Page 43 - Seniors Today Dec 2019

been whether consumers believe that the film Thus far celebrities in India were happy to
star or celebrity actually uses the product endorse any product just for the money.
they endorse. The answer to that question has
always been that there is a willing suspension Hot water for celebs
of disbelief about celebrity endorsements. Of Pierce Brosnan and Pan Bahar: Two years ago
course, even that willing suspension of disbelief most people in New Delhi were stunned when
is overly stretched when it comes to Doris Day they opened their morning newspaper to find a
endorsing road rolling equipment. But later
decades produced a good fit between a product
and the celebrity.

Choosy celebrities
Now, celebrities have become choosier about
the brand they endorse. And the only celebrity
endorsers are no longer just film stars. They
are sports stars and social media stars from
Instagram or YouTube.
For example Virat Kohli broke away from
Pepsi two years ago. Obviously the negative
health connotations of colas are finally affecting
both the general public and the celebrities who
endorse them. Not surprising. After all Amitabh
Bachan did much the same thing in 2014 when
he decided to stop endorsing Pepsi. He is known
to stopped endorsing Pepsi after a girl in Jaipur
asked him why he promoted the soft drink that
her teacher had branded as ‘poison’.
When asked why he changed his mind Rs 24 The Pierce Brosnan ad for paan masala drew a lot of flak,
crores and 16 years later Bachan had said “This and was an example of celebrities throwing caution to the
impression is on the mind of the people... So I winds when endorsing a product
stopped endorsing Pepsi,” Bachchan said. “I greying, bearded Pierce Brosnan in his role as
tell this to my son Abhishek and to daughter- James Bond holding a pack of Pan Bahar. Pan
in-law Aishwarya also... If you have to endorse masala is known for its carcinogenic properties.
a product then you have to conduct your life If you thought Doris Day endorsing roadrolling
in such a manner that it does not affect others’ equipment was weird, the Pierce Brosnan ad
lives.” sought to cross a new boundary of the product/
In an interview with CNN-IBN, Kohli said, celebrity misfit.
“When I started my fitness turnaround, it was This represented a good case of celebrities
more of a lifestyle thing initially. If something throwing all caution to the winds and endorsing
goes away from that, I would not want to be a a product just for the money.
part of that or be promoting that,” he said. “We But the ad drew so much flak from the public
are actually on the cusp of making some big and especially on social media that Pierce
changes on that front. Things that I’ve endorsed Brosnan was forced to come out in the public
in the past, I won’t take names, but something and apologise and at least pretend that the
that I feel that I don’t connect to anymore. If I manufacturers hadn’t quite told him the truth
myself won’t consume such things, I won’t urge about the product that was being advertised.
others to consume it just because I’m getting The ad was never seen again thanks to all the
money out of it.” controversy.

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