Amitabh Bachchan turns 80: How Brand Bachchan has stood the test of time

The audience mouthing their hero’s dialogue or dancing to a famous song of his in a movie theatre is a tradition inextricably linked to Bollywood. But hold on for a minute. We are talking of films released in the 1970s playing to a full house today in cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Pune, Ahmedabad, Prayagraj, Kolhapur, Kanpur. Something is not quite adding up.  
 
Welcome to the world of Amitabh Bachchan. As the star turns 80, a rerun of his films, that were an integral part of his heady superstardom days, is currently on. Social media, is quite literally, going nuts, with footage of people clapping, whistling, dancing and just being themselves. Thanks to an initiative taken by PVR, 11 iconic films of Bachchan are being played at their multiplexes across 17 centres.  

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Be it Khaike Pan Banaraswala or Main Hoon Don songs from the 1978 blockbuster Don or the unforgettable Main Aaj Bhi Pheke Hue Paise Nahi Uthata one-liner from Deewar, the film that firmly put him on the superstardom journey, the audience can’t have enough of Bachchan. In fact, brand Bachchan, with age, is only getting better and stronger. In many ways, it defies many an immutable law of marketing. 

For decades, the brand has enthralled and entertained his large fan base. The big moment was Kaun Banega Crorepati, the gameshow that revived the actor’s career and also Star India’s dwindling fortunes. That was in mid-2000 and since then, he has been unstoppable, with every brand wanting to have him as their ambassador. Mind you, he charges a not-so-small Rs 5-8 crore per endorsement.  But what makes the brand so effective after so many years?
 
Vivek Sharma, Founder, Altivyst Advisors and former CMO Pidilite & Philips, thinks one of the biggest strengths of Bachchan is his credibility with all sections of people. “That’s exactly why he works well when it comes to sensitive areas such as polio, Covid or areas around health and hygiene. Here, he speaks like a person of national stature and goes well beyond the boundaries of a film star,” he says. That is a big statement and calls for a star to transcend many a boundary. Prasoon Pandey, Director, Corcoise Films, who has worked with him in several advertising campaigns, is clear. “Look, brands just want him. He is multi-faceted and he is a fantastic combination of talent and a great upbringing.” 

 

The resilience of brand Bachchan cuts across not just his audience but even the people who work with him. Pandey recalls an incident when the star was shooting for a Dr Fixit commercial in Mumbai’s Mehboob studios. “I got a call from his office saying he was running 15 minutes late since his driver was unwell,” he narrates. A stickler for time, the star decided to get behind the wheel himself. “I can only imagine the reaction of the people who recognized him on the streets!” The lesson here is one of professionalism, and Pandey can’t stop gushing about it. “Just look at the roles he has played in the early part of his career from a serious doctor in Anand to an angry young man in Zanjeer to the incredible funny guy in Amar Akbar Anthony. Compare it to Hollywood where the likes of Al Pacino and Steve Matin will rarely step out of their comfort zone.” 

Speaking of advertising, the need for a brand varies depending on what they want from Bachchan. The worm crisis that hit Cadbury in late 2003 was a PR nightmare for the chocolate and confectionery major. Here again, credibility was the need of the hour. The company and Ogilvy, its agency, zeroed in on Bachchan to be the messenger. Abhijit Avasthi, Founder, Sideways and a key member of that team maintains the only person India would accept an endorsement of trust was Mr Bachchan.

“He was aware of this responsibility and hence wanted to be convinced of the corrective measures taken by the company before agreeing to speak on its behalf. And this pretty much became the ad we did,” he opines. According to him, different celebrities affect the public in different ways. “Some inspire respect in people, some evoke a sense of awe, some endear themselves because of their relatability, and some are loved for what they do. Mr Bachchan is singular and unique in that he evokes all of these emotions in people across ages and sections of society. Absolutely nobody else does this,” he says emphatically. 

How brands use Bachchan smartly is itself a challenge. Sharma is candid when he points out that not all brands have managed to utilise him well or effectively. “It is not enough to just have him as the endorser but also critical to align the objective of the brand to what he stands for. There is no doubt that his face will cut through the clutter but delivering a long-term sustained brand advantage and a RoI is a different proposition altogether,” he says. Getting to the core of marketing and advertising strategy, he says Brand Bachchan works well in categories that are underpenetrated, where a certain change in consumer attitude or behaviour is necessary. “With his credible voice, the brand message of behaviour change has a better chance of acceptance by consumers,” explains Sharma. 

He picks up the example of Dr Fixit, where the transition from traditional to modern chemical water-proofing was the desired objective. “It was his credibility that made a huge difference in driving the message. For that matter, during the worm controversy in Cadbury Dairy Milk, it was Mr. Bachchan’s voice of reassurance that was critical in getting the brand back on track.” 

Pandey makes an interesting point when he speaks of Bachchan being able to get into the skin of the character. “In a film like Don, he plays the sophisticated criminal as easily as the one chewing paan. It is no different when he shoots for a campaign or a public service message,” is his view. 

At 80, Bachchan remains one of the busiest stars professionals. It is a miracle of sorts that one can’t have enough of him as time moves on. “He embodies and radiates the timeless values of authenticity, humility, hard work, curiosity, generosity and joie de vivre. And this is why I believe Brand Bachchan will never fade,” sums up Avasthi.

Also read: Amitabh Bachchan 80th birthday: Fans go crazy as they share movie clips from Big B's iconic performances