When Vicks ki goli took the stage with Zakir Khan & Himesh Reshammiya

At his recent sold-out show at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Stadium, comedian Zakir Khan – one of India’s most popular stand-up comics, known for his heartfelt observational humour and signature “Sakht Launda” persona – paused between punchlines to talk about Delhi’s infamous air.

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“To appreciate good air, you must first breathe in Delhi,” he joked, before following it up with a sly solution: “Vicks ki goli le lo.”

The audience laughed, the cameras rolled and the hashtag #ZakirKiBoliVicksKiGoli started making the rounds.

What looked like a spontaneous riff about “khich-khich” (scratchy throat) was in fact a smartly woven-in brand cue. The short clips circulating on social media along with Vicks’ official hashtags hint at a deliberate collaboration rather than a one-off mention.

If this feels familiar, that’s because we’ve seen this move before, or rather, heard this jingle before.

Back in August, Himesh Reshammiya kicked off his Capmania tour in Delhi with his signature flair. Before belting out Tera Suroor, the singer popped a Vicks ki goli on stage—a gesture that seemed charmingly eccentric until it was revealed that Vicks was the official “Khich Khich Relief Partner” for his tour.

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For the audience, it didn’t matter whether it was a paid plug or a genuine pre-performance ritual. The crowd cheered, the video went viral, and Vicks earned yet another memorable live moment.

The new stage for brand plugs

Once upon a time, brand integrations lived on TV screens and film scripts. Now, they’ve found a louder, more organic stage, literally.

Whether it’s Himesh turning a cough drop into a concert prop or Zakir popping it into his stand-up routine, the line between performance and placement is getting blurrier and, perhaps, smarter.

It’s not just Vicks, of course. Earlier this year, Diljit Dosanjh strutted across stages in designer sneakers while casually flashing a Mokobara bag and giving a shout-out to Deepika Padukone’s 82°E skincare brand at another show. The concert stage has become the new red carpet for brand storytelling.

Selling without selling

The genius of these integrations lies in tone. When Zakir mentions Vicks, it doesn’t sound like an ad; it sounds like an inside joke. When Himesh does it, it feels like stage presence, not sponsorship.

For Gen Z and millennial audiences, authenticity isn’t just about being ad-free; it’s about being effortless. These moments, when done right, blur commercial intent with cultural resonance.

The next wave of influencer marketing might just be happening offline

In a cluttered influencer economy, these live-brand moments are emerging as a new-age marketing format: performance-as-placement.

And maybe that’s the point: the next time an artist pops a candy, flashes a bag, or mentions a “scratchy throat”, it’s not just a gag or a gimmick. It’s a glimpse into the future of branded entertainment, one that’s as seamless as Zakir Khan’s timing and as catchy as Himesh Reshammiya’s hooks.