Endorsing a brand by a Bollywood celebrity is not a current trend but being done before the independence of the country. The biggest advertiser in India was Lux Soap. The launch of the first Lux soap in India dates back to the year 1929, a black and white Ad that featured a popular actress of the time, Leela Chitnis in 1941. Since then all the popular heroines of their time appeared in Lux advertisements.
On researching on this subject I noticed that most of the Top heroes did appear on one Ad or another except Dev Anand. I came across an Ad of a Pickle company being endorsed by Dilip Kumar, similarly in one Ad of an airline company Raj Kapoor, Balraj Sahni, and Nirupa Roy appeared together.
Lux entered India in 1929 and while its early advertisements would feature Hollywood actresses, Some of these were printed in English newspapers and magazines. Of course, the westernized and elite movie-going Indian audience reading these newspapers would have been able to identify known faces.3 These two images, for instance, featured in the Times of India Annual of 1937. While their faces may appear vaguely familiar, they do not seem to belong to any recognizable star. Perhaps some of them were just generic images of "glamorous women," the presumed visual iconography of stars.
Appearing in a Lux advertisement was indeed a “must do” thing for a female movie star in India, a way of announcing her arrival in the industry. I am not certain about the first heroine of Bollywood was Leela Chitnis or Devika Rani but either of two may be the first Bollywood celebrities to appear in an Ad. The first Lux Ad with Bollywood Heroine came in the year 1941. I came across of Devika Rani's Ad for Afghan Snow Cream, once very popular in India.
In the 30s and 40s Calendar, Ads were very popular as every household used to keep one calendar. Before the celebrity Ads, the trend of the pictures of God & Goddess was there. Below I am posting two images of calendar Ads, one of the images of Lord Krishna in the 1932 Calender and other of Meena Kumari in the 1954 Calender.
Besides Meena Kumari, the calendar features Suraiya, Kamini Kaushal, Krishna Kumari, Shashikala and Rehana (She had appeared as a Lux girl as early as 1947 after the success of two Filmistan films, Shehnai and Sajan).By this time colored printing in India had started. Suraiya who was well established as a singing actress also featured in the 1954 calendar.
In the 50s and 60s, Madhubala was also in great demand by the advertising companies, she appeared in lux soap as well as in Godrej soap and also in a Beedi Ad
Enjoy the best collection of Ads from good old days featuring famous celebrities of Bollywood endorsing different products
Do you remember this print ad of Kishore Kumar?
Many of you will be surprised to see Prem Chopra, a villain of yesteryears in an Ad
Nirupa Roy chooses the pure, white luxury of the Lux beauty soap and suggests you get the big bath size, just like she did.
Ashok Kumar in Ambika Mills
Helen in Lux
Shammi Kapoor in Paan Parag Ad, infract Ashok Kumar was also in this Ad
Nanda in the 1960s was among popular heroines, she too appeared in Lux Ad.
Mala Sinha, Sadhana, Asha Parekh, and Sharmila Tagore were the top heroines of the 60s also endorsed Lux soap
Zeenat Aman In Air India
In the 70s Rekha, Hema Malini were the hot girls for the Ad industry, they endorsed many products. Hema Malini with Dharmendra was also a popular modeling product.
With the opening of the economy in India, the advertising industry had a boom. A lot of products were endorsed by celebrities. In fact, many film stars started endorsing many products. Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan became the leading actors in the field of advertising.
One point of time Amitabh Bachchan was the top earner from endorsing various products. Even now at the age of 77, he remains to be most sought after celebrity for endorsements.
Here are a few of his iconic ads.
Shahrukh Khan in various Ads.
A few old iconic Ads by various Stars
It's not that the Advertisement Industry used only Bollywood Hero Heroines for the Ads but also gave the film industry many celebrities who started their career as a model then entered Bollywood
We all know that Shahid Kapoor was a Complan boy, but did you know that he starred in a Pepsi commercial with SRK, Kajol, and Rani way back in the '90s
Before making her big debut in Om Shanti Om, Deepika Padukone can be seen dancing to the tunes of "Kya Aap Close Up Karte Hain?", and flashing her million dollar smile.
While Akshay Kumar may be a health freak now, way back he did a print ad for Red and White cigarettes.
The bubbly girl Pretty Zinta did a small appearance in a Cadbury ad, she was noticed there and then came into films.
