Mumbai: American watch and lifestyle company Fossil has announced its partnership with Bollywood actor Kriti Sanon as the brand’s newest celebrity ambassador in India. Sanon’s optimism and organic take on fashion closely align with Fossil’s dedication to authenticity and creative spirit, the brand said.
Her collaboration with Fossil will extend to promoting the watch & accessory categories ranging from traditional & smartwatches to leather products and jewelry for women. Sanon will be seen in an upcoming brand campaign with fellow brand ambassador Varun Dhawan.
“As one of the leading accessories brands in the country, Fossil has always endeavored to design watches, jewelry and leather goods that preserve a unique modern-vintage spirit and exemplify creativity and optimism. Our commitment to authenticity extends to our products as well as our people,” said Fossil Group India managing director Johnson Verghese. “Kriti’s chic, vibrant fashion sense perfectly expresses her authenticity, aligning with Fossil’s brand ethos and commitment towards being true to oneself.”
“Crafting timeless styles through beautiful watches along with delicate jewelry and chic bags, the brand’s modern designs are the epitome of timeless style. Embracing the spirit of innovation and individuality, Fossil advocates authenticity that strongly resonates with my personal outlook towards style,” Kriti Sanon said.
Mumbai: In what can be termed as a ‘battle of the boxers’, men’s innerwear brand Amul Macho has alleged that another Indian brand of men’s innerwear, Lux Cozi has “blatantly copied” its Amul Macho ‘Toing’ ad from 2007. J G Hosiery Pvt Ltd, the makers of Macho Innerwear, has complained to the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) regarding what it calls “blatant plagiarism”.
According to Amul Macho, the recently released Lux Cozi ad, featuring actor Varun Dhawan, that is currently being aired on various news channels and on Sony TV, appears to take more than just inspiration from the popular Amul Macho ad with the tagline “Ye To Bada Toing Hai”.
“We find it shocking that a worthy and esteemed competitor appears to want to ride on the creative success of a brand that’s a market leader in its category, by blatantly copying its popular ad concept and executional elements. We hope good reason will prevail and the copied ad will be withdrawn forthwith,” said JG Hosiery Pvt Ltd, CEO, Navin Seksaria.
The company finds the premise of the ad by Lux Cozi to be identical to the Amul Macho Toing ad and the storyline of the Lux Cozi ad to be strikingly similar to their own creative asset.
“It’s a matter of deep concern to J G Hosiery that the woman in the Lux Cozi ad holds up the Lux Cozi underwear to show that her man wears Lux Cozi, implying that Varun Dhawan should stay away, in a similar manner to how it was held up by Sana Khan in the Amul Macho Toing ad,” stated Madison Communications on behalf of Amul Macho in a note to the press. “Amul Innerwear team takes the matter of their creative asset being copied very seriously, believing that the visual similarity of the two ads cannot be a mere coincidence. Both women in the two respective ads hold up the underwear to make a statement about the fact that, ‘My man wears this’.”
Amul Macho further noted that the similarity between the two ads does not end there but has so many common executional elements that JG Hosiery has felt compelled to “call out the copy-cat work and point out what appears to be an opportunistic brand building attempt by Lux Cozi.”
The various executional elements of the Lux Cozi ad film that Amul Macho has taken objection to, include the colour and shape of the underwear used in the former’s ad, the way the woman holds up the object of contention and even the specific expressions of the supporting cast when they see the product in question, apart from the music theme and the setting of the film.
It further alleged that the Lux Cozi ad unfairly tries to take advantage of the brand equity, reputation and goodwill generated by the Amul Macho toing ad, by copying both the concept and executional elements of the brand’s popular ad film and must therefore be restrained from being aired.
Under the fourth chapter related to fairness in competition, the ACSI code states that: “Advertisements shall not be similar to any other advertiser’s earlier run advertisements in general layout, copy, slogans, visual presentations, music or sound effects, so as to suggest plagiarism.”
