Freshers reap ad-vantage

[1]

The ad world is abuzz with the newbies of the glam world. Varun Dhawan, Siddharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt can be seen in latest commercials of Coca Cola, Imran Khan and Parineeti Chopra have been roped in for Maazaa ads, Sushant Singh Rajput is looking dashing in Pepsi ads and Yami Gautam is endorsing one brand after another.

Old is not gold in the ever changing world of commercials. In fact, actors like Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan are fast being replaced by the new crop of actors in the industry as even one-film-old actors are busy signing commercials.
The ad world likes to catch them young, says adman Prahlad Kakkar. “Ad world is always on a lookout for new faces and with so many new actors making their debut every year, the industry is surely spoilt for choice. The newcomers have a persona and are in news for their films. For example, Alia Bhatt made a much talked about debut in the industry and creates curiosity among viewers with whatever she does. So she surely becomes a better bet for the commercials,” says Prahlad.
However, unlike earlier you don’t have to give a few hits before commercials start coming your way. These days even if you are just one-film-old but have a good fan base, brands are willing to endorse you. Parineeti Chopra replaced Genelia D’Souza in Maazaa ad, and senior actress Juhi Chawla in the Kurkure ad while Ranveer Singh is the new brand ambassador for Provogue after replacing Hrithik Roshan.
Varun Dhawan, who shot to fame with Student Of The Year, has signed brands like Coca Cola, Mobile Apps and Nestle Fruit Juice. He says, “Endorsing brands is not just about promoting products but helps me connect with people my age. It’s another way to touch base with my audience.”
The brands rope in new faces because they perfectly fit teenage products. Brands that cater to youngsters cannot have old people endorsing them, says Taapsee Pannu. She is also just one-Bollywood-film-old but she is already getting offers from various brands. “As soon as the promos of my film Chashme Baddoor came out I started getting endorsement offers. Now, since I am free from prior commitments in South cinema, I will soon be endorsing brands,” says Taapsee.
However, while young faces keep changing only those who manage to stick around and make a mark in the industry manage to hold their endorsements, says brand consultant Anand Halve. “If you are just one-film-old and soon forgotten, chances are that your brand will also opt for a fresh face,” he adds.
Sonakshi Sinha, who replaced Priety Zinta for D’Damas, is smiling her way through Colgate, Fem Bleach and Jewellery promotions.
Actor Divyendu Sharma adds, “I have been approached for a few brands but couldn’t take up the offers because I couldn’t connect with them. If I am selling a certain product, I should be either using it or atleast have some relation to it. Else I feel I am not doing justice to my viewers. So, I am waiting till I get an offer that I can relate to.”