Aamir Khan, fresh from the success of 3 Idiots, has signed a deal with a UAE-based telecommunications service provider reportedly for a staggering Rs 35 crore -- the highest a Bollywood celebrity has ever received for endorsement, leaving far behind the previous highs of Rs 12 crore to Rs 15 crore.
Reports say it is a two-year contract during which period Khan will make himself available for an allotted number of media shoots, press advertisements and personal appearances.
Advertisement guru Prahlad Kakkar, who directed Aamir for his first cola commercial in 1993 (for which the actor was paid a `meagre' Rs 17 lakh), reacted, saying, "That is a hell of a lot of money to pay. He has indeed come a long way. But it isn't surprising; he brings a great degree of single-minded exclusivity to a brand.
Associating with Aamir is also a plus for the product in another sense because he is very particular about the script, his own image and the image of the product he endorses."
Advertising circles, however, are taken aback by the new high in commercial fees because the last highest amount reportedly paid to four Bollywood names -- Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar and Hrithik Roshan -- for their hosiery endorsements is said to be in the range of Rs 12 crore to Rs 15 crore. A leading ad producer, however, said there could be an explanation: the general spurt in endorsement fees in the last year. "Even someone as young as Ranbir Kapoor, the latest kid on the block, is said to have been lapped up for Rs 7 crore for a two-year-deal by another advertiser," he said.
Aamir's own earlier contracts for a biscuit, a cola, a car, an FMCG, a watch maker and a satellite TV service provider are all reportedly in the range of Rs 12 crore; so, by even his own standards, his fees have almost tripled. Trade insiders attributed Aamir's rising stock in ad circles to his recent box-office successes.
Aamir himself neither denied nor confirmed his latest endorsement fee. "I enjoy doing my ads. And I'm choosy about the brands and the creative team that works on them. I work as hard on my ads as I do on my films," he said.
Prabhat Chaudhary, head of Spice, a marketing agency, said: "The brand endorsement world has become the true barometer of a star's success and appeal. Ranbir is the biggest example of this. Last year alone, the young actor signed enviable deals for everything from television sets to mobiles."
Another ad guru explained how the ad world worked on celeb power: "Amitabh Bachchan was paid a big fee (also called an opportunity fee) to endorse a chyawanprash brand, as prior to his presence, chyawanprash didn't have celebrity endorsers. However, after Mr Bachchan, Sourav Ganguly and Shah Rukh also came forward to endorse other brands of the digestion aid."
Bollywood heroine Priyanka Chopra is said to be in the lead among female stars; reports suggest that she gets paid anything between Rs 3.5 crore and Rs 4 crore for a deal. Following closely are the two other current favourites -- Kareena Kapoor and Katrina Kaif -- who command an annual fee of Rs 2.5 crore. And Aishwarya Rai continues to be a global icon, commanding an enviable fee for her watch and cosmetic deals on the international circuit.[center]