“While the ASCI code allows competitive advertising including naming a competitor so long as the comparison is fair, plagiarism is making use of someone else’s goodwill or effort for your own benefit, which is a violation of the ASCI code,” ASCI general secretary Manisha Kapoor told IndianTelevision.com, adding that, “A complaint that comes to us will need to be examined more specifically with regards to its elements, and taken through the due process to determine if plagiarism is suggested.”
With regards to this latest complaint of plagiarism, Kapoor stated that any complaint processed by ASCI allows for both the complainant and advertiser views to be tabled, and only after taking into account all the evidence presented, the consumer complaints council will make a recommendation.
Meanwhile, Lux has refuted the allegations made by its competitor. “Our TVC is based on an original idea and conceptualised by our creative agency and is not inspired or motivated by any borrowed ideas,” a Lux Industries spokesperson told ET Brand Equity, further adding, “We feel that the competition is feeling threatened by the success of our TVC and is levelling baseless allegations.”
Yellow Beetle, the agency behind the ad’s concept represented by Daven Munjal, stated, “We wanted to give a new dimension to the Lux Cozi communication, we conceptualised the commercial with the clear aim to target the youth, the commercial has freshness and has the flavour of naughtiness and tongue in cheek communication.”
KERALA: The world television premiere of Coolie No.1 has received an overwhelming response from TV viewers. According to the BARC data for week 17, the television premiere of the movie garnered a remarkable viewership of over 1.03 crore impressions.
The light-hearted comedy entertainer also became one of the top five premieres on television in the last 12 months. Adding another feather to its hat, Coolie No.1 also marked its place in the all-time top 25 films which delivered one crore+ impressions on its premiere. The movie premiere also captivated the young target audience with Mumbai, Delhi, and Maharashtra being the top markets.
Directed by David Dhawan, Coolie No.1 stars Varun Dhawan, Sara Ali Khan, and Paresh Rawal in the lead roles. Due to the Covid2019 outbreak, the film did not have a theatrical release, and had a direct to OTT outing exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on 25 December.
Coolie No.1 is the remake of the 1995 film of the same name which was also directed by David Dhawan. The original movie starred Govinda, Karisma Kapoor, and Shakthi Kapoor in the lead roles. Upon the release of Coolie No.1 on Amazon Prime Video, several critics noted that this modern-day remake had failed to recreate the magic of its original.
MUMBAI: Sony SAB will soon launch a new show titled Tera Yaar Hoon Main, which highlights the dynamics of the new-age father-son relationship and a father’s effort in trying to become his son’s friend. To drive home the uniqueness and freshness of this subject, Sony SAB has brought on board Bollywood heartthrob Varun Dhawan to endorse the show and truly bring out the intricacies of a father-son relationship through a series of warm and endearing memories of his relationship with his own father.
In a sixty second heart-warming video to introduce the concept of the show, Varun takes a stroll down memory lane, recounting the various instances when his father, instead of behaving like a conventional father, chose to be a pal, a guide, a confidant helping him become the man he is today. Varun beautifully encapsulates his father’s affectionate side by saying “Dosti Ke Farz Mein, Woh Mere Baap Nikle”. It is this very emotion of gratitude, friendship and immense love that Varun feels for is father that forms the core of Tera Yaar Hoon Main, making him the ideal choice as an ambassador for this show.
What viewers will find in this uplifting video is a son remembering all those bittersweet moments in life, when his father stood by him, not as a preaching authority figure, but as a friend who encouraged him to make mistakes so he could learn better and a guide who steered him towards achieving his wildest dreams!
Sony SAB business head Neeraj Vyas, “Tera Yaar Hoon Main highlights the nuances of new-age father-son relationship, the emotions, the affection and even some dilemmas it brings. Having worked with him earlier, we are delighted to associate with Varun Dhawan again, it’s always great to work with him. We found Varun to be a perfect fit to portray the classic Indian father-son relationship, his narration of the same has been beautifully weaved into this promo for the show. Sony SAB has been at the forefront of showcasing values driven lighthearted content that brings the entire family together, we hope Tera Yaar Hoon Main becomes a quick family favourite too.”
