A few days back I was interviewed by UTVi for a show which is yet to make its appearance. Among a series of questions that I was asked one was if I had any female role model.
Me being me said that I don’t have a role model but one woman I admire would be Kiran Bedi. Not that I ever wanted to become an IPS officer. But because she stood for what she believed and excelled in what she did in a largely male dominated field.
Now yesterday I saw this commercial where Ms Bedi was selling the god forsaken cosmetic cream called “No Marks" - I mean what the hell was that??
I haven’t ever seen such a miss-match between the brand and the brand ambassador.
For someone who has won enough and more accolades all her life, has stood as a symbol of women lib, has done the more than half the country proud, this “No Marks” endorsement doesn’t make any sense.
Fine so everyone has the right to earn money but even then how can anyone explain this disaster.
Ms Bedi – I had titanic regards for you and I am thoroughly saddened with this act of yours. You could have chosen something better.
Me being me said that I don’t have a role model but one woman I admire would be Kiran Bedi. Not that I ever wanted to become an IPS officer. But because she stood for what she believed and excelled in what she did in a largely male dominated field.
Now yesterday I saw this commercial where Ms Bedi was selling the god forsaken cosmetic cream called “No Marks" - I mean what the hell was that??
I haven’t ever seen such a miss-match between the brand and the brand ambassador.
For someone who has won enough and more accolades all her life, has stood as a symbol of women lib, has done the more than half the country proud, this “No Marks” endorsement doesn’t make any sense.
Fine so everyone has the right to earn money but even then how can anyone explain this disaster.
Ms Bedi – I had titanic regards for you and I am thoroughly saddened with this act of yours. You could have chosen something better.
37 comments:
I agree Iya, because I also like her, I am also disappointed by this.
Does those medals and honors fetch her bread?
She's over 50, aging and thus the cream and a role model which means people would follow her.
Just think commercially and it will make sense.
My personal opinion: Total misfit!
I completely agree I did a double take when I saw the ad for the first time..
oops i am disappointed...
she is one of the few women i thought symbolize women lib's sad very sad
I admire Kiran bedi for the reasons you mentioned. I was not aware that she was endorsing a cream called No Marks. probably because she was offered good money, but definitely not something I'd have thought she'd like to be associated with.
Even I admire Kiran Bedi ..would not have minded that add some 20 years ago , but now she endrossing a cream is bizzare ...
I havent seen the commercial yet ...
even without caring about her principles and way of life, I would say its a misfit.
and knowing everything she stands for and adniring her for it, makes it worse.
No marks - NO MARKS.
:)
@ IHM - Right IHM, very disappointing
@ Masood - firstly i don’t agree people will follow her because she is 50, aging and role model.. this endorsement match is a disaster.
Even commercially she could have gone for an endorsement that made some logical sense and had a connection with her personality.
As for money, she is hosting a show on Star TV so obviously she wouldn’t be in such a desperate situation!!!
@ Indyeah - Welcome to my blog, double take...lol..
@ Monika - ya true, she does symolize Women Lib.. this is just a very wrong move..
@ Mystic Margarita - ya, only the commercial aspect makes some sense but even then put of all the things in the worls why did she choose "no marks"
@ Onthewingsofadream - pray u dont!!!
@ Abha - complete misfit..tch tch
@ Hobo - :(
One ad should not take away all the respect she had won over years. I request you all to ingore the ad and respect KIRAN BEDI for what she is and whatever she had done.
yup its such a well, anticlimax you know, felt the same way when i say ab endorsing navratna tel. huge disconnect.
Not only this cream but Kiran Bedi as a judge on some tv show where she solves disputes once told a woman that if her husband left her then it must be something wrong with her.
what does the cream do?
@ Anonymous - no one is taking away her respect.. its just the disappointment factor
@ Cyn - anticlimax, for sure
@ Solilo - judge thingy was somewhat ok.. but the line u mention is shocking..
@ Roop - i guess its for removing marks from face.. lol.. what else
well am more disgusted with the director of the ad than kiran bedi. The guy has no brains!
and sachin coming for the gilette ad when he dint even have a single facial hair.. remember... brand ambassadors thingie is sometimes comical...
shahrukhkhan jumping into the tub for lux soap.. sometimes it makes us laugh.. the fun part too..
