Kohli's decision to limit branded content on his Instagram feed reflects a broader shift among top-tier influencers who are increasingly prioritizing authenticity over overt promotion, believe experts
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Virat Kohli’s recent social media activity triggered a wave of speculation after fans noticed several earlier promotional posts—especially those tied to his now-ended Puma partnership—missing from his Instagram grid. Observers also pointed out that many of his branded posts had seemingly shifted to Reels. However, influencer marketing experts say there’s nothing unusual about the move and dismiss concerns around it.
Aditya Gurwara, Co-Founder and Head of Brand Alliances at Qoruz, clarified that the assumption that Kohli removed branded content or shifted it to Reels is inaccurate. “He didn’t remove the content or move it. They were always Reels. When you upload a Reel, you have the option of keeping it on your grid. Sometimes, people remove it later—it’s a very normal practice,” he explained.
Experts agree this is common among influencers and celebrities aiming to maintain a curated grid aesthetic. Creators frequently adjust their feeds by tweaking the placement or grid covers of Reels—without actually deleting the content.
Sumon K Chakrabarti, Co-Founder & CEO of Buffalo Soldiers, added, “Celebrities sign deals for a specific time. Once it ends, the brand can’t use the content anymore. This isn’t a trend shift—celebs will continue to highlight brand deals. It’s a visibility strategy, and removing old posts prevents cannibalization of new ones.”
In 2017, Kohli signed a nearly Rs 110 crore contract with Puma—one of the biggest endorsement deals in Indian sports history.
With 271.2 million Instagram followers, Kohli’s content continues to deliver impressive numbers: an average of 1 million likes, 16,000 comments per post, and 24.8 million views per Reel. Despite only 18 image posts on his grid, he has shared 131 Reels—clearly indicating his preferred format. His audience is predominantly male (74.93%), mostly aged between 25–34, and he boasts a strong credibility score of 80.9%.
Over the years, Kohli has promoted brands like Myntra, Puma, American Tourister, Vivo India, and Star Sports. along with Flipkart, Too Yumm, and Audi. One of his most viral campaigns was a Reel for Puma with wife Anushka Sharma—a standout example of celebrity couple collaborations.
A Shift in Strategy, Not Visibility
While brands are observing the trend of promotional content moving off the main grid with some caution, they’re also evolving.
Siva Balakrishnan, CEO and Founder of Vserve, noted, “Moving content off the grid may reduce surface-level metrics like likes and comments. But it can lead to more meaningful engagement in Stories or Highlights.”
Om Singh, Co-Founder of Dot Media, called the development a wake-up call. “Brands must stop obsessing over the grid. Reels, Stories, Lives, and Highlights are all valuable real estate when used strategically. Reels-first strategies deliver greater reach and more authentic content. It’s not where the content lives—it’s how it performs and aligns with the creator’s personal brand.”
Reels are favored by Instagram’s algorithm, offering 2–3 times the discoverability of static posts. Their short, dynamic, trend-aligned nature makes them ideal for user engagement without feeling like traditional advertisements. Smart creators often feature Reels on their grid for the first 24–48 hours before removing them to maintain a clean profile.
No Impact on Views or Campaign Performance
Despite online chatter, marketers maintain that such tweaks do not hurt campaign performance. “Honestly, it doesn't matter,” said Aditya. “Reach and views come from the feed—that is, the user’s home feed—not the creator’s profile grid. Reels still show up, and they still perform.”
Most influencer contracts also include clauses preventing deletion of sponsored content for a fixed period—sometimes indefinitely. Even if creators remove a Reel from their grid, the post remains live and continues to generate impressions.
Sumon explained, “Kohli made these changes well after the campaign cycle ended. For celebrities at his level, brand deals typically have a 30-day visibility arc unless boosted through ads. It has no impact on collaborations or perceived value. Of course, for smaller influencers, this might affect pricing, but not at Kohli’s level.”
Instagram’s Locked Reels Feature Not a Threat to Brand Reach
Aditya also weighed in on Instagram’s experimental feature—Locked Reels, which allows creators to gate content behind secret codes. He believes the feature is unlikely to disrupt the influencer marketing ecosystem. “Every campaign is built around maximizing views. Gating content behind a code goes against that goal—it would be a very bad call from an influencer marketing perspective.”
He emphasized that while creators may choose to use the feature for exclusive or niche content, it’s not something marketers would encourage when viewership is a core performance metric.
Kohli has now partnered with Indian sportswear brand Agilitas as an investor and co-creator, setting up his brand One8 to potentially grow into an independent global label.
Meanwhile, several other celebrities have launched or expanded their own lifestyle ventures. Shah Rukh Khan and son Aryan Khan introduced D'YAVOL. Ranbir Kapoor unveiled his fashion label ARKS. Ibrahim Ali Khan, Saif Ali Khan’s son, debuted on Instagram last year with a Puma endorsement. Incidentally, his stepmother Kareena Kapoor also endorses Puma.
No Strategic Shift Required When Brand Reels Are Off the Grid
Virat Kohli's decision to limit branded content on his Instagram feed reflects a broader shift among top-tier influencers who are increasingly prioritizing authenticity over overt promotion. Experts insist this doesn’t signify a strategic shake-up but a natural evolution in how influencers manage their presence.
“There is no strategy shift required here,” clarified Aditya. “If a Reel is uploaded, it’s live. Even if it’s removed from the homepage, it remains on the Reels tab, continues to be public, and still drives engagement.”
Sumon added that platform algorithms treat feed posts differently once paid promotions kick in. “Feed content typically benefits more from Meta’s performance marketing boost. Once a Reel is promoted, its organic discoverability usually dips,” he noted.
From the creator's perspective, the choice of content format and placement isn’t arbitrary. Himanshu Arora, CEO of Creator Network, emphasized, “The only real rule in influencer marketing is—don’t mess with the creator’s brand. Their voice, tone, and style are the real assets. Brands should adapt to that, not the other way around.”
Arora further stressed that deciding whether a brand moment becomes a Reel, Story, or Carousel isn’t a throwaway call. “Each format has its own rhythm and algorithm behaviour. Smarter placement enhances discoverability and ROI,” he said.
Adding to this, Ayush Shukla, Founder of Finnet Media, underscored the importance of content-brand alignment. “A promotion that feels out of place dilutes the creator’s brand. But when a brand fits seamlessly, it's all about nailing the execution,” he explained.
In short, while Kohli’s profile grid may look cleaner, the performance and purpose of his branded content remain firmly intact.
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