Brand bargain

Jasmine Singh

To these bunch of four, this indeed is a matter of pride, a task that they have been successfully part of, and now they can even flaunt it through a packet!

Packet…you heard it right. Next time if you unapologetically pick a packet of Bingo Mad Angles (the chips) and see the picture of four famous Punjabi singers and rappers, starting Badshah (Saturday Saturday fame), A Kay (I phone warga), Ammy Virk (recently seen in hit Punjabi film Angrej) and Maninder Buttar on the pack, you know what to do, “Of course enjoy the madness and the mad angles both,” chips in A Kay.

Crispy & crunchy

In one of its kind marketing strategy Bingo Mad Angles along with 9 X Tashan have created a Bingo Mad Angles song which features the four singers in a peppy manner.

It gets better as the four of them also get to see their faces on the pack of the product. As A Kay who had a great time shooting for the advertisement puts in, “Approximately 7 crore packs of the product will carry our pictures, which will be available nation-wide. Isn’t this a good thing.”

Wait please!

For Punjabi singers and actors, commercials and advertisements though not a sought after phenomenon is still not a bad bet for publicity and reach. Famous singer actor Gippy Grewal shot for a soft drink company, Nimbooz masala Soda and actor comedian Gurpreet Ghuggi have earlier done commercials.

Unlike, Bollywood where actors consider advertisements as a major part of their work, in Punjab, this idea still hasn’t caught up much. Shares Gippy who will be seen in a thriller Faraar, “It is not that I consider doing commercials any less important. All the same, I can’t be modelling for any other company or product. It should be well-known at least at the national level. Or if it is from Punjab, it should be popular enough.”

Rhythm Arora, a pretty Punjabi face who made her appearance in Punjabi film Young Malang has done a number of commercials for Snapdeal, PC Jewellers, CTC Plaza to name a few. The still ads have made a recognisable face in Punjab. “Brand endorsement is as important as acting. I have been very selective about the brands I would want to associate with.” At the same time, Rhythm also feels association with a national brand makes all the difference, something that doesn’t come to Punjabi actors or singers easily, “Unless you are a big name.”

In the company

Popular companies based out in the North on the other hand are not happy with thecurrent scenario. Manas Prashar, managing director with a popular fertilizer company shares his problems, “I have tried getting the best of Punjabi singers and actors, but they don’t see modelling for fertilizer up to their standard. I was ready to pay anything between 20-50 lakh for the same,” he adds still sulking.

Well, as of now doing live shows in India and abroad, apart from signing films is on the agenda for the Punjabi entertainment team, modelling for tractor or desi ghee can wait. Unless some pyaas bujhaye or fast network company catches up with them!