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What does 2019 mean for Brand Hrithik

Published On: 2016-03-15

Author: Urvi Malvania

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What does 2019's box office success mean for Brand Hrithik?


Source: ET Brand Equity
Date: December 10, 2019
 
With two hits at the box office, Hrithik Roshan is ready to make a comeback in the endorsement circuit. With three new endorsements in the pipeline, the actor seems poised to make the most of the success, but experts have a few words of caution.

Roshan's successful outing at the box office could translate into renewed interest by brands. Everyone loves a comeback story, especially if it includes not one, but two box office hits in same year. Hrithik Roshan has had a happy year with back to back hits in the form of Super 30, and War. While the films did well at the box office, Roshan's performance in both the films was also appreciated. Will this reinvigoration of his box office prowess translate into a renewed interest from brands?

The jury is somewhat divided on this. While for the most part experts agree that consistent performance, at the box office is what drives endorsement prospects for Bollywood celebrities, other factors could come into play. Roshan poses an interesting case as while he is definitely no stranger to euphoric success at the box office, his visibility as an endorser has been inconsistent.

Having started his career with a bang in 2000 (Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai) Roshan became a box office sensation, and nationwide heartthrob overnight. While the films that followed did not necessarily duplicate the success of his first film, he was popular with an entire generation thanks to his dancing, and action skills. As a consequence, Brand Hrithik grew, and attracted interests from brands like Coca-Cola, and the erstwhile joint venture Hero Honda. Some believe that this initial success has held him in good stead.

The success of Koi Mil Gaya only fortified his presence as a box office magnet. Some however believe that the popularity he gained from the franchise may have had an adverse impact on his endorsement career. Sandeep Goyal, founder, Mogae Media says while the film, and the Krrish franchise that followed did well at the box office, Roshan's core fan base shifted to the younger demographic which meant instead of teenage girls swooning over him, it was now a 12-years old audience of schoolboys that he got targeted to

However, that didn't seem to keep all the brands at bay. Currently, Roshan has 12 active endorsements, including ventures he has invested in, or promotes. These include Mountain Dew, Plasto Pipes and Tanks, Tata Motors, Flair Pens and Stationery, Rado, Zebronics, Paragon Footwear, Curefit, HRX (including the suite of products developed under the brand), Euro Pratik, Simpolo Tiles and Sanitaryware, and Flamingo. Among these, Rado, and Mountain Dew are among the long term associations.

Simply put Hrithik Roshan has great fundamentals as a superstar. Also he is the youngest superstar that we have in India. Those younger than him are yet to evolve as superstars with true pan India appeal. He delivers the same geography and demography expanse as Khans in terms of appeal and has an extremely loyal millennial fan base since he made a sensational debut in 2000. The majority of India's youth today have grown up watching and idolising him, says Prabhat Choudhary, a brand strategist, and founder Spice PR, and Entropy Digital.

The recent success at the box office seems to have started working its magic as those in the know reveal that he is in advanced talks with three more brands - a furnishing brand, a formal wear brand, and a gaming company.

Goyal has mixed views about the impact of the recent box office success on Roshan's endorsement career though. He believes that performance and visibility matter to a point, but once a star is born, the appeal lasts beyond film titles, and collection numbers. ‘Ranbir Kapoor had no major hit after YJHD for 5 years till Sanju came along. But he continued to get plum endorsements. This year he has not had a release but he is signing on newer and better ad endorsements Lays being the most recent,' he offers.

Roshan delivered two back to back hits - Super 30, and War. Additionally, over the past few years, Brand Roshan has had to face a spate of controversies on the personal front, and some of that has impacted his endorsement prospects. Another brand manager adds that perhaps it is a combination of a lukewarm box office performance, and the personal controversies that led Brand Hrithik to go into a hibernation mode of sorts.

The future however is not bleak at all. Goyal believes what works in his favour is the fact that the other celebrity endorsers are over-exposed. ‘Yes, because Virat/Ranveer/Ranbir/Akshay are overloaded and closed on most major categories. The resurgence and renewed visibility can help Hrithik enter the consideration and choice set with many such brands,' he says.

Choudhary adds, ‘In terms of messaging Hrithik embodies style and substance and in terms of reach he beautifully straddles India and Bharat. This extended reach that he enjoys over his younger peers makes him an excellent ROI proposition. He has been very successfully taking a luxury brand like Rado to a wider Indian audience.’

He adds that fashion, automobiles, hospitality and the education sector could all find a good endorser in Roshan.

Goyal concludes, ‘Hrithik needs well thought through PR. Some of his attributes are highly leverageable. But it requires a strategic understanding of what Brand Hrithik stands for and what he doesn’t. In 12-18 months, Hrithik can start looking to take on a lot of brands that today look at Shahrukh and Aamir despite them getting into the mid-50s.

After all is said and done, experts agree on one thing the time for Brand Roshan to act, is now.