Ash-Abhishek in demand for endorsements

Bollywood couple Kajol and Ajay Devgan have already shown their star power in brand endorsement. But now they have serious competition from the star couple Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan.

Advertising industry sources said several leading companies had already flocked to the latest couple in tinsel town for brand endorsements and the price they could command was estimated to be Rs 10-12 crore, which is substantially more than the Rs 6-8 crore charged by Mrs & Mr Devgan.

That's not a surprise as Rai and the junior Bachchan are already hot property individually. While Rai endorses seven brands across eight categories, the junior Bachchan endorses 11 brands across nine categories (as of December 2006), according to AdEX India, a division of TAM Media Research.

Rai endorses global beauty and skincare brand L'Oreal Paris, Swiss watch brand Longines, Lux and Coke, among others. On the other hand, Abhishek has increased his endorsement rates by almost a crore after the success of his movies Bunty Aur Babli by Yash Raj Films and Mani Ratnam's Guru. Currently, Bachchan endorses American Express, LG Electronics, and radio station Big 92.7 FM, among others.

Sunil Doshi,who handles Abhishek's endorsements says, "Brands have indeed approached them for endorsements, but at the moment we are busy with the wedding. Interested brands can approach us after the wedding."

The highest individual endorsement rate is enjoyed by Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan who charge around Rs 4-5 crore for a single brand. Adman Prasoon Joshi, the brain behind roping in Kajol-Ajay, said the Bachchan couple will certainly be mobbed by brands.

"People are excited about the couple and they have a top- of-the-mind recall. This will work wonders for brands, which sign them on, as people are eager to take a peep into their personal lives and want to see them on the screen together," reasoned Joshi.