Mumbai, March 22 -- Indian brands are widening the lens on who gets to sell aspiration. The once-dominant young female archetype is giving way to a broader mix of faces-older consumers, men, and more diverse personas-as marketers chase households with real purchasing power.

"Kantar's analysis shows that Indian audiences respond more positively when people in ads are portrayed as confident, capable, and socially relevant, rather than flawless," Soumya Mohanty MD & CCO, South Asia, Kantar, told Mint. "For younger audiences especially, this kind of portrayal sends a powerful signal: confidence doesn't have an expiry date, and relevance isn't limited to one life stage. That's a very Indian idea of aspiration," she adds.

The shift is visible...