Varun Dhawan said,“The bond between a father and a son is indeed unique and finding a yaari in your father is special. Sony SAB’s Tera Yaar Hoon Main is a beautiful journey of every middle-aged father and his attempts at being friends with his teenage son. It is a heartwarming story that reminded me of some of the most cherished moments with my father.”
MUMBAI: Anshula Kapoor’s online fundraising platform ‘Fankind’ which was launched in August has announced the winner of their first campaign with actor Varun Dhawan. Amitesh Kulkarni, a 20 year old student from Hyderabad along with his sister will get a once in a lifetime opportunity to play paintball with Varun. In addition to this, 100 lucky winners have been selected who will get Fankind merchandise.
A unique platform, Fankind unites celebrities, fans and charities thus giving fans an opportunity to experience a fun activity with the celebrity they adore; while also supporting a noble cause.
Through this association with Fankind, Bollywood star Varun Dhawan has helped raise funds for farmers in Maharashtra. The total amount donated through this campaign is Rs 8,95,950. The proceeds will be used to provide resources to the NGO, Manavlok Foundation. The amount raised will be used by the NGO to develop their horticulture project which will help the farmers receive drip irrigation systems and learn how to cultivate non-traditional crops which are best suited for their climate and land, thereby helping them earn an extra income.
“I would like to thank every individual who participated in the campaign and donated for this virtuous cause. Water crisis has always been an issue in our state, Maharashtra and the worst affected are the farmers. I am elated to know that we have raised sufficient amount to support Manavlok in its endeavours for their horticulture project,” said actor Varun Dhawan in a statement. “I am excited to meet the winner of my campaign and can’t wait to play a fun game of paintball with him.”
To participate in a Fankind campaign, fans have to donate to the cause in multiples of Rs 100 which enables them to receive entries for a chance of a lifetime to spend the day with their favourite celebrity. The winner for each experience is chosen at random by a third party.
Speaking about the campaign, Anshula Kapoor, Founder of Fankind said, “I am thrilled to announce our first winner! Fankind aims at spreading goodwill across the country through this initiative thus, showcasing that a little support from everyone goes a long way. We are glad that through this campaign we were able to raise funds and also give one lucky fan an opportunity to play paintball with Varun. Our second campaign which is with actor Alia Bhatt just concluded and the winner of this campaign will get a chance to bake a cake with her.”
GiveIndia, India’s most trusted online donation platform is Fankind’s philanthropy partner which will keep Fankind’s mission alive by achieving the desired goal and ensure that the donations received is directed to the right NGO thus, helping them in their endeavour. GiveIndia is responsible for keeping the entire process transparent and will also provide tax benefit certificates (80g) to the fans in order to certify the individual as an active donor with Fankind.
Fankind’s campaign with Prajakta Koli who is supporting ‘The Banyan Foundation’ and Sonakshi Sinha who is raising funds for ‘The Little Hearts Programme’ by the Being Human foundation is currently live. People can support the cause by logging onto Fankind.org/MostlySane and Fankind.org/aslisona.
MUMBAI: FOSSIL has announced an all-new limited-edition watch designed in partnership with Varun Dhawan. This limited edition watch aligns itself with Fossil’s curator series – a collaborative collection of watches fuelled by a creative class of artists and innovation icons.
Blending Fossil’s timeless style with Varun’s personality into a dynamic design, this watch features Fossil’s bestselling Machine watch case with a sleek black dial with a polish of Varun’s signature red on the three hands that display the hour, minute, and second. Varun’s initial and birthdate are inscribed on the dial, making this exclusive watch more personal. The watch case comes with two premium strap choices for additional versatility – a black steel bracelet and black silicone strap with croc pattern and red accents.
Each timepiece is individually numbered and comes encased in exclusive packaging featuring Varun’s signature and a personalised message to all his fans.
Taking forward this personalised initiative for Varun Dhawan and reflecting his compassionate side, Fossil has collaborated with the NGO Magic Bus, whose efforts are centred on helping children develop the necessary life skills to lead a brighter future. The timepiece is the latest iteration of Fossil’s commitment to community impact: Make Time for Good.
