New Delhi, Feb. 23 -- Four months ago, mass market shoe brand Campus dropped a peppy number starring Hindi film actor Kriti Sanon. The ad tried to bust myths about "strong" women, by literally bursting balloons bearing phrases like "too ambitious" and "know-it-all." Sanon, clad in a casual red outfit, stamps on these balloons, while also showcasing the Campus line of casual shoes. The ad ends with an empowering "You Go, Girl!"

Why are we bringing up an ad from October last year? Because earlier this month, equities brokerage analysts in an earnings call for Campus Shoes asked: why did the company appoint Kriti Sanon as its brand ambassador?

"Now, Kriti Sanon was a brand ambassador for [a] competitor retailer for 3-4 years," Ankit Kedia,...