Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar landed in the soup with his latest endorsement of the Vimal Pan Masala brand, where he recently joined the Ajay Devgn-Shah Rukh duo. The move by the actor has drawn flakes on social media platforms.
The recently released ad by the brand features Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgn, where Devgn is seen driving the car with Khan sitting next to him. Then Shah Rukh Khan says, “Dekhein, Kaun Naya Khiladi Aaya hai.” The next moment, viewers are introduced to Akshay in the video, who holds a packet of ‘Vimal elaichi pan masala’.
The campaign has attracted memes and trolls since its release, and netizens are calling out Kumar for his hypocrisy, as he was vocal about his dislike for tobacco and related products. An old video of the actor surfaced where he said that endorsing tobacco and related products is a ‘galat kaam’ and added that actors should have a certain amount of social responsibility and should avoid endorsing such products as there are chances that the viewers get influenced by them.
Pushkar Singh Dhami, the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, has appointed Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar as the brand ambassador of Uttarakhand ahead of the 2022 Assembly Elections. There were rumours that Kumar was the silent brand ambassador of the Modi led BJP government’s initiatives, as there was a connection between the films he was acting in and the projects that were being implemented by Narendra Modi. Kumar clarified the allegations, saying that it is all coincidental.
Kumar, who is said to be a teetotaller but has endorsed a liquor brand in the past. In the early 2010s, McDowell Signature signed Akshay Kumar as their brand ambassador.
So, is the new endorsement of Vimal Pan masala going to create a dent in his brand image?
“Akshay Kumar’s decision to feature in a tobacco commercial has drawn flak on social media from his fans. Having been a reasonably vocal supporter of campaigns against these products earlier, his sudden agreement to jump into the tobacco multiverse waggon does reflect a bit of hypocrisy, “observes Nishant Sapkale, Founder, Box Office Entertainment & 3Pop Studios.
“However, we also need to remember that Akshay Kumar is a smart businessman and his decisions are anything but conscience oriented. With two huge Bollywood superstars already being a part of the brand, Akshay’s involvement only seems like the icing on the cake – giving the brand a solid opportunity to become a viral sensation, – which is the need of the hour. And as far as the netizens and citizens of our country are concerned, we sure have the memory of a goldfish. “His decision will only catapult his brand image while fetching him all the moolah,” Sapkale added.
According to K. Ravindran, Sr National Vice-President, PRCI, “In fact, when actors promote pan masala brands or any brand, it is harmful to society.Followers tend to idolise the brand with the actor’s image, and that will be detrimental to the community. “
“Akshay Kumar has been advocating as a good Samaritan and ethical over the last few years, so I don’t think it was the right choice for him to endorse a brand that could tarnish his image and thereby give space to the theory of being unethical. As far as public perception goes, Akshay Kumar’s image stands to lose. Nevertheless, the audience’s memory is short-lived. As time overruns and a few good endorsements now and then the controversy will automatically die down. Khiladi will be back in action,” he added.
“People like Akshay Kumar are social and cultural properties first and actors and HNIs second,” says Ambarish Ray, Co-Founder & CEO, Digital Dogs.
“Their every action, – both publicly and as sleuthed out by the media, has ramifications far beyond mere commercial endorsements or advertising. Even if the trigger-happy netizens had not raised a ruckus, this act of endorsement of a pan masala brand is not just indicative of a volte-face by a social influencer (which is very different and far more impacting than a social media influencer), it is also in poor taste. It is common knowledge that pan masala brands engage in celebrity branding and not brand building. “For someone who was flying in one direction quite publicly (that of health and eschewing tobacco) to endorse a brand like this is fairly irresponsible in my view,” he added.
