Brand endorsements and stars...

I saw a picture of Aishwarya Rai who many claim is the most beautiful woman in the world. Now how would they know and what are the parameters for such a claim, only God knows. However this piece is not to debate if she is the most beautiful woman or not. The picture, taken at a race horse in Chantilly, France, showed an obese Aishwarya Rai trying to appear demure in front of the camera. Posing in a skirt with a jacket on top, the dress could not hide her fat frame.

The question is that do stars, who have millions of dollars worth of brand endorsements and advertising riding on their so called beauty, have the right to let loose their their restraints and defy the established norms of beauty?

It is based on these very norms that the endorsements were granted in the first place. The stars also have a lot to lose in terms of disappointed fans who could eventually become disillusioned and move onto the next big star. However this is a personal thing and if the stars want to risk it, it is perfectly fine. But what is not agreeable and is infact appalling is their utter disregard for the brands who trusted them. The Brands have a lot more at stake riding on these stars. Things like Brand Value which has been painstakingly built over a long time should not be allowed to be put at stake at the whims of the stars.

I am sure there are clauses in the Brand endorsement deals guiding the conduct of stars, what I am not sure is whether these agreements cover the weightier issues. If not, then it is high time the marketers put in such clauses. And if there are, then these should be strictly enforced. The stars should be shown the door and endorsements should be cancelled. This would send out the right message to these and other stars looking at lucrative endorsement deals, that brand images are not to be trifled with.