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More than 32 brands jumped on board with India’s Got Latent (IGL) show when it started going viral. Gen Z shared it on their socials, and marketing experts called it a marketing masterstroke that delivered impressive numbers. Samay Raina’s content was perceived as a witty, sarcastic roast, laced with self-deprecating humor, offering brands visibility and recall value. However, the show hit a roadblock when its content crossed a line.
Ranveer Allahbadia, popularly known as BeerBiceps, posed an inappropriate question to a contestant during the show. The remark quickly went viral, sparking outrage on social media, with many calling it distasteful and disrespectful.
The Fallout for Brands
India’s Got Latent had several brands backing it, with sponsorship deals from Spinny, Veeba, and apparel startup Vastrado. Additionally, Samay Raina had secured personal brand deals with Sony TV, KFC, Amazon Prime Video, and Unacademy.
However, the abrupt removal of the content from YouTube has raised concerns over brands profit and image.
A clothing brand that previously partnered with Samay's IGL, and wished to remain anonymous, in an exclusive interview told exchange4media, “While the episode’s removal disrupts active campaigns, it doesn’t diminish the authentic audience resonance achieved during the collaboration’s lifecycle. Brand investments are measured by their ability to spark meaningful engagement, not isolated incidents.”
The marketer explained that this situation reaffirms the need for agile strategies that balance creative innovation with platform realities.
“For now, we are taking a measured approach—prioritizing thoughtful dialogue over immediate reactions. Ultimately, we view this as a learning moment to strengthen future campaigns rooted in responsible storytelling and audience-first alignment,” he told e4m.
According to the digital creative agency Buffalo Soldiers, which closely works with influencers, the India’s Got Latent controversy has far-reaching consequences. Comic influencers will have a harder time securing brand collaborations and the transition of stand-up comedy from a genre to influencer-driven content will be stalled. Overall, it was sheer recklessness to indulge in such crassness, which has now placed not just a genre but an entire generation of new creators under scrutiny.
Agency co-founder Sumon K. Chakrabarti revealed, “With creators and influencers, brands reap a momentary benefit in almost 99% of the cases. Usually, it is a case of brand awareness unless we are talking about UGC videos where creators use a D2C product and talk about it, which is later used for paid media on META platforms.”
Legal and contractual safeguards
Rishabh Gandhi, founder of Rishabh Gandhi and Advocates, emphasised the importance of well-structured contracts in influencer collaborations.
“While influencers are entitled to their opinions, brands cannot afford to be tied to controversies that may arise from hate speech, criminal activities, or reputational damage. Brands must strike a careful balance between protecting their reputation and respecting free speech in influencer collaborations,” he said.
Rishabh explained, “Contracts should include a termination clause that allows brands to immediately sever ties in such cases, along with indemnity provisions to ensure influencers bear financial responsibility for any resulting losses. Additionally, brands should secure perpetual content usage rights to prevent influencers from withdrawing or deleting promotional material post-controversy.”
A well-structured crisis management protocol is equally crucial. “The contract should outline how the brand can publicly distance itself, whether through disclaimers, content takedown requests, or requiring corrective statements. Non-disparagement clauses can further safeguard against influencers making negative statements post-contract,” he said.
Neha Arora, CEO of Value4Brand, emphasized that responsible brand partnerships mitigate risks. “No, if chosen carefully, partnerships with creators are not risky for brands. It all depends on the kind of content and ideology the creator is promoting. As far as brands are concerned, these situations can only be handled by discontinuing ties with the creators immediately and issuing statements about the same. It is crucial to communicate with the audience and clarify that the brand does not endorse such activities or values.”
The content regulation debate
As creators are forced to delete their content and are restricted from airing shows or doing gigs, their livelihood is taken away. This raises major concerns about content regulation.
Pallavi Singh, a digital creator with 589K followers, weighed in on the broader implications of content regulation. “I feel like they were out of line, yes, for sure, because you still have to maintain a certain boundary. There are touchy topics that require careful handling. I understand the argument that restricting discussions on one topic could lead to broader censorship, but creators need to be mindful of the platform they’re on and their audience. Given their massive reach, their content will inevitably spark a range of reactions. Do I think this will lead to content regulations? I’m not sure. But there are more dangerous things happening that require stricter oversight, like underage kids promoting all sorts of inappropriate content.”
The India’s Got Latent controversy serves as a wake-up call for both brands and influencers. While influencer marketing remains a powerful tool, this episode underscores the need for due diligence, contractual safeguards, and responsible content creation. Brands are now more cautious than ever, and influencers must navigate this evolving landscape with greater sensitivity to audience expectations and brand values.
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