Celeb endorsements have lengthy been a preferred and efficient advertising technique in India. Bollywood stars and sports activities celebrities have promoted merchandise starting from pens and underwear to jewelry, automobiles, properties, pan masala, and alcohol.
Memorable slogans from Kapil Dev’s “Palmolive Da Jawaab Nahi” and Shah Rukh Khan’s “Yeh Dil Maange Extra” adverts proceed to evoke nostalgia. Advertisers belief that model ambassadors improve client recall, leveraging the fascination that customers have with movie stars, sports activities figures, and tv actors.
Current reviews about Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor turning down a ₹10 crore provide for a pan masala endorsement have garnered important consideration, particularly as Kapoor cited a way of ‘duty’ in the direction of his viewers. He joins a rising group of sports activities figures and actors, together with Pullela Gopichand, Allu Arjun, Karthik Aryan, and Yash, who’ve beforehand refused comparable endorsements.
However whereas private credibility is essential for any profitable brand-celebrity collaboration, not all celebrities appear acutely aware of their ‘credibility’ or ‘duty’.
The Enigmatic Pan Masala
India’s promoting business has seen great progress. Based on the Magna World Advert Forecast report, it’s projected to rise from ₹1.1 trillion in 2023 to ₹1.2 trillion in 2024, with celeb endorsers accounting for about 2-3% of this market.
Regardless of the well-documented well being dangers, the pan masala market continues to increase, contributing over ₹12 billion (₹1,200 crore) to the promoting business. The Pitch Madison Promoting Report 2024 signifies that pan-masala manufacturers dominate TV ads, with Vimal Elaichi holding a 35% share of the pan-masala advert house.
Traditionally, the pan masala business has exploited celeb attract, utilizing adverts to affiliate their success with these merchandise. This development is especially evident throughout main occasions just like the IPL and T20 World Cup, the place pan-masala manufacturers dominate airtime.
Excessive-profile actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgan, Ranveer Singh, Hrithik Roshan, Saif Ali Khan and Anushka Sharma have all endorsed pan masala manufacturers, as have sports activities stars like Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Chris Gayle, and Virendra Sehwag.
In 2021, Amitabh Bachchan and Ranveer Singh endorsed a pan masala model’s ‘silver-coated cardamom seeds’. A yr later, Akshay Kumar confronted public outrage and needed to apologise for endorsing a pan masala model. He subsequently disassociated himself from it.
Regardless of these controversies, celebrities are seldom questioned concerning the well being hazards related to the merchandise they endorse or the truthfulness of their claims in ads.
It’s regarding how dangerous merchandise proceed to obtain celeb endorsements, regardless of such practices being unlawful. This example highlights the prevalence of ‘surrogate promoting’—a way used to advertise merchandise when direct promoting just isn’t permitted. Tobacco, cigarettes, gutka, and alcohol are sometimes marketed underneath the guise of seemingly innocuous merchandise like pan masala, cardamom, membership soda, or mineral water.
“When a star endorses a model that harms customers’ well being, they’re not directly projecting their fan base onto the model,” says Harish Bijoor, a enterprise and model technique knowledgeable. “Subsequently, it’s essential for celebrities to make sure they don’t injury their followers’ model fairness.”
Appearing Responsibly
Many manufacturers have recognised the facility of celeb endorsements to affect client behaviour in India. This technique has benefited celebrities as effectively, offering substantial monetary rewards and elevated visibility to potential movie audiences.
With the rise of digital and social media, followers are extra vigilant about celeb model associations, main many stars to show down profitable offers.
Anil Kapoor joins a choose group of celebrities who’ve rejected endorsements associated to pan masala and tobacco. Karthik Aryan has spoken about declining ‘supari’ endorsements as a consequence of a scarcity of non-public connection. Equally, after the success of Pushpa, Allu Arjun turned down a big provide from a tobacco firm, citing his personal non-use of tobacco. In 2022, Yash additionally declined a multi-crore endorsement deal for a pan masala and cardamom model.
“Celebrities immediately have gotten far more accountable. The model endorsement circuit is attracting people with better care. Thus, when a star turns down a pan masala or gutka model, it’s gratifying,” Bijoor observes.
The Promoting Requirements Council of India (ASCI) has established tips for celeb endorsements, stating that celebrities should not take part in ads that make deceptive claims or endorse merchandise that include well being warnings. The Client Safety Act consists of penalties for celebrities concerned in deceptive ads.
(The creator is Contributing Editor, NDTV)
Disclaimer: These are the non-public opinions of the creator
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