New Delhi: Set in the streets of Chandigarh, 'Mere Dad Ki Maruti' takes you on a joy ride through the story of a Punjabi boy who sneaks out his father's fancy new car to impress a college girl and loses it. The film goes overboard promoting Maruti's life utility vehicle Ertiga.
The film not just screams the brand name in its title but throughout the two hours it's the brand Maruti that takes on the silver screen. From Maruti 800 to Swift to Ertiga, the brand occupies every frame of the film through the story of a family that is loyal to the brand since its first car came out.
Interestingly, the makers not just thank the brand in the beginning of the film but they also don't shy away from becoming its mouthpiece. From mentioning the price tag of the car to discussing its mileage, the film talks almost everything about Maruti. And, if talking about cars was not enough, they take you to the brand's showroom and during a test drive scene the salesman informs you that 'Ertiga' is LUV (Life Utility Vehicle).
With 'Mere Dad Ki Maruti', Bollywood has yet again become the platform for the brands to re-position themselves. Rather than making their target audience come to the showrooms, the brands are now making a smart move by taking themselves to the audiences and what better way than 70mm.
Interestingly, brands don't seal the fate of the films but films do seal the fate of the brands. With the overt advertisement of Maruti in the film, the sale of the car is bound to go up though the film might or might not work wonders at the box office. And, it's not the first time that films have endorsed brands.
2012 saw the endorsement of one of the most expensive sports car Ferrari in 'Ferrari Ki Sawaari'. The film too endorsed the name of the brand in its title.
In 2008, fashion magazine 'Verve' used 'Dostana' to re-launch its international edition. The film recreated the atmosphere of a glossy fashion magazine office by screaming the brand on coffee mugs.
Subhash Ghai started the norm of endorsing brands in his films as early as 1983 'Hero'. The film not just introduced Jackie Shroff as the new hero but the film also went onto overtly advertise the 'Rajdoot' sports bike.
If advertisements on television were not enough, Subhash Ghai's 1998 film 'Taal' endorsed a soft drink 'Coca Cola'. A much popular scene from the film shows Aishwarya Rai sipping on a bottle of Coca Cola and later Akshaye Khanna joins her to drink from the same bottle.
Even 1992 film 'Jigar' endorsed the Atlas cycles. Who can forget the popular dialogue that Ajay Devgn mouths 'Shukar manaiye ye Atlas ki cycle thi'. The brand talked about the strength of the cycle in the film.
With popular brands making it to the 70mm screen, the films are definitely helping in increase of the sale of the products.
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