Filmy guys on a gold rush

It���������s not a woman���������s territory anymore. So move over Kajal, Genelia, Priyanka and gang for the men are now set to take over jewelry endorsements ��������� a domain that has traditionally been the stronghold of the fairer sex.
A host of top stars today, across all film industries are endorsing gold and other jewelry, leaving many wondering what happened to the women?
across the city, stars like Nagarjuna, NTR Jr, Madhavan and gang are screaming out of hoardings asking consumers to buy gold jewelry.Amitabh Bachchan himself recently shot for a popular jewelry advertisement with wife Jaya, making it the couple���������s first joint endorsement. Sometime back, actor Venkatesh endorsed a popular jewelry brand before the release of his film, ���������Nagavalli���������. Now the star, along with contemporaries Akshay Kumar, Mohanlal, Vikram and Puneeth Rajkumar, is peddling gold loans.
When quizzed recently on his decision to endorse gold jewelry, NTR Jr was quoted as saying, ���������Yes, jewelry is a woman���������s thing, but men will agree with me that we are the ones who have to buy it for them.��������� Adman and theatre personality Bharat Dabholkar puts it in perspective saying, ���������If you see Mr Bachchan���������s ad carefully, you���������ll notice that he plays the part of a man who buys jewelry for his wife. In such a scenario, the use of the star is justified because it fits the context.
Ad whiz and theatre personality Mohammad Ali Baig disagrees. ���������The men may foot the bill, but the decision to buy jewelry lies in the hands of women. Men are definitely not the target consumers,��������� says Baig. One however, cannot help but question; how come the sudden influx of men in a woman dominated area? ���������When you don���������t have ideas, use a star ��������� this is what we normally say in the ad world,��������� says Santha John, MD of a creative agency. ���������Stars are generally used to endorsing anything. But the use of the star needs to be relevant to the product. As far as jewelry is concerned, I believe women wear it to show one another rather than flaunt them for the men. Most brands use a star to ensure visibility,��������� explains John. ���������Well, to be honest, it���������s mostly a bandwagon effect. If a particular brand signed on a male star first, it won���������t take long for competition to follow suit. As far as the South is concerned, male stars dominate everything. Other commercials are a washout when you pit them against the stars. Brands love to have a big name like Nagarjuna or NTR Jr to be associated with them, hence the trend,��������� explains Baig.
In fact, in Kerala, stars like Mohanlal and Mammootty have been endorsing gold much before any of their contemporaries did. Because they are the biggest stars in the state, the actors guarantee brand visibility. But what everyone is unanimous about is the fact that a commercial does not determine the sale of the product. ���������One needs to check the sales of the jewelry brand to judge whether using male stars work. You might spend a lot on the hoardings and commercials etc, but ultimately does it convert to sales, is what needs to be asked,��������� says Baig.
Santha too agrees, saying, ���������I remember seeing a fat, middle-aged actor peddle gold jewelry. I don���������t remember the brand because it didn���������t appeal to me.���������