Alia, Ranbir make hay while the brand shines. Will their magic last?

Curiosity about the relationship between the two actors has translated into advertiser interest. But will it last?

They look coyly at each other in a commercial for a pack of chips, currently on air. Actors Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor are the most stylish couple, according to a survey by Mumbai-based Indian Institute of Human Brands, promoted by ad man Sandeep Goyal and the latest entrants into the league of couple-brands. But the question is: Will their magic last?

The actors, the only unmarried ‘power couple’ presently around, have a few brands banking on their star appeal. This includes Lay’s from PepsiCo India and Flipkart Fashion, the latter they endorse individually as well. 

Flipkart has launched at least two campaigns with the actors since May, and proposes to roll out more commercials and digital videos in the future. The stars have also done on-ground events and interviews together for Flipkart Fashion, launching their clothing collection and accessories.

Celebrity managers said that Bhatt and Kapoor will be tracked closely by prospective advertisers seeking a new pair for their brands. “There is a curiosity factor with Alia-Ranbir, in part due to their relationship status and a certain feel-good factor that they bring to the table. Brands will be watching them closely as their relationship evolves,” said a celebrity manager, who has worked with Kapoor.

It is nothing new for marketers to tap into “power couples”. For example, apparel brand Manyavar was among the early names in the business to leverage the personal relationship between Virat Kohli (who had been their ambassador for over a year) and Anushka Sharma for commercial gains. By releasing an ad with the two as a couple, just before they announced their impending marriage in December 2017, the brand cashed in on the huge public interest on the issue. 

In recent years, actor couples that have also tied the knot off the screen—Deepika-Ranveer, Twinkle-Akshaye, Saif-Kareena, Genelia-Ritiesh and Aish-Abhishek have all done ads together as married couples. So have Sharma and Kohli, who featured in a new Manyavar commercial as a married couple recently. 

Bhatt and Kapoor are yet to take the plunge even though they have declared their love for each other, thereby shovelling in huge amounts of attention from fans and followers, on their social media timelines. Brands track their profiles assiduously to see if they can ride on the popularity of the actors, cash in on the moments in their relationship. 

Kapoor is managed by Kwan Entertainment, while Bhatt is handled by Matrix India. Both companies were not immediately available for their comment. Lay’s, incidentally, was the first joint endorsement deal signed by Kapoor and Bhatt and the buzz is that more advertisers are queuing up as the stars prepare for release of their films shortly. 

Bhatt and Kapoor will be seen in director Ayan Mukherji’s movie Brahmastra, which releases next month. The film’s publicity team has been releasing behind-the-scene videos and sneak peeks of the film’s shoot for some time now. It is no coincidence that social media chatter has been growing around their “wedding” as Brahmastra’s release draws near, said several.

Goyal says that Bhatt and Kapoor have a youthful appeal and seem to enjoy each other’s company despite their hectic schedules. Both actors also seem to be feeding into social media’s growing need for content, uploading videos, photos and Instagram stories of their time together. He says that Bhatt and Kapoor are among the savviest users of social media and have routinely trended on Twitter as a couple. Their high profile and appeal is what led him, he says, to include them in his study despite their unmarried status.

When announcing Bhatt and Kapoor as brand ambassadors of Lay’s, Dilen Gandhi, senior director, marketing, foods category, PepsiCo India, said, “Both Alia and Ranbir are youth icons and are talented actors of their generation. Combining Lay’s with Alia and Ranbir’s talents, will enable us to tell the kind of stories that resonate with consumers across the country.”  

Both actors demand close to Rs 3 crore per brand a day as endorsement fees and hiring them as a couple would mean that advertisers would have to fork out at least Rs 6 crore for a day’s shoot for a brand. For the time being, advertisers seem prepared to pick up the tab.