Nothing wrong with her....I met her at an anti-terrorism march few days back. Guess just post-retirement blues!!!
really? a no marks advert by kiran bedi?? i havent seen the ad yet but ewww...am not looking forward to it either!
"Ms Bedi – I had titanic regards for you " , you already lost the regards for her in your post. I agree with the disappointment factor but losing regards just because of this shouldn't have happened.
Give her a break.
You know the problem of the world, they know what bothers them but still choose to ignore them until one amongst them rise above and fight for them.
They are rightly hailed as Heroes for doing the work which we don't and when they do something for themselves we criticize them.
She is a human being like us, I don't think endorsing a product would have a big impact on her media image. What matters is what she has accomplished and what she is doing to bring a change.
Talking about these "silly" things only belittles her.
I wish I didnt have to see her selling that silly cream. So much so, that my little daughter found it anomalous to see Bedi selling the cream. She knows her only through what she has seen of her in the book "I Dare."
I havent seen the ad as such...but frankly it seems so god awful that someone of her repute ought to sell no marks. Unbelievable!!!
@ Twisted Elegance - tru, he/she is responsible.. thanks for dropping by
@ Chriz - u knw from Shahrukh and sachin its kinda expected. not from someone of her stature though...
@ Pesto Suace - i guess its a good idea gone so wrong..
@ DeeplyDip - trust me u r better off without seeing it..
@ Anon - who are u?? and i maintain that i am disappointed!!!
@ Yogesh - u got it, its not talking but her doing such endorsements that belittles her..
if u read my post again u'll realize i am taking about being disappointed.. someone of her stature doing something like this is a little unusual..
@ MAmpi - see thats what i mean.. and for her and our sake i hope they take it off air soon.. the damage is not so much to wipe off her years hardwork..
@ Vyazz - true :(
the ad is a misfit, and yes i dont like it too..
But I dont like it is one thing, she has her own life and her own choices...
we must respect that fact !
well every one has the right to earn his/her bread-n-butter, now that she has retired, what is now left is telesion serials(reality) and commercials for her.
Btw. really nice blog.
@ Hitch writer - complete misfit.. and since this is my space i expressed my opinion.. thats right??
@Rahul - all i am saying is that the product doesn’t go with her image.. as a marketer i do have a right to my opinion isn’t it?
Totally agree with you,Iya.I too admire Ms Bedi immensely what she stands for and what she has stood for.But this endorsement surely is uncalled for.
Maybe she is really desperate to earn $$ esp now with this recession creeping in like a typhoon plus her well paid job being a thing of the past and all that:P
Go through the following link:
http://www.mid-day.com/news/2009/mar/240309-Dr-Kiran-Bedi-IPS-officer-anti-marks-cream-ambassador.htm
There's a social angle to it!!!!!
"A portion from the sale of each pack will go to drug addiction and women welfare centres." ..
Thanks for putting up this link here.
I hope that the reason for her endorsing this product becomes a part of the post as well. So that people know that everything doesnt mean just earning for oneself !!
tell us more about this TV show....that sounds more interesting to me than Kiran Bedi and her 'No Marks' for whatever reason and purpose she is doing it.
@ Deeps - do read my follow up post.. ya money can be a huge factor
@ Aman - thanks baby, i have written another post based on ur link..
@ Anonymous - have put up a follow up post, check it
@ A - she plays a judge on this show and i think she solves domestic disputes (i haven’t seen it)
i was abt 2 write a post abt this 2 .... seriously ... all her life she has said that she dresses up in a way she's comfy and thinks external appearance really doesnt matter ...... and now... she's endorsing NO MARKS !!! oh my .. y wud any1 do that ... she had sucha good image ... why wreck it herself ??? i kno its a free country n she can do whateva she wants ..... but this makes no sense to me at all !!!!!
now i dd leave a comment before but i guess it got bitten to dust so no probs again lemme repeat
hello Miss Bhatia
i havent seen indian television for a while now but yes i know kiren bedi she is probably as per commerce the cheapest if not the the cheapest known celeb and
frankly speaking the whole idea is kinda dumb coz what the heck what exactly can one draw from an clean image to one in the mirror its kinda dumb and obnoxious for me
ciao
Post a Comment