Brands and celeb couples: A love story

Valentine’s Day is here and taking partnerships among couples to a greater level are endorsements by our celebrity couples. Brands are loving it clearly.

Those who have aced this game include Virat Kohli-Anushka Sharma, Ranveer Singh-Deepika Padukone and Kareena Kapoor-Saif Ali Khan. 2022 saw several brands create conversations around celebrity couples, making the audiences fall in love with the campaigns.

The other favourites on the block are Alia Bhatt-Ranbir Kapoor and Genelia D’Souza-Riteish Deshmukh.

Pepperfry recently did a campaign with power couple Saif and Kareena. On why such collaborations work out for them as a brand, Ashish Shah, Co-Founder, and Chief Operating Officer, said, “Our brand ambassadors, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan together personify the brand. Kareena is stylish and glamourous while Saif is regal and aristocratic.”

According to Nisha Sampath, Brand Consultant, and Founder, Bright Angles Consulting, “They say the sum of parts is greater than the whole. Having a couple as brand ambassadors enables a brand to leverage the individual image of each partner as well as their chemistry together.”

Talking of the Pril ad with Riteish and Genelia, Sampath remarked, “Everyone is fascinated by the real life of celebrity couples and putting them together on screen is a chance to give an audience a peek into their lives. Couples can do things together which seem credible, which may not seem so when they are 'acting'. For example, Riteish and Genelia wash dishes together in a Pril ad!”

Speaking on why brands love such associations, Samit Sinha, Managing Partner, Alchemist Brand Consulting, said, “Even when a brand intends to portray the “reality” of the lives of celebrity couples, it is still only a pantomime. While there is obviously an element of suspended disbelief when it comes to much of advertising in general and especially when it comes to celebrity endorsements, many people do invest their emotions in their favourite celebrities and feel a part of their ‘make-believe’ lives.”

Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt’s Spotify’s association also got a shot with the news of their marriage and pregnancy. 

Amit Dhawan, Partner & CEO, of Art-E, listed some factors that work for these associations -  popularity and celebrity appeal, trust and authenticity, relatability, positive association and increased engagement. “These couples have a large following and are considered popular figures in the entertainment industry, which can help to attract attention to the brand and increase its visibility among the audience. People can see themselves in the couple, and they can imagine themselves using the product or service in the same way that the couple does. This can make the brand more relatable and more appealing to potential customers.”