Make Time for Good is Fossil’s pledge to unleash the power of youth to take action toward transformative, cultural change. As a Make Time for Good partner in purpose, Magic Bus is currently helping more than 375,000 children and 100,000 young people in India escape the cycle of poverty by providing access to essential life skills, education, and employment. As an organization close to Varun’s heart, a portion of the exclusive Varun Dhawan x Fossil watch sales will be donated to Magic Bus to support their mission of ending the cycle of poverty through education.
Commenting on this development, celebrity brand ambassador Varun Dhawan said, “Fossil is an iconic brand that has always celebrated creativity, authenticity and optimism, everything that I swear by when it comes to my style. I am honoured to be associated with a brand that is so close to me, to create a watch that truly personifies what I believe in – something new, exciting, and affordably classy. I hope everyone loves it as much as we do.”
Talking about the launch, Fossil Group India managing director Johnson Verghese said, “We are proud to announce the launch of Varun’s watch – a one of its kind curation. This elegant timepiece embodies Fossil’s ethos, rightly blended with Varun’s personal style. With our brand spirit translating perfectly into a distinctive design that is in line with the current style trends, we are certain that this limited edition watch would be loved by Fossil’s and Varun’s fans. ”
MUMBAI: Actress and philanthropist Alia Bhatt has announced the next instalment of her closet sharing initiative ‘Mi Wardrobe is Su Wardrobe’. After Anushka Sharma and Sonakshi Sinha, Varun Dhawan is the third celebrity guest to share handpicked favourites from his personal wardrobe, for charity . Proceeds from this wardrobe will support Salaam Bombay Foundation, which works with adolescents growing up in urban slums, to keep them in school through multiple programs that impact their education, health and livelihood. The wardrobe will be available from 20th August on Saltscout.com, an online platform for charity auctions and sales.
Talking about Varun Dhawan’s wardrobe contribution, Alia Bhatt stated,"Varun is making his MiSu debut and I’m really thankful for his support! We need to start adopting a more conscious approach towards buying and discarding garments. We want to encourage more and more people to consider adding quality, preowned garments to their wardrobes and to help our environment by reducing waste.”
Speaking on the association, Varun Dhawan said, “Sharing a garment is the most fun form of recycling it and keeping it away from landfills. Mi Wardrobe is Su Wardrobe not only gives fans across the world the opportunity to own a garment from my personal closet, but together, we’re also doing our bit for the environment."
Mi Wardrobe is Su Wardrobe is a closet sharing initiative conceptualized by Alia Bhatt. The first 2 installments of MiSu saw Alia's wardrobe on sale, proceeds from which supported the Liter of Light program and The Corbett Foundation respectively. The third installment featured fellow eco-warrior Aunshka Sharma's wardrobe and the fourth had Sonakshi Sinha’s support. Proceeds from which have supported various causes that the actors have been associated with.
Alia Bhatt has been championing the cause of conservation at multiple levels. She started an ecological and animal welfare initiative called Coexist, 2 years ago, followed by Mi Wardrobe is Su Wardrobe last year.
MUMBAI: Leading fitness brand Reebok takes a giant leap forward with the announcement of renowned Bollywood actor and fitness enthusiast, Varun Dhawan, as their new brand ambassador in India. The brand recently brought in Katrina Kaif as the brand ambassador, and now with Varun Dhawan joining the Reebok family, the brand continues to be on the front foot.
Varun, who diligently follows a disciplinary fitness regime regardless of his tight schedule, personifies the brand ethos and will ignite a spark of energy amongst the youth. With his enviable physique, Varun is known for his fitness goals and hence, is a perfect representation for Reebok.
In collaboration with Varun, Reebok also launches its biggest campaign on Sole Fury, a dynamic new silhouette that is equal parts sport and style. The campaign featuring Varun Dhawan, disrupts conventionality and celebrates those who dare to #SplitFrom the ordinary. It ventures beyond the expected into a world where unorthodox is the norm, highlighting a uniquely Reebok attitude towards style and distinctive Reebok performance innovation. The Sole Fury campaign captures the essence of Reebok’s iconic vintage styles and projects them into a contemporary space, creating a true intersection of daring performance tech and legendary styles.
