Croissant or Prashant? How a quirky mispronunciation spelt viral success for Ayush

At the start of 2025, marketing pundits predicted the decline of viral trends, forecasting a shift towards more storytelling-driven campaigns. 

Yet, Ayush, an emerging influencer, has proved these projections wrong. Capitalising on a single, quirky mispronunciation—turning “croissant” into “Prashant”—he has shot to fame, attracting major brand collaborations from Netflix, Myntra, IKEA, Lakmé, mCaffeine, Swiggy, and Britannia. 

His meteoric rise raises a crucial question: Do viral trends still wield magic, or do they lose their charm when overused?

In less than a month, with his quirky and relatable content, he amassed 45.5K followers, averaging 389.7K likes and 3.4K comments per post. 

His brand-related reels alone have garnered an average of 9.9 million views, giving him an estimated reach of an average of 1.8 million and a staggering engagement rate of 863.34%. For context, most big celebrities have an average engagement rate of 10%-15% per month.

Why Ayush appeals to certain brands?

Saurabh Gupta, MD & Chairman of HSPL, parent company of Denver For Men, spoke exclusively with exchange4media about the strategy behind collaborating with viral influencers. “Brands need to ask themselves critical questions before hopping on trends. Just because something is viral doesn’t mean it fits a brand’s personality,” he said.

According to influencer marketing intelligence platform Qoruz, Ayush’s audience is predominantly aged between 23-34 years, with 68.06% being female. This makes his profile an ideal fit for fashion and cosmetics brands like Myntra, Lakmé, and mCaffeine, all of which cater significantly to women buyers. By partnering with Ayush, these brands can effectively target and interact with their desired audience segment.

How brands are leveraging Ayush’s virality

Ayush’s engagement metrics are hard to ignore. For instance, mCaffeine collaborated with him just 13 hours ago, and that video already boasts over 8K likes, 4,893 shares, and 204 comments. In the reel, mCaffeine cleverly placed different products in front of Ayush and asked him to pronounce their names—leading to hilarious, relatable content that resonated with Indian audiences.

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A post shared by Ayush Hu Mai (@ishowayuu)

Saurabh Gupta also stressed the importance of thoroughly vetting influencers: “Authenticity is crucial—are they who they claim to be? Audience relevance matters—does their audience align with your brand’s target market?”

Qoruz data shows that 87.33% of his audience is verified as genuine—bolstering his credibility. Despite concerns over a potential engagement drop because of similar content types, Ayush has maintained steady follower growth with 0.0% negative growth in the last 30 days. Though his like-to-comment ratio of 0.87 is below the average influencer benchmark of 3.7, the consistency in follower growth is noteworthy.

Experts point out two key reasons why this strategy works: Trend Relevance: The mispronunciation trend feels organic and relatable to the audience. And Product Placement: Brands not only showcase their products but connect them to consumers in their dialect, driving high share of voice (SOV) and recall.

Netflix India, for example, tapped into Ayush’s virality just 24 hours ago, garnering 37.7K views and 12.3K shares. In the reel, Ayush humorously mispronounces famous movie and series names, engaging movie lovers at a grassroots level.

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A post shared by Ayush Hu Mai (@ishowayuu)

IKEA, which recently launched a store in Delhi-NCR, also jumped in. Globally known for influencer collaborations, IKEA invited over 20 influencers to its store opening, and now Ayush joined the roster. His reel showcased everything from toilet brushes to almirahs, buckets to brooms—an everyday, relatable touch that clicked with viewers.

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A post shared by Ayush Hu Mai (@ishowayuu)

One of the smartest collaborations came from Myntra. Given Ayush’s predominantly female audience, Myntra showcased its trending dresses and fashion picks in a fun, engaging reel. The video raked in 22.8K likes, 20.1K shares, and 368 comments. Even his comment section drove engagement—his poll "Nicker ko kya bolte hai?" attracted 1,309 votes, a testament to the high engagement.

Link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHk517uTjBA/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Lakmé also tapped into the trend with a makeup product name test video, which became a massive hit. Interestingly, while some brands like Netflix, IKEA, Britannia, and Swiggy openly tagged their partnerships, others refrained from explicitly labeling the collaborations as ‘paid’—a strategy to keep the content feeling organic.

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A post shared by Ayush Hu Mai (@ishowayuu)

Swiggy saw massive success, amassing 6.2 million views by capitalizing on the trend. Meanwhile, Britannia went a step further, temporarily rebranding itself on Instagram as "Britannia.Prashant" and cheekily updating its bio to "Prashant, naam toh suna hi hoga!" This move resulted in 7.5 million views and 42.2K shares on their croissant post.

Why brands are hooked on Ayush

Ayush’s engagement data reveals remarkable stats—he garners 21,661.03 views per 100 followers. While 76.35% of his followers are from India, a significant portion comes from global markets (Canada, US, UK, Pakistan), making him especially attractive to global brands like IKEA and Lakmé.

Gupta elaborated, “Brands measure impact beyond social media hype. Media attention is valuable if the campaign generates PR—after all, it’s already covered by media houses like yours. Long-term success lies in brand recall—when customers remember the brand later. Customer loyalty is key; virality should translate into trust and affinity.”

The expert perspective: Does virality guarantee longevity?

Aditya Gurwara, Co-Founder and Head of Brand Alliances at Qoruz, weighed in, “This boy has experienced a phenomenal engagement surge in just a few videos, gaining fresh followers at an explosive rate. Brands are rushing to collaborate while the numbers are high. But the real challenge starts when engagement normalises. At that point, he will need to pivot from viral moments to consistent, high-quality content that keeps his audience hooked.”

Influencer earnings typically hinge on follower count and engagement rates. Here's a rough breakdown:

Given Ayush’s viral spike, his rates likely exceed those of standard mid-tier influencers. Experts point out that brands may also offer performance-based deals tied to engagement or sales. Interestingly, Ayush chose to hide engagement stats on certain paid collaborations (like Lakmé), possibly to avoid discouraging other brands from approaching him in case of slight dips.

FOMO Trap: Can Ayush maintain his momentum?

While moment marketing can offer massive returns, it comes with risks. Brands that jump on trends without strategic alignment risk appearing desperate or inauthentic. Poorly executed campaigns can backfire, leading to negative reactions.

For FMCG and mass-market brands, moment marketing works well—if done thoughtfully. However, participating solely due to FOMO is a dangerous game. Trends fade quickly, and poorly planned campaigns fade with them.

As brands continue partnering with Ayush weeks after his initial viral hit, his ability to remain relevant will soon be tested. While virality undoubtedly opens doors, long-term success depends on evolving beyond one-off hits. If Ayush manages to transition into a consistent, engaging content creator, he could secure a lasting spot in India’s burgeoning influencer economy.

The Indian influencer marketing industry, after all, is poised to reach ₹3,375 crore by 2026, growing at an 18% CAGR, as per EY’s Collective Artists Network’s Big Bang Social Report. But brands will need to ask themselves: Is a viral trend a flash in the pan, or the start of something bigger?

Ayush is now managed by OpraahFx, an influencer marketing and talent management agency that also handles popular YouTube creators like TechnoGamerz, Mythpat, Slayy Point, Total Gaming, and Desi Gamers.