New Delhi: Direct to consumer fragrance brand EM5 has brought Indian cricketer Suryakumar Yadav on board as an investor and strategic partner, marking a notable endorsement for the young homegrown label. Founded in 2022, EM5 operates in the mass premium segment and sells primarily through its own digital channels, positioning itself as an everyday fragrance brand built for Indian preferences and price points.
Unlike celebrity endorsements that focus on short term visibility, the company described the association as a long term partnership. Yadav is expected to work closely with the founding team on brand direction, youth outreach and cultural storytelling as EM5 enters its next phase of growth. The brand’s leadership said the partnership is aimed at strengthening relevance among younger consumers who discover and shop for personal care products online.
EM5 has built its portfolio around high performance perfumes that are positioned for daily use rather than special occasions. Its scent profiles lean towards familiar, crowd friendly notes, designed to appeal to consumers upgrading from mass deodorants to affordable fine fragrances. The company’s digital first model allows it to test new launches quickly, gather feedback and fine tune products based on buying behaviour.
Founder Shashank Chourey said the investment reflects growing confidence in the brand’s trajectory and its ambition to build a contemporary Indian fragrance label. The company is also backed by boAt co founder Aman Gupta, who noted that EM5’s positioning aligns with a new wave of India first consumer brands that blend quality with access.
Yadav said he chose to partner with EM5 because of its focus on everyday usage and its intent to build a brand rooted in Indian culture rather than imported luxury cues. The cricketer featured in a digital led campaign announcing the partnership, mirroring the brand’s online first playbook.
EM5 plans to use the association to widen reach across urban youth cohorts and deepen its direct to consumer presence as competition heats up in India’s fast growing fragrance market.
