Unrecognisable star
AD scan
Any film star worth his or her salt (and red chilies) currently has more ad releases than films. Thus Shah Rukh romantically squints from behind a sofa, saying it takes just one second to mutter ‘am sorry’ to a loved one while also urging males to spread fairness everywhere from a 7 buck sachet. Hrithik’s dancing the rats away while having his latest portfolio splashed on hoardings all over town. Saif’s painting with gay abandon and making things large while trying to hide his childhood sweetheart from Kareena. Not to be outdone, Kareena is strutting her size zero all the way from Vaio to Globus. Akki boy single-mindedly pursues the thunder as he smashes cars, dangles from windows and leaps over rooftops. And of course, the paa of them all pushes everything from fast relief to chawanprash to solitaires to dark dress codes (Phew! Try topping that, with or without your hair.)
Does celebrity advertising sell? Well, your guess is as good as mine. The debate has raged on through the years and opinions are sharply divided. While some feel that stars are used in the absence of any genuine idea and are just an unnecessary cost addition to the brand, others think they offer quick saliency and huge image rub-offs. Celebrity bashers will have you believe that very often the star is remembered, not the brand. On the other hand, there is a school of thought that passionately advocates using celebrities as a means of differentiation, especially if you are the first in your category to do so.
This piece is not about supporting either side of the argument. This is about the one star, who more often than not, tries very hard to disguise himself in his ads. Rewind to about four or five years ago, where a local Hyderabadi, a Mumbai tapori, a country bumpkin in the midst of a ‘ghanne da khet’, a Pahadi guide…all tried to convince you (very successfully I believe) that ‘thanda’ meant Coca Cola. Cut to the present day scenario where an angry old sardar or an over-the-top Punjabi couple (a delectable double role) enumerate the many features of Tata Sky. Yes Sir, the one and only Aamir Khan has forgotten himself in many a different identity, while helping you remember the advantages of the product he is helping endorse.
Take the latest Tata Sky ad for example, where Aamir does a quaint take-off on India’s most famous ventriloquist, Ramdas Padhye. The idea that the TV can now be a puppet in your hand and that you can make it do your bidding, is brought out quite eloquently. In fact, the first time I viewed the ad I recognized Ramdas Padhye and figured it was Aamir Khan only towards the end of the commercial. Everything from Ramdas’s seventies hairstyle and dressing, to his mannerisms and posture have been recreated with painstaking similarity by this absolutely gifted actor. Right down to the quicksilver timing between puppet and master.
Kudos to probably the only celebrity in the world who works very hard so you to recognize the uniqueness of the brand, not him!
(The author is National Creative Director, Dentsu Marcom)