Celebrity endorsements and Pan Masala brands: The debate continues...
Recent reports indicate that the Delhi government has written to Bollywood stars not to endorse pan masala brands as they contain potential cancer causing agents, and has requested them to join its Anti-Tobacco Drive.

In the last one year, there has been a sudden surge in Bollywood celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgan, Akshay Kumar, Govinda, Sunny Leone and others endorsing pan masala brands. There were reports that Shah Rukh was paid Rs 20 crore to endorse Pan Vilas, while actor Akshay Kumar recently became the star face of the Baba Elaich’s ad campaign.
According to recent reports, the Delhi government has written to these Bollywood stars not to endorse pan masala brands as they contain potential cancer causing agents, and has requested them to join its Anti-Tobacco Drive. Even in November 2015, Bollywood actors--Shah Rukh Khan, Govinda and Manoj Vajpayee were served notice by the regulator-- Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), for endorsing Pan Masala brands.
Most of these brands, which operate under the mouth-freshener category, are actually surrogate forms to promote zarda, tobacco and gutkha and that they subtly endorse their consumption.
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Vimal Pan Masala (Ajay Devgan):
Pan Vilas (Shah Rukh Khan):
Shilajit Pan Masala (Sunny Leone):
Rajnigandha (Priyanka Chopra):
Pan E Shahi (Govinda):
Pan Bahar (Saif Ali Khan):
Baba Elaichi (Akshay Kumar):
Expert view:
Harish Bijoor, Brand-expert &Founder, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc says, “Some categories such as pan masala are emerging to be socially ostracized categories. To that extent, these categories are best avoided by brand-endorsers. It is best that these categories depend on offtake that is retail-driven rather than offtake that is brand-endorser driven.”
Saurabh Uboweja, Chief Brand Strategist and CEO Brands of Desire elaborated, “This industry works like surrogate inspite of bans and endorsements by celebrities. Advertising for Pan Masala is surrogate for Gutkha and advertising for silver coated Elaichi is a surrogate for Pan Masala and Gutkha. Interestingly, the Delhi Government has 'requested' celebrities, who make crores of rupees every year by promoting hazardous/cancerous food products like Pan Masala, whether direct or surrogate to refrain from such endorsements. I wish there was a Supreme Court order for the same. Though campaigns with celebrities are built with a premium appeal, but the real target market is actually the mass market. Brands follow master brand architecture to appeal to the masses in the disguise of premium products.”
However, Amitava Mitra, Founder & Managing Director, Bee Advertising says, “I think it’s an unfair request. My point is, if it is proven that pan masalas contain areca nuts which is supposed to be a cancer causing agent, then why is the government not banning the sale of pan masalas? Like for cigarettes and liquor, the Govt. has banned ads, let them ban all advertising of pan masalas too. Years ago when cigarette and liquor advertising was banned, brands had to and continue to focus on surrogate or event-led communication and also build branded properties like "Red & White Bravery Awards" etc. Pan Masalas too would have to resort to such communication in the event the government bans all pan masala advertising. They will need to create branded properties which complement the brand and what it stands for. But till then I don't see anything wrong in celebrity endorsement of pan masalas/mouth fresheners. Yes, you can appeal to them on moral ground, but it's unfair to pass the buck.”
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E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur
The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more
With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.
The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.
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Swapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out
The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'
Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."
The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."
COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.
Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.
He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
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Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board
e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.
According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.
As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.
A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.
Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.
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Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall
The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall
Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.
“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.
“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.
"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."
"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."
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KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias
Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments
KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.
Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy
Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.
Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."
Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."
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