We know that celebrities in India – connected to showbiz as well as sports – make phenomenal amounts of money because of the brands that they endorse. Some of these endorsements sit ill with the profile of the celebrity; such as when Salman Khan tried to sell us laundry detergent. Some endorsements are plain irresponsible, given the kind of clout and influence that these stars have with the buying public. However, some of our celebs do perhaps have a conscience as some recent news seems to indicate.
Dhoni’s resignation as brand ambassador for the Amrapali Group
The Amrapali Group is a Noida based real estate company which currently has about 50 ongoing commercial and residential projects in various locations and is also involved in healthcare, education, FMCG, hospitality and entertainment spaces. Buyers who have invested in Amrapali products recently accused the company and Dhoni of misleading them. Social media posts, particularly Twitter posts tagged Dhoni asking him to distance himself from the brand using the hashtag #AmrapaliMisuseDhoni.
Residents of the company’s Sapphire Project in Noida complained about incomplete/pending civil and electrical work even though some 900 flats are now occupied. They alleged that firefighting equipment, alarms and sprinklers don’t work and that electrical panels are open with wires handing from them. Dhoni has resigned from his position as the group’s brand ambassador. According to reports, his wife, Sakshi Dhoni who is currently on the board of the group may also resign from her post.
Other brand ambassadors with a conscience
In the past, celebrities such as Priyanka Chopra have expressed their distaste for endorsing products such as fairness creams because these products further prejudice and racial biases in society. Amitabh Bachchan also stopped endorsing a popular soft drink brand after he was asked by a student why he endorsed something that is bad for health.
While some have dismissed these and similar instances as a case of sour grapes (considering that Bachchan did endorse soft drinks for a significant amount of time), we do need to see celebrities behaving with more social responsibility. Where for instance is Ajay Devgn’s conscience when he congratulates Vimal Pan Masala on completing X number of years? Or SRK’s when he assures us that men need fairness cream too?
Author – Reena Daruwalla
