'My films in Amul hoardings means public endorsement'

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who along with his films has featured in Amul hoardings umpteen times, feels such a mention in the popular campaign is a yardstick for success and an endorsement by the public.

Terming the campaign, which has been running for over 50 years, as a unique marketing device, Bachchan, 72, says “giving the brand a caricature, an emblem, a
finite identity and then bringing it across with humour, satire and sarcasm to reflect current affairs, has been most reflective”.

He finds it a departure from the “straight in-your-face pronouncement of the product” and likens it to the ‘trending concept on social networking sites.According to Big B, it has a three-fold effect – the brand, the humour and the topicality.

“For the film industry and for the films that get mention in the campaign it's free publicity a boon for all producers struggling to maximise on awareness without spending. And yes it does reflect and become a yardstick for success,” he is quoted as telling Rahul daCunha, managing director and creative head of daCunha Communications, the ad agency that creates the Amul outdoor billboards.

“I cannot say for the others but for me when the campaign covers a film of mine I take it as an endorsement by the public of its success. It goes the same way for
failure also,” Bachchan says in a revised and updated edition of “Amul’s           India”, brought out by HarperCollins India.

Cunha says over the years, Bachchan “has been a favourite for writer Manish Jhaveri and myself – whether it's been his wax double at Madame Tussauds, his down-to-earth warmth on Kaun Banega Crorepati, or his colourful array of celluloid characters. The two of us truly enjoy doing Amul hoardings on the superstar – and our artist Jayant Rane caricatures him with a unique relish”.

The new edition has also a take on the Amul campaign by Shyam Benegal. There is a special section called “Starstruck” which mentions about hoardings that featured Bollywood stars like Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone     and Ranbir Kapoor.