28 July,2009 08:30 AM IST | | The Hitlist Team
There's no better model to sell your product than a movie star. A trend, that began in the West. Even American President Barack Obama needed star power, and had movie stars come out to support him while campaigning.
In 2008, Iran banned sports and movie stars from making appearances in commercials, because the government felt that they should not be promoting consumerism. Meanwhile, our stars are busy selling everything from cars to colas. While most ads featuring Bollywood brands are slick, smart and successful, there are others who should start with the big Fu00a0- forgettable. Here are a list of the advertisements that should go into oblivion.
Mera tub sirf mera hai!
Starring: Shah Rukh Khan
Brand: Lux
Storyline: SRK squirms uncomfortably in a bathtub with rose petals while four actresses (Sridevi, Hema Malini, Juhi, Kareena) ogle at him.u00a0
Lather bad: Metrosexuality be damned! Nobody wants to see a man in a bathtub submerged with petals. The actresses Hema and Sridevi giving sensuous looks to SRK while he "plays" sexy, makes one want to gag. Kareena looks awkward as she caresses Khan's chest with an unfathomable expression.
Watch it here: https://is.gd/1OYYp
Chal bhai, back to school
Starring: Salman Khan and Sohail Khan
Brand: Chlormint
Storyline: A baby-talking (which he did 10 years ago in Hello Brother) Salman is kicked out of an airplane by an airhostess. While Salman opens a parachute himself, Sohail falls flat (just like the commercial!) on the ground.
Horrific: Two 40-plus men dressed in school uniform look completely ridiculous dressed like school-going children. No laughs, more of a gaffe.
Watch it here: https://is.gd/1OZjN
Bebo, this just ain't fair!
Starring: Kareena Kapoor
Brand: Boro Plus
Storyline: Kareena dancing at a wedding pokes fun at the guys who have cracked heels, dark circles and dry skin. They try to flirt with her but she rejects them based on their looks.
Boro boor: Clearly this is one commercial Kareena would want to forget. Not only does she look weird in the bright pink lehenga but her dialogue makes you cringe. There is no chemistry between her and the male actor she's paired with.
Watch it here: https://is.gd/1P02s
No landline, no shaadi
Starring: Preity Zinta
Brand: BSNL
Storyline: It's an arranged marriage setup where Preity refuses a prospective groom because he doesn't have a BSNL landline phone! Shot in Ekta Kapoor TV serial style, the commercial has dramatic background music for effects to stress on the importance of having a landline.
Line not fine: The concept is obsolete and inane. It is like watching a really bad episode from a daily soap. Preity barely has barely two lines in a 40 second ad. Shot at a very low budget, the ad is neither entertaining nor engaging.
Watch it here: https://is.gd/1OZ6n
Tamatar of importance
Starring: Juhi Chawla
Brand: Kurkure
Storyline: Dressed up as a nurse feeding tomatoes to an old man who's making passes at a young bhajiwali. Juhi tries to sell the naughty tomato flavour in this 'cheesy' ad. At one juncture, she even refers to the gent on the wheel chair as 'tedha.' How politically incorrect!
Kurkure hey: Juhi tries to be funny here, but the act doesn't work. She needs to take a break from her cute bubbly act and do something else.
Watch it here: https://is.gd/1OZXa
Chi chi choice ka maamla
Starring: Govinda
Brand: Rupa
Storyline: Govinda shows off how comfortable it is wearing a banian (vest) by getting into one and simply stating the tag line 'Yeh Aram Ka Mamla Hai'.u00a0
Vest of time: Instead of cashing in on Govinda's comic timing, the commercial wastes him in a ridiculous set up that doesn't let the actor perform at all. Instead, we see the actor preening in a vest looking cheesy. Chi Chi should NEVER be dressed down. Cover him up.
Watch it here: Video not available. It was tagged as not suitable for women.
Baap numbri, beta dus numbri
Starring: Fardeen Khan and Feroz Khan
Brand: Pan Bahar
Storyline: Father and son are sitting by the swimming pool looking at bikini-clad girls. FK Senior dives into the pool seeing a helpless girl crying for help, while Fardeen steals the pan masala from him and relishes it.
Pan it: There is no plot or wit in this ad. The duo who were hailed for their style quotient are relegated to wearing bathrobes. This one is a clear embarrassment to watch.
Watch it here: https://is.gd/1P0ef
Coughing it up!
Starring: Rani Mukerji
Brand: Good Knight
Storyline: The setting is a wedding mandap where Rani is seen coughing to the tunes of Shava Shava. The idea is to show that the coughing guests are unable to bear the smoke emitting from mosquito coils.
Knightmare: We know Rani Mukerji doesn't exactly attract premium brands, but then shouldn't she just stick to films? The girl who wow-ed us in Black and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, embarasses us in this ham fest! Not only does she have little to add, she looks zapped and out of place throughout the proceedings. This one makes us re'coil' in horror.
Watch it here: https://is.gd/1OZNK
Teeth-ering problems
Starring: Vivek Oberoi
Brand: Babool toothpaste
Storyline: A bunch of kids play with Vivek on a beach. They seem to be having fun, biting into sugarcane and ice cream with Vivek singing and dancing with them.
No kidding: Vivek seems clearly a misfit in this commercial with the kids. All through the ad, Vivek seems to be flopping his hair around and concentrating on how he looks rather than establishing some chemistry with the kids.
Watch it here: Video not available. Was it so bad that it was repotted for abuse and then deleted?
FACT
Aamir Khan is the only actor who gets his act right all the time. The actor also features in ads that are smart, innovative, and imaginative. From Titan to TATASky, all his ads are A-1.
Hollywood stars and their brands
Gapu00a0- Sarah Jessica parker speaks up for this designer brand.
Montblancu00a0- Johnny Depp gives a thumbs-up to their accessories.
Revlonu00a0- Eva Mendes models for this make-up brand.
Matthew Mcconaughey is now the Stetson Man.
Eva Longoria is the face of L'Oreal.
