLF is primarily engaged in the business of the development and sale of residential properties (the development business) and the development and leasing of commercial and retail properties (the annuity business).

Mint

5 hours ago

• Mint

Investors shift to European markets as Trump tariffs, economic data fuel uncertainty in US stocks, says LGT's Advani

For over a decade, the US market and growth stocks have dominated most portfolios, with the magnificent 7 stocks giving outsized returns to investors. However, the US is currently facing a confluence of challenges and there has been broad weakness in US assets, as equities, bonds and the US dollar have weakened this year. Tariff-induced inflation, fiscal imbalances, and signs of labor market cooling are contributing to an environment of heightened uncertainty and instability. With this backdrop, investors have started to look beyond the US, with Europe seeming like a preferred market for multiple reasons. The valuation of European equities remains undemanding, even after the run up this year. Governments are ramping up spending on infrastructure and defence, and this fiscal regime shift should benefit companies in construction and materials, real estate, telecom and utilities. Germany has taken a lead in fiscal stimulus by announcing a EUR 500 billion spend to bolster national security, infrastructure development and green transition. This could spread further across Europe. De-escalation of US-China trade tensions is a positive for Europe which has significant exposure to both US and China. European banks have strengthened their capital bases due to robust earnings in recent years, and are well-positioned to navigate the recalibrating European economy. Likewise, European insurance companies maintain stable income streams and strong solvency ratios. This offers substantial buffer to mitigate potential impacts from geopolitical uncertainties. The strengthening fundamentals of European regions demonstrated through Q1 company earnings beat (57% of the companies reported earnings beats, the fifth straight quarter of above long-term average proportion of beats) also support the investment case for European equities. While EPS revisions have faced pressure due to trade policy uncertainties and global macroeconomic concerns, the trend appears to stabilize as tensions ease. The European Central Bank has cut interest rates 8 times in a year, acknowledging that inflation is in control and within reach of it's 2% target. The Euro has strengthened over 10% against the dollar this year and is close to a 3-year high, signalling optimism toward the European economy. In conclusion, renewed interest in European equities is being driven by both domestic and international capital flows, signalling growing confidence in the region's prospects. Additionally, international investors are diversifying away from US assets due to factors like policy uncertainty and tariff risks, further boosting capital inflows into European markets. The author, Nikhil Advani, is the Managing Director of International Business at LGT Wealth India. Disclaimer: The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making investment decisions.