LG to drop Abhishek Bachchan as brand ambassador

PUNE: LG Electronics India, the local unit of the South Korean consumer durables major, is set to drop actor Abhishek Bachchan as its brand ambassador. LG’s agreement with Bachchan Jr, which was signed in 2006 for endorsing its range of home appliances, is scheduled to expire on February 29 and it is reliably learnt that the company doesn’t want to renew the pact.

“We had signed him for two years and it is unlikely that we will renew our association with him,” a senior LG official said on condition of anonymity. Although reasons weren’t specified, sources said the company isn’t too happy with Abhishek’s recent performances at the box office and isn’t confident he would give adequate mileage to its brand.

Abhishek has not given a single hit in the past year, after ‘Guru’ that was released in January 2007. He was seen in Yashraj’s Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (June 2007) and Laaga Chunari Mein Daag (October 2007), both of which were flops at the box office. He also had guest appearances in ‘Shootout At Lokhandwala’ (May 2007,) and in ‘Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag’ (August 2007). Abhishek also played himself in a half-a-minute role in Shahrukh Khan’s ‘Om Shanti Om’, which was released in November 2007.

LG is now looking for a new brand ambassador and sources said it is thinking of tying up with a cricketer on the lines of its arch-rival Samsung that has roped in former Indian cricket captain Rahul Dravid as its brand ambassador.

Abhishek Bachchan had been appointed as LG’s brand ambassador as part of a move by the company to give its home appliance division a brand new identity, a youthful image and connect with the customer. It was the first time that LG had signed on a brand ambassador to get a new positioning and lend a differential appeal.

Interestingly, LG’s reasons at the time of signing on Abhishek were that Bachchan has a sophisticated image and of being a caring human being. LG had also said that Abhishek’s appeal transcends across all sections and demographics of the society, a vital element for a consumer durable company.

Meanwhile, close on the heels of mobile handset maker Nokia’s corporate level tie-up with Airtel for handset bundling, LG is also in talks with a cellular operator for a similar arrangement.

LG’s GSM business head Anil Arora said the partnership is likely to be announced in the first week of March. “We are working aggressively in that direction. I cannot confirm right now that we are on air with anybody, but we are at an advanced stage and close to announcing a partnership in the near future.”

The Economic Times