Thrilled about his collaboration with Reebok, Varun Dhawan said, “It feels truly amazing to associate with a brand like Reebok, which feels so much like me. My affinity towards Reebok is inspired by our shared beliefs in fitness and performance, that enables one to challenge the conventional and value individuality over conformity. I look forward to kick-start a super fun journey with the brand that will open new avenues in fitness space for today’s generation.”
Commenting on the association, Mr. Sunil Gupta, Brand Director, Reebok India said, “We are thrilled to have Varun as the new brand ambassador for Reebok. Being a fitness enthusiast, Varun complements the brand brilliantly. He echoes Reebok's enthusiasm and dedication to fitness, and we are confident that together we will continue to revolutionise the fitness industry."
Reebok is enthused about the collaboration with Varun Dhawan and the exciting initiatives that are in the pipeline.
MUMBAI: Navratna, one of the power brands of Emami Ltd has roped in Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan to endorse its Navratna Cool range. As per the brand, the popular actor, known for his massy youth appeal and versatility is going to add freshness to Navratna Cool as its new brand ambassador.
Navratna shared in a press release that Navratna Cool’s association with Varun Dhawan is expected to be manifold. “Varun embodies freshness, vitality, and energy which is in complete sync with the brand’s core benefits. He is highly popular in certain segments where the brand hopes to drive consumer preference and grow the business. His continuous rising popularity will help the brand with even higher recall value,” the release read.
Speaking on the occasion, Emami Ltd director Harsha V Agarwal said, “We are very excited to have Varun Dhawan on board with us. His super cool image and versatility is a perfect fit for our brand Navratna, which is well known for its cool quotient. Introducing Varun as Navratna Cool’s new face is a step towards accelerating our growth plans for the brand. His strong connect with his fans across ages will help us connect better with both existing and new consumers to take the brand to newer heights.”
Varun Dhawan added “I am happy to be associated with Navratna. It is a brand that is super cool and I like it as it keeps people cool. I look forward to enjoying my association with Navratna Cool and connecting with a whole new lot of consumers.”
Navratna Cool will launch Varun Dhawan in their new commercial which will go on air across all channels this week. The new communication reinforces product superiority of Navratna Cool vs other options considered by consumers. The TVC directed by Luv Kalla and shot in the UK will have the actor showing off some cool dance moves in a double role.
MUMBAI: Celebrating its 40-year milestone, fbb’s fashion brand Buffalo has created a nostalgic campaign, ‘Setting You Free’, featuring brand ambassador Varun Dhawan. The campaign has been conceptualised and created by AndAnd and produced by Jump Films.
Shot in breathtakingly scenic and quaint natural landscapes, the story travels between past and present where the protagonist, Dhawan, reminisces his experiences as he sifts through his wardrobe. While he touches and feels all his Buffalo apparels, he is taken on a nostalgic journey of all the stories connected to the same. He is reminded of his spectacular adventures, the people he met, the solitude he experienced and how he let go of his inhibitions and set himself free.
Celebrating the four decade success fbb COO Rajesh Seth said, “It’s not every day that we see brands successfully serve for forty years. We celebrate the 40th year of our iconic brand Buffalo with pride and are filled with gratitude for the undying support by our customers. We believe that this is just the beginning and are working towards achieving many more milestones.”
Speaking about the campaign, AndAnd Brand Partners Pvt Ltd co-founder Anand Subbarao said, “When you have Varun as an ambassador for a popular brand like Buffalo, executing the campaign is a seamless process. The brand has a strong yet soft personality that matches with the superstar; which is why the film looks distinctly great.”
Buffalo brand ambassador Varun Dhawan said, “As someone who truly believes in style, I am extremely happy to be associated with a brand like Buffalo which has been creating styles for four decades. Just a glance at the range will make you fall in love with the adventurous, stylish and comfortable collection of the brand. Kudos to Buffalo and I look forward to celebrating many more birthdays with this brand.”
