Rising stars promise ad-vantage

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Riding high on hope and showing promise of becoming tomorrow’s superstars, new-age youth icons are an inspiring combo of talent and confidence. And advertisers know exactly when to tap that promise. The ad world has just got a new icon with Unmukt Chand, the India U-19 World Cup-winning captain, becoming the latest brand ambassador for Pepsi.

The young sensation shares screen space with the likes of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Priyanka Chopra for the “Oh Yes Abhi” campaign.
Swearing by the power of youth, experts say that these superstars-in-the-making can establish a quick connect with young India. And there is no dearth of promising contenders for this list. Be it Bollywood diva Parineeta Chopra or tennis player Somdev Devvarman, there is no dearth of up-and-coming icons — in the field of films, sports and even politics.
Ad campaigns that aim to capture the impatience of the youth are tapping budding talent, says Delhi-based advertising professional Shikha Divessar. “The cricket-crazy country has been upset with the game lately. Young players fill it with hope. So, starting with Unmukt, we forsee a lot of young players being picked up for ads,” she says.
For ad guru Prahlad Kakkar, there are many promising players, even from sports other than cricket, who can be perfect fit for brand endorsements. Prahlad counts Ranchi Rhinos hockey player Manpreet Singh as one such face. “These players have great appeal, but are raw and rough because of the limited opportunities. If groomed properly, they have a great potential for ad world,” he says.
Filmmaker and ad veteran Abhinay Deo feels that getting promising stars to join the brandwagon can be a risky affair. “But it’s a risk worth taking,” he says. He talks about how for one of his Nike campaigns, the focus was on new talent that had just entered the game and were yet to make it big. “Similarly, along with cricket, it would be a great idea to select and feature youngsters from sports like golf and even arts and culture. It would be a great service to the game and the brand,” he says. “I would have loved to see Mary Kom on TV just a little bit before she became an Olympian. And why can’t we go out and search for more Sainas and Sanias?” he asks.