Is Brand SRK shining in the Pathaan afterglow?

Pathaan is being touted as the film that finally brought Bollywood back to life from a spate of flops and boycott calls last year. While the jury is still out on that claim, it has surely put Shah Rukh Khan's career back on track after many duds at the box office. 

Although he has been in news for reasons good and bad such as his Brahmastra cameo or son Aryan Khan's drug case, SRK returned to the big screen after a break of almost four years with Pathaan. The film's marketing was strategically planned to create curiosity around the comeback of King Khan. With fans thronging theatres to see SRK on the big screen again, the film is on its way to entering the Rs 1000 cr club.

A rough couple of years for SRK

Despite being a formidable force in Bollywood, SRK's sheen dimmed considerably in the last few years. In 2020 he was ranked 4th in the Duff and Phelp Celebrity endorsement list. However, in 2021, the actor slipped to the 12th number.

Brand experts attribute it to a few factors. Samit Sinha, Managing Partner, Alchemist Brand Consulting, said, "The first reason is the fact that there was a 4-year-break in his cinematic career and he was therefore out of the limelight for some time."

"The second is that his last three films failed to set the box office on fire, with his last two being certifiable flops, which would have caused some doubt in the minds of advertisers about his continued appeal and fears that his stardom was on the wane. Clearly, his relatively long absence from the screen helped create anticipation and pent-up demand for his return."

Similarly, Nisha Sampath, Brand Consultant, and Founder, of Bright Angles Consulting, said, "One reason that SRK slipped in the rankings, could be his low visibility for the past few years. His last film was in 2018. Personally, he went through a challenging phase which led him to avoid media. He was involved in controversies, and brands always prefer to play it safe in such situations."

A brilliant comeback

Pathaan has also helped shine the spotlight on brand SRK again and this possibly means more endorsements in the near future. N. Chandramouli, CEO of TRA Research, a consumer analytics and brand insights company, said, “The frivolous calls to boycott Pathaan, only further built curiosity around the movie, which was followed by it becoming a super hit. All these factors contribute to the value of SRK going up.”

“Hits for actors always have a concomitant impact on their brand value which includes fees, number of endorsements, and newer category endorsements, among others. All these are likely to go up for SRK due to the success of Pathaan”, he added.

On a similar note, Aviral Jain, MD, Kroll said, “Pathaan's success may lay down the path for Return of the King!  SRK's endorsement portfolio should certainly bloom in the coming quarters. Brand SRK ventured through tough terrains in 2021 with a decline in campaigns and a number of endorsements. However, 2022 is expected to have a neutral to positive impact on his brand value given the new additions to his portfolio including A23, Godrej, and Thums Up.” With all things considered, the Pathaan afterglow might bode well for SRK's brand endorsement game. 

"But like Virat, Dhoni and some other stars on the list, SRK is an evergreen brand, a legacy brand. Like them, he has re-invented himself in adversity and emerged stronger. So while the brand value may go up and down, from a brand’s perspective he will always be a safe bet. His presence as an endorser will not just bring awareness, but also add so much more value", Sampath added.