SRK, Aamir, Akki: B'wood's biggest brands

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Amitabh Bachchan">Amitabh Bachchan can sell more than just a movie. He can sell Chyawanprash, a pen, suiting, hair oil, cream, pain ****ers and so on and so forth. Though till date, AB remains the ultimate icon when it comes to brand endorsements, many younger Bollywood stars are not too far behind. Here's a look in to who endorsed what throughout 2008 and how their filmi career affected their image. Read on…

Shah Rukh Khan: The Badshah brand

SRK has sold 'em all from fairness creams to Tag Heuer watches. While new products have sought out this man to sell their products, older brands have not lost their faith in him either.

Some brands endorsed: Airtel, Jet Airways, Linc pens, Dish TV, Fair and Handsome, Boro Plus, Pepsi, Hyundai, Compaq, Sona Chandi, Nav Ratna, Nokia, Sun Feast, Tag Heuer, ICICI, HP Printers, Videocon, Belmonte, so on and so forth

Talking Point: SRK was the only man to have appeared in a LUX ad earlier. This year, he took metro***uality to a new high by endorsing a men's fairness cream.

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Aamir Khan: The 'Me too' product

'If SRK has Nokia, I shall have Samsung! If SRK can have Dish TV, why not grab TATA Sky?' That has more or less been Aamir's attitude throughout this year as far as brand endorsements are concerned.

Some brands endorsed: Samsung, Tata Sky, Titan.

Talking Point: The 'ardhnarishwar' ad for Tata Sky where he played a man and a woman in a single ad. He had earlier played different people (men and women) for coke but that had been separate ads.

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Saif Ali Khan: A by-product

Saif Ali Khan had Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic and Tashan in quick succession, this year. Thankfully, that did not seem to affect his product endorsements. Saif already had Provogue. He did not lose the account even after Tashan. That’s probably because Race came soon after and also, all Provogue had before him was Fardeen. As long as they had a Khan!

Some brands endorsed: Provogue, Colgate, Lays, Pepsi, Airtel (Thanks to his chemistry with SRK), Head and Shoulders (Thank you Bebo!), Asian Paints, Taj Mahal, Lenovo, Royal Stag.

Talking Point: A Pond's white beauty product which featured Priyanka Chopra, Saif and Neha Dhupia began its campaign as a film named Kabhi Kabhi Pyaar Mein. Later, the actual ad was released which was kind of an anti climax to the entire thing if you ask me!

Akshay Kumar: The daring brand

Unlike a SRK or Saif, Akki is incapable of endorsing a cream or a soap. That's because he is the ad world's macho man! Despite him sporting pink tee shirts, and pink turbans, Akki has remained the god of machismo with only Thums Up to his name.

Some brands endorsed: However he has found a new product this year – Levis Un****oned!

Talking Point: His Levis ads where we can drool over his bare chest and of course his famous ramp walk where he left his denim ****ons open!

Hrithik Roshan: The aspirational brand

We want to see this man in more ads but somehow this hot hunk is simply not interested. Being by far the most 'model'-like-actor in the industry, Hrithik is still stuck with a handful of names to endorse.

Some brands endorsed: Hide and Seek, Coke, Acer, John Players, Sony Ericsson

Talking Point: Talk? What talk? We'll do that when we stop drooling!

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Katrina Kaif: The push-over brand

As for the women in B'town, the year of endorsements has been that of takeovers. And the first news that struck us was that of Katrina Kaif. Looks like she did not breathe easy even after taking over Salman and the number one position from Ash. She took over her brands as well.

Some brands endorsed: Nakshatra, Mangola, Veet, Dyna, BSNL

Talking Point: The Nakshatra account. They said she had replaced Ash. Abhishek Bachchan said that wifey dear was busier than people think, she did not have time for ads. Ash said nothing.

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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan: Vanishing brand?

Has Hollywood and the Bachchans finally succeeded in snatching Mrs Ash Bachchan from us? Looks like. With all her brands going to younger stars, Ash does not have much left except the occasional Cannes visit and her marriage to talk about.

Some brands endorsed: Longiness and…let's see

Talking Point: Losing her brands to the newcomers.

Abhishek Bachchan: A brand?

Abhishek Bachchan has stuck with idea cellular for ages now and still continues to do so. For some weird reason nobody else wants him to endorse their brand. And we can't blame them! After all, if one can't sell a movie, can he sell a product?

Some brands endorsed: Idea, Flying Machine Jeans

Talking Point: Maybe now after the success of Dostana, he will have something to talk about.

Bipasha Basu: A better-than-beau brand

With movies like Race, Bips has emerged as the female Akki in the ad world. She endorses a scooter, Reebok and macho products. No cream for this babe!

Some brands endorsed: Clinic All Clear, Kinetic, Reebok

Talking Point: Her beau John however does not seem to do as well as far as endorsements are concerned. He does the occasional Clinic ad with her and Fast track eyewear.