Millions Spent, Stars Hired: Where Are the Ideas in Indian Advertising?

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Celebrity Ads Fall Flat: Crores Spent, Ideas Missing in Action

Zoya My Embrace with Sonam Kapoor, Revital, American Eagle with Ananya Panday and Cozi with Varun Dhawan all miss the mark despite star power and slick craft.

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Storyboard•22-03-2026, 10:16

Celebrity Ads Fall Flat: Crores Spent, Ideas Missing in Action

•Four high-profile ads featuring celebrities like Sonam Kapoor, Ananya Panday, and Varun Dhawan failed to impress despite significant investment.
•Zoya's "My Embrace" with Sonam Kapoor was visually appealing but lacked emotional depth, becoming a "beautiful screensaver."
•Revital's supplement ad used a tired formula, making viewers feel they had "already seen it before."
•American Eagle's campaign with Ananya Panday was criticized as a "mood board that never became an idea," lacking a distinct brand personality.
•Cozi's "Ye nahi toh kuch nahi" featuring Varun Dhawan had energy but no core concept, with the tagline not compensating for a dated idea.

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