Realty firms are roping in film stars and cricketers to endorse their projects.But does this ploy win them customers ET Realty reports
Can Bollywood stars and cricketers push the sale of housing projects The answer seems to be 'Yes',as far as the perception of the realty firms is concerned with many of them hiring these stars as brand ambassadors of their firms.The latest to join the race is none other than Bollywood actor Sushmita Sen.The former Miss Universe has become the brand ambassador of Assotech group.And if you talk about the first Bollywod star pushing the cause of a realty firm,it was perhaps Amitabh Bachchan,who has endorsed every possible product - from hair oil to cement and from cold drinks to chyawanprash.He was the brand ambassdor of Sahara Homes.Samir Jasuja,MD of PropEquity,however,feels there is a dichotomy in celebrities,living in luxurious homes worth several crores,becoming brand ambassadors of houses meant for the middle class - it looks very unrealistic and unacceptable,he says.
And like Big B and Sushmita Sen,the captain of the Indian Test cricket M S Dhoni,and another cricketer R P Singh,are putting a lot of effort in promoting the cause of the Amrapali group projects in the NCR.
According to Anil Sharma,CMD of Amprapali group,they decided to take on the duo as their brand ambassadors as both MSD and Singh are dashing players and they command a lot of respect due to their performance on the cricket pitch."I am pretty sure that they would make a difference in making the brand of the company even more visible and strong.""I think that while stars make your brand popular among the possible buyers,it is highly debatable whether they can affect the final decision that customers make,either in housing or in commercial property,"Sunil Jindal,CEO of SVP group,says.
The association between Bollywood stars and realty firms is not new,though.When Sagar Apartments came up at Tilak Marg in the early 70s,the promoter Sagar Suri sold one flat each to yesteryear tragedy king Dilip Kumar and the redoubtable Mr Bharat Manoj Kumar.While the promoter did not make them his brand ambassadors at that time,as they were still 'innocent times'(market wise),Suri ensured that this news circulated widely.While Dilip Kumar sold his flat a couple of years ago,Manoj Kumar still stays there whenever he is in capital.Similarly,a Delhibased realty firm sold a flat each to Anupam Kher and Amisha Patel and later ensured that this particular news circulated in the film circle.
Commenting on the role of celebrities in the world of bricks and mortar,J K Jain,architect and head of DesignArch ehomes,feels that there is a real cutthroat competition in the realty sector and that this is one industry where survival depends only on the kind of work a firm does and not on any kind of endorsement by anyone."If you want to be a long-term player in the real estate world,you will have to be very careful about the kind of product you are building.If it is good and passes the test of
time,then you can survive.Otherwise,you will be out.
"I am looking for a flat that will be good for me and also suits my budget.I am not interested in which star has become the brand ambassdor of which realty firm,"A Mishra,a young scribe,says tersely.
Explaining the reason for roping in Sen,the affable MD of Assotech,Sanjeev Shrivastava said that she is a symbol of modernity,and has a lot of grace - and since this is also the hallmark of Assotech Group,they roped her in.Sanjay Khanna,director of Kailashnath Projects Pvt Ltd,gives a sane suggestion to all those who are looking for a property - while there is nothing wrong in watching well-made advertisements featuring big-ticket stars endorsing some project or product,when it comes to buying,you must use your brains
