Guest Column

Brand Endorsement by Dhiraj Jain, Director, Mahagun

Because of their mass appeal and greater recall value, celebrities certainly have a huge impact in selling a product. Real estate companies have caught on to this fad of late and today the use of celebrity brand ambassadors has become a trend and a winning formula. The high profile name attached to a project gives more mileage but what is of critical importance is associating with the right celebrity

The reputation of any brand is directly proportional to the quality of development that ultimately determines a project’s success. It is important to focus on the quality of the product in terms of design, functionality and so on to build a track record of well built and well maintained properties.

Nevertheless to create the right buzz and recall of their realty projects, real estate companies are currently roping in celebrities to build a strong image. Star power is fuelling a new movement in the realty sector. Today, the use of celebrity brand ambassador for companies has become a trend and a perceived winning formula of corporate image building. While one can feature customers from earlier projects, celebrities have a wider appeal among the masses in general.

Celebrity endorsement is recognised as a potentially potent tool in communications. Just like each celebrity has a unique quality and identity, so does each brand and it is crucial that the face of the brand establishes that connection.

Celebrities are recognised and create top-of-the mind recall for a brand. They bring in their rapport and goodwill to the company and help in giving an initial boost to its products. The intent of getting an endorsement by a celebrity is purely because of the broad appeal and the celebrity’s ability to generate lots of attention which works well for a brand.

India being a celebrity-obsessed nation, the pan-Indian appeal and familiarity of such celebrities are encashed by developers. They associate themselves with a celebrity that complements the organisation’s core values and ethos and only zero down on those celebrities who they believe can do justice to endorse their brand.

Essentially, the testimonial of a celebrant adds instant credibility to a company’s product. Celebrities in advertising build brand awareness, and they build it much more quickly than traditional types of advertising.

Impact of celebrity endorsement on an overall brand is a significant one. It helps form a positive image of the brand endorsed in the consumer’s mind and helps generate greater attention and inquisitiveness towards a brand.

Celebrities command great adoration among people and positively influence their mindset and this leads the consumers to connect with the brands emotionally. The high profile name attached to the projects gives more mileage and places the company’s product in the best possible light in the minds of a target group. To sum it up, associating with the right celebrity can, therefore, work effectively to boost your brand value, enhance your brand image and connect to the masses.