Many famous actors and actresses who have ventured into politics endorse brands. Hema Malani has been closely associated with the brand Kent for many years. Interestingly, Kent, a leading consumer durables and home appliances brand, has been associated with Hema Malini for a very long time. Her brand value has remained constant despite her being in politics for over two decades now.
It is risky for a brand to sign a deal with a celebrity who is also a politician. It takes courage and good judgment to have a politically relevant celebrity endorse a brand. However, it is rare to see a celebrity endorse a brand and win in politics.
In the recently held elections, Kangana Ranaut emerged and assumed her position as a Member of the Indian Parliament. Kangana has not endorsed any brands recently as they are not confident about signing her. She is frequently criticized on social media for her controversial statements and opinions on various issues. However, now that she has entered politics with a landslide victory as a Member of Parliament, she will have to be even more careful with her statements as she represents India's biggest political brand and has been elected for the third time to rule the country.
Perhaps, as her credibility as a public figure grows, some brands may consider partnering with her. Maybe a local brand from Himachal Pradesh could leverage her. She could be a hidden gem for brands. Not immediately, but eventually, if she can establish a new image with her involvement in the political sphere.
There are actors like Sunny Deol and Shatrughan Sinha who have been successful in endorsing brands while being politicians, but the brands and categories are very few. Amitabh Bachchan, who was in politics for a few years in the 80s, always endorsed multiple brands. Sachin Tendulkar, who was a Rajya Sabha MP, also endorsed many brands during his time. This is because their brand personalities had some great characteristics that resonated well with many brands.
Politics can be an obstacle for brands to sign celebrities, but Bollywood and cricket are religions in our country and garner a lot of attention, so if the personality and characteristics of the celebrity match, brands will still try to sign them.
(The author is an independent communications consultant)
Published: Monday, June 10, 2024 07:19 AM IST
