Bollywood Meets Branding: Instant Recall vs. Lost Creativity

In recent advertising trends, brands are leveraging the nostalgia and popularity of iconic Bollywood characters by having actors reprise their memorable on-screen roles.

(1) LENSKART X Crime Master Gogo (Shakti Kapoor) from Andaz Apna Apna

To promote the LENSKART Gold membership, by leveraging the character's obsession with finding and stealing valuable items - and subtle modifications to the character's name and iconic dialogues.

(2) LENSKART X Manav (Javed Jaffery) and Venugopal Iyer (Vinay Apte) from Dhamaal

To promote the Next-day-delivery offering of LENSKART, the ad echoes the movie scene where an entire day passes and yet Mr. Iyer hasn’t completed his name but a LENSKART order is complete instead.

(3) LENSKART X ACP Pradyuman (Shivaji Satam) from C.I.D.

To promote the Next-day-delivery offering of LENSKART, the ad shows the ACP reciting iconic dialogues while investigating brand new spectacles, simply because they were delivered the very next day after placing the order.

(4) Croma X Kachra Seth (Manoj Joshi) from Phir Hera Pheri

To promote exchange offers, by leveraging the character's association with dealing in second-hand goods to highlight the benefits of trading in old gadgets for new ones.

(5) ACKO X Munna Bhai (Sanjay Dutt) & Circuit (Arshad Warsi) from Munna Bhai MBBS

To promote their Health Insurance offering - by stepping in to save a customer from all the loopholes/catches that regular health insurance plans have so far, a characteristic trait much like their on-screen roles in Munna Bhai MBBS series.

(6) Rungta Steel X Shanaya from Student of the Year (Alia Bhatt), Barfi (Ranbir Kapoor) from Barfi, Azad (Shahrukh Khan) from Jawan Set in the metro scene from the movie Jawan

(7) Rungta Steel X Bunny (Ranbir Kapoor) from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Saifina (Alia Bhatt) from Gully Boy and Jug (Shahrukh Khan) from Dear Zindagi

(8) Rungta Steel X Gangubai (Alia Bhatt) from Gangubai Kathiawadi, Raees Alam (Shahrukh Khan) from Raees, Janardan Jakhar (Ranbir Kapoor) from Rockstar

To promote the unbreakable strength of the steel as the unbreakable strength of the house - Script, costumes and sets are references to various bollywood movies; with Rungta Steel being ‘hero’ aspect in all communications.

(9) Flipkart X VIRUS aka Viru Sahastrabuddhe (Boman Irani) from 3 idiots

To promote the same-day delivery of everyday items, the ad humorously showcases VIRUS's strict and meticulous nature, highlighting his obsession with punctuality and discipline.

(10) Goibibo X Poo (‘Bebo’ Kareena Kapoor Khan) from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham

Leverages the character's pickiness to showcase the variety of their offerings.

(11) Goibibo X Geet (‘Bebo’ Kareena Kapoor Khan) from Jab We Met

Leverages the character's impulsiveness and an iconic scene (with subtle tweaks) to showcase a variety of safe choices for female travelers.

(12) CenturyPly X Harshad Mehta (Pratik Gandhi) from Scam 1992

Instead of offering stock market advice, he recommends investing in CenturyPly's flagship product, 'Club Prime,' highlighting its superior features and positioning it as a wise investment for consumers.

(13) Oppo X Sid (Ranbir Kapoor), Aish (Konkana Sen Sharma), Lax (Shikha Talsania) and Rishi (Namit Das) from Wake Up Sid

Leveraging the movie’s key touchpoints of photography, memories and bonding with a jump to the future; this campaign offers closure or ‘sequel feels’ for nearly every Indian adult, owing to the film’s huge impact. Fame, function and feeling blend seamlessly - constituting for a lot more substance and originality, than the rest of Bollywood driven campaigns that piggy-back on recreating the same scene, context or dialogue.

This approach offers several key advantages:

• Instant Recognition: Utilizing well-known characters ensures immediate audience attention, as viewers quickly identify and connect with familiar personas.
• Emotional Resonance: These characters often carry emotional weight, allowing brands to tap into pre-existing sentiments and deepen audience engagement.
• Enhanced Relatability: By aligning brand messages with beloved characters, advertisements become more relatable, fostering a stronger connection between the brand and its target audience.
• Cultural Relevance: Reprising iconic roles acknowledges and celebrates cultural touchstones, positioning the brand as attuned to societal trends and values.
• Amplified Recall: The fusion of memorable characters with brand messaging enhances recall value, making it more likely for consumers to remember the product or service.

However, it's important to note a potential downside: While this strategy ensures maximum relatability and visibility, it may be perceived as lacking in originality. Relying heavily on established characters could suggest a ‘shortcut’ approach, potentially stifling creative innovation in developing fresh advertising concepts.

In conclusion, while the reprisal of iconic Bollywood roles in advertising campaigns offers significant benefits in terms of recognition and emotional engagement, brands should balance this with original content to maintain creativity and authenticity in their marketing efforts.