Bollywood plot: Reversal in box office fortunes brings back endorsement deals
economictimes.indiatimes.com
At least five brands have signed Hindi film celebrities in the past two weeks, accelerating a turnaround that began earlier in the year after a lean phase in 2021 and 2022, when a string of box office flops and a drug controversy took a toll on big Bollywood endorsements.
On Thursday, Bisleri International named Deepika Padukone as its first global brand ambassador. She will also feature on bottle labels of the mineral water brand.
PepsiCo's Quaker Oats has roped in Kiara Advani and Sidharth Malhotra for a campaign that went live on Friday afternoon.
Denim and casual apparel brand Lee signed Sara Ali Khan, bakery and biscuits brand Bisk Farm roped in Animal actress Rashmika Mandanna, and stereo maker Wobble signed Ayushmann Khurrana.
Other recent deals include luxury footwear brand Jimmy Choo signing Ananya Pandey, and Rocky aur Rani ki Prem Kahani director Karan Johar inking a deal with GoodGlamm and Shoppers Stop for a new make-up line called Pout.
«Brands deals are directly linked to box office success, as well as increase in consumer demand… Both have happened and it has been a massive year for Bollywood,» said Vinita Bangard, managing director of Mumbai-based talent management company Krossover Entertainment. «So, the number of endorsements, as well as fees, have increased by 15-30% on an average,» she said.
Krossover has worked on deals with Priyanka Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan.
Back with a Bang
Over the last couple of years, many brands signed southern actors such as Allu Arjun, Mahesh Babu and Samantha Prabhu as brand ambassadors as almost all the big box office hits came from the south.
The Bollywood redux began with Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Pathaan that grossed Rs 1,050 crore in box office collections to
