Going by the creatively deduced theory of big brands, `30 crore should equal a successful product endorsement with Shah Rukh Khan. While the nature of that statement might be exaggerated, in simpler words, Shah Rukh Khan is the most sought after brand ambassador in B-town. The biggest of business houses are more than happy to pay a heavy price in exchange of King Khan’s services as an endorser of their product. On last count, SRK was advertising for 19 brands. Not everyone is paying top dollar for SRK. But on an average, it’s assumed that SRK can charge anywhere between ` 6 to ` 8 crore for an endorsement. In return for this annual payment you get one full day of SRK and his services. To put things in perspective, leading actors charge anywhere between ` 25-50 crore for signing a big ticket film. SRK himself reportedly charges around ` 30-40 crore for a film. Considering the fact that a film takes months of effort, those double-digit numbers in crores seem truly ‘a big deal’ for a few days of shooting for and promoting the product. For the clients too, it’s worth every single penny because SRK influences millions of fans who follow him 24x7. Now that’s a win-win situation.
Major brands endorsed by SRK
1. Tag Heuer
2. Nerolac
3. Hyundai
4. Airtel
5. Belmonte
6. Videocon
7. Dish TV
8. ONN
9. Frooti
10. Pepsodent
11. Nokia
30 crores what could cost you to hire SRK
19 brands employ SRK’s services
12 crores the fee to hire SRK if you’re not an Indian brand
8 crores will get you a full day of ad shoots with King Khan
History of promotions
One of Shah Rukh’s earliest advertisements was with Liberty Shoes back in the late ’80s. During those days he was working on the TV shows Fauji as well as honing his acting skills with Barry John in Delhi. After his TV stint won him recognition, SRK landed in Mumbai. One of his first assignments was an ad for Tata Tea. Interestingly, King Khan returned to the same brand in 2013 with the Chhoti si shuruaat campaign for Tata Tea. Those days ad guru Prahlad Kakkar and producer Praveen Nischol were Shah Rukh’s biggest benefactors. He shot his first spate of ad films with them. Through those ads he even bought his first house in Mumbai. Filmmaker and ad world veteran Pradeep Sarkar recalls early memories of working with SRK. “He was always popular. I have worked with him in three-four ads. He comes in not only as a gentleman but also as someone who has tremendous humour. We worked together for Mayur Suitings. I guess Mukul Anand directed those commercials. It was fun to see him handle the people around him so well.”
Since then, Shah Rukh has featured in ads of popular brands like Pepsi, Hyundai, Sunfeast, Bagpiper, Top Ramen, Mayur Suitings Shirtings, Videocon, Airtel, Lux, Himani Chyawanprash, Frooti, Compaq, Dish TV and Tag Heuer amongst others. His longest association remains with Hyundai dating back to the first Hyundai Santro advertisements in 1998. Today SRK continues to make headlines with his Hyundai association. BS Seo, Managing Director and CEO, Hyundai says, “It’s been a wonderful journey with Shah Rukh Khan, as we complete 16 years of a long-standing association. SRK’s association has enhanced the brand’s reminiscence and propagated our modern premium brand values. The new association connects the family man Shah Rukh Khan with the attributes of a real family sedan, the Hyundai Xcent.”
Social change
In the wake of his booming popularity SRK hasn’t forgotten his family values and responsibilities. He continues to endorse government campaigns like those of Pulse Polio Immunization, National Aids Control Organization, Unicef, Prevention of Aids, National Rural Health Mission, National Aids Control Organisation, Swades Project, Rajasthan St Aids Control Society and Bihar St Aids Control Committee.
In 2005, a survey by AdEx India, a brand monitoring company by Nielsen, revealed that brand Shah Rukh Khan became the carrier of social messages for the first time. His share of social advertisements vis-a-vis commercials rose to 20 per cent in 2005, compared to a mere 0.3 per cent in 2004. Interestingly, the spike followed SRK’s strong-on-social-content movie Swades.
Going international
A big contributor to Brand SRK is his popularity overseas. King Khan has droves of fan clubs in countries like Germany, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Phillipines, South Korea and almost all through the Middle East. Perhaps, that’s why SRK enjoys ‘first preference’ status from international brands like TAG Heuer, The Royal Estate based in Dubai. SRK commands premium remuneration from these foreign brands and was reportedly paid as much as $ 2 million (approximately ` 12 crore) for endorsing real estate in Dubai. Puneet Sewra, marketing director, TAG Heuer India adds that SRK’s commitment to the brands he endorses is a major factor as well. “Apart from being one of the most popular names in India who can appeal to consumers across different demographics, what Shah Rukh Khan brings to the table is his immense dedication towards the brand he is endorsing. That’s what makes him popular with the brands.”
