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Introduction

The most well known people in India are the ones who make it to the headlines (politicians), the ones who make the back pages (sportsmen) and the ones who fill the pages in between (movie stars). They have the ability to influence the way individuals think, evaluate, and ultimately make a decision.
It is this element of star-gazing that has intrigued marketers for quite a while now, and this paper attempts at trying to analyze whether there is any method behind the mass mania, or is it the mere charisma of the celebrity that can set the cash registers ringing.

What Exactly is a Celebrity?

"A celebrity is a person who is widely recognized in society. Fame is a prerequisite for celebrity status, but not always sufficient. For example, high-profile criminals are famous, but not always celebrities. Traditionally, politicians are rarely described as celebrities, but in the era of television, some have had to become de facto celebrities. Today's celebrities are largely figures from television and movies." - Wikipidea Dictionary.

Kinds of Celebrity-hood - Their Impact on Brands

Product Placements

These generally happen in movies and serials where the product is blended with the story where the protagonist very matter-of-factly uses the product. Sometimes, the placement is very obvious, sometimes its not. While the movie 'Taal' brandished Coke bottles unabashedly, 'Bunty aur Bubbly' saw the protagonists escape in Maruti's new 'Swift' car, very subtly placed and smartly timed with the car's entry into the market.

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* Contributed by: -
Bikram Bindra & Kaushik Vijay. G,
Faculty of Management Studies,
University of Delhi, New Delhi.