Tollywood celebs on brand endorsement risk after Akshay Kumar faces backlash

Role of celebrities in brand endorsements has always been debatable and the spotlight is once again on it after Akshay Kumar had to step down as tobacco ambassador following backlash. Questions like "How can celebs be held responsible when a brand fails to keep its promise?" Or "Should celebs only enjoy the upside of the business?" have been raised time and again. When brands fail to deliver what they proclaim, the brand ambassadors are scaled for justice. This has happened so many times in the recent past. People often wonder how celebs handle these kinds of situations and how they choose endorsement deals. Check out what these popular Tollywood stars have to say.

Dev feels stars can be the face of a product but not its guarantor. “Celebs the world over, be it cricketers or actors, are roped in at the marketing level. Government and other authorities green-signal it way before that. So when a product hits the market, a celeb is approached for it. Yes, as an actor, I might have reservations about what I promote, if I'm for or against promoting cigarettes or alcohol, but there is no way I can do a quality check on it. It's unfortunate that celebs are pulled up for no fault of theirs,” explained the popular actor.

The Tollywood superstar rarely endorses products these days. “There was a time when a soft drink giant had roped in a huge number of actors. Later when it ran into trouble, even those associated with it were hauled up. Despite being the face of a brand, it is not possible for me to know how good or bad its products are. I'm aware of the responsibility that comes with endorsements, but it is not possible to run a quality check on the goods. Then, I'll have to make factory visits a part of my schedule. Many brands have run into rough weather, but how are celebs responsible? I see the goodwill of the brand before agreeing to become the face of it. Today, a bank might approach me and tomorrow, if it gets involved in a scandal, how am I supposed to know,” asks Prosenjit.

According to Rituparna, the word `brand ambassador' comes from `brand'. “When we become the face of a brand, it has already earned a certain reputation in the market. Celebs are not part of an investigating bureau; we are here to entertain. If a brand wants to rope me in, all I can do is go by its goodwill. If issues regarding the quality of a product are brought up five years down the line, then how am I responsible? Celebs, in no way, can foretell the future,” she said.

Before signing up for a brand, all the actress sees is its reputation in the market. “Before it comes to us, the products are already manufactured and approved by authorities. What I mean is that it's already a `brand' before a celeb is roped in for marketing. So, authorities should do some self-introspection before putting the blame on celebs,” Arpita shared.