Director of Hasee Toh Phasee and ad filmmaker Vinil Mathew thinks SRK’s presence ensures maximum exposure. He says, “Shah Rukh Khan is the number one actor in the country. Any brand that wants to project itself as the number one product for its target group would want to associate with SRK. With him you also send across the message that you are the best just like him. It’s the best way to reach across the globe as well as to smaller towns. With him on board a brand wins the battle of perception.”
Swelling numbers
Depending on the performance of their movies, actors either enjoy added attention or royal snubs from the ad world. But SRK seems to be an exception. His popularity among advertisers has been on a steep ascend since the early 2000s. Sample this – in 2003, SRK endorsed eight brands. Those numbers went up to 13 brands in 2004. Whereas in 2005, SRK endorsed a whopping 21 brands. Puneet Sewra reiterates that fact, “Shah Rukh Khan is the perfect embodiment of TAG Heuer’s passionate pioneering spirit. Just the way TAG Heuer is a world leader in prestigious chronographs due to its relentless quest for innovation, Shah Rukh too has an uncompromising determination to push boundaries. He has continuously reinvented himself over the years to stay on the top and has never cracked under pressure.”
Pradeep Sarkar has a theory. He thinks it’s Shah Rukh’s tech friendly nature that makes him a natural choice. He narrates a story, “SRK is very techno savvy. We were doing an ad film for HP. Shah Rukh had to change his shirt while walking. He had to follow the steps exactly as the choreography was designed. The scene was to be shot with an advanced machine mylo, it’s a motion control camera, and SRK’s movement was precise and in tandem with the automated camera. He was so fascinated by the tech that he used it in the making of Paheli as well. Actors could learn so much from him.”
As of 2014, SRK’s kitty of brand endorsements stands at a healthy 19. While it may have shaved off a few numbers over the years, it’s still leagues ahead of his contemporaries. Not even cricketer MS Dhoni, who commands a higher fee than SRK (approximately ` 10-12 crores a day) catches up in the number game.
Extending the envelope
Then there’s his booming business diversity. SRK is not just your average movie star who dabbles with film production and some side business. He’s a multi-level brand that is involved in entertainment, sports, philanthropy and technology. Thanks to his raging popularity across the world, ventures like Kolkata Knight Riders, Red Chillies Entertainment and Imagination Edutainment etc have become global successes.
Amit Sharma from Chrome Pictures, the creator of the recent Google advertisements, believes Shah Rukh brings a level of trust to commerce. He adds, “His persona is unmatched and his wit and intellect set him apart. People can connect with him, relate to him, and often take pride in emulating him. He creates a feeling of aspiration in his audience. He is so popular because when he attaches himself to any brand, people know that it’s a brand that they can trust.”
Popular partners
When it comes to his branding exercises, SRK’s memorable moments have always come with partners. His pairing with better half Gauri Khan has been the most popular. But their D’Decor ads weren’t the first time they worked together. The first was a series of fun-filled TV advertisements for Cinthol back in the early ’90s. Every commercial featured Gauri handing SRK a bar of Cinthol soap and Khan enjoying a refreshing shower.
His collaboration with Sachin Tendulkar has created great moments too. Their Pepsi advertisement, where SRK dons a wig and the Indian cricket team attire to pretend to be Sachin was hilarious. They even featured in a Josh style face off in Airtel adverts. It could be SRK’s friendly nature and professional vibe that make him popular amongst his ad peers. At least that’s what Amit Sharma believes, “Not only is he a phenomenal performer but he is also renowned for his excellent work ethic. Filmmakers love to work with him as he is completely a director’s actor and can be moulded into any character. His wit, valuable inputs and experience in making ad films make him a delight to work with.”
Shah Rukh’s most recent example of popular pairing comes with Ranbir Kapoor. The two are jointly promoting TAG Heuer, Ranbir coming on board with the luxury watch brand as recent as September 2014. This is after the two actors created a stir with their Pepsi commercials in 2008. Vinil Mathew concludes having SRK is all that’s needed. He jokes, “A client pays all his money to SRK. It is the truth. They say, ‘Agar hum sirf Shah Rukh ko khada kar dein toh hamara kaam ho jaayega’.” And that ladies and gentlemen is the big brand theory of Shah Rukh Khan.