Brand placements in SRK's 'Jawan': Did Zomato, Asian Paints, Godrej, and more get noticed?

Deepika Padukone. Nayanthara. Priyamani. Sanya Malhotra. Ridhi Dogra. Some of the most popular actresses in the Indian film industry are featured in Jawan. Despite all their talent, star power, charm and grace, the spotlight remained firmly on Shah Rukh Khan. If the actresses could not get the audience to peel their eyes off the superstar, the integrated brands in the film could hardly hope to achieve this feat. 

The film has integrated several brands, including Astral's Bondtite, Western Digital's SanDisk, GM Modular, Muthoot FinCorp Gold Loan, Just in Time, Asian Paints Royale Glitz, Zomato, Godrej Security Solutions and GIVA. However, they are merely visual placements in the film and are not woven into its storyline. Thus, many of them are barely noticeable.

For instance, during a 10 minute high-intensity scene set inside the Mumbai Metro, the film used advertising panels inside trains to exhibit the brands. The panels display five brand names—a blink-and-you-miss placement of Bondtite, SanDisk, GM Modular, Muthoot FinCorp and Just in Time. The action unfolding on screen, barely leaves any scope to notice brand names in the background. Furthermore, the brands miss the opportunity to communicate any message or call to action. 

Pranay Anthwal, founder, Happy Lion, an entertainment agency, believes that such integrations help consumers make key decisions about certain brands. For instance, if a person is actively considering a home loan, the mention of a bank's loan service in a film can leave a lasting impression. "You are in chats with different finance companies through the week. At that point, a communication from any of those companies even for a fraction of a second will register. That is the benefit of such placements," he explains.

However, he does not recommend such integrations for brands.  

"These are not strategic placements or deep integrations, but tactical. These only help if a brand is just building recall to a simple call to action or to one simple product feature. If the brand belongs to a category where a simple brand communication can register in a fraction of a second it will work. But if you are trying to communicate a lot, there may not."

Anthwal goes on to share that the price for these visual placements can range from Rs 20 to Rs 30 lakhs, contingent on the production house. Depending on the producer, the film and the star cast, larger placements and story integrations can cost upwards of Rs 50- Rs 75 lakhs and media deals can reach Rs 1.5 to 2 crore for co-promotion of the marketing association. The mere visual placements are still far cheaper even when compared to the cost of a 10-second ad slot in a popular television show, which additionally require separate ad creation expenses. 

"Brands may not even be realising the significant cost advantage they're enjoying. The truth is they're paying far less than what studios should charge. But that's not the reason they are choosing brand integrations. It is to innovate and try something interesting," he states.

Beyond being cost-effective, in-film placements offer enduring value. Following their theatrical release, films like "Jawan" find their way onto OTT platforms and repeatedly appear on television channels, consistently garnering substantial viewership. On platforms such as Netflix and Amazon, brands enjoy visibility for a decade or more. Moreover, unaccounted platforms like in-flight entertainment on national and international flights further extend brand exposure.

"The audience base pool is very big for integration in India. Yet, the optimal pricing for these integrations remains elusive. Brands can secure significant value from films, such as Jawan. An integration, which may cost between Rs 20 to Rs 50 lakhs, can provide exposure to a vast and diverse audience across multiple platforms, far surpassing the reach of two conventional ad spots," he explains.

Anthwal asserts that well-executed integrations can provide a 10-fold benefit but should go beyond mere visual placements or billboards to capitalise on organic opportunities within the storyline. For instance, when a hero needs to chase down a villain swiftly, the right choice of a high-speed car, like an Aston Martin in a James Bond film, becomes an ideal and authentic fit, enhancing the brand's impact.

Among the integrated brands in ‘Jawan’, Asian Paints is the most visible, due to its frequent appearances throughout the film. The brand name is painted over the roof of the metro station, it is on a billboard on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, a tabletop ad and even an L-Band ad on a news channel. However, Anthwal highlights that excessive exposure carries its own set of risks, cautioning, "If the audience gets affected negatively, that is the sign of a bad deal for the film, as the over-placement has compromised the Integrity of the film."

Brands also gain a bonus with in-film integrations—the film's cast also features in brand promotions. SRK, for instance,has appeared in promos for almost all the brands featured in the film. Roping in Khan as a brand ambassador to feature in its ads would otherwise cost them much more. "It's not the goal of any brand. But it is an added benefit," he says.

The film has several scenes featuring fictional news channels. Interestingly, although TV9, Zee News and Aaj Tak have collaborated with the film and SRK even featured in their promos, these channels did not make an appearance within the film itself.

Meanwhile, Muthoot FinCorp’s placement seems unfortunate. During the aforementioned metro scene, Khan discusses how the economically disadvantaged come under pressure from banking institutions to repay loans, often pushing them toward suicide and other tragic outcomes, while the loans of the rich are forgiven. Ironically, in the background of the scene, an advertisement for Muthoot FinCorp's Gold Loan is prominently displayed.

Additionally GIVA receives a modest feature as the lead actors exchange rings. In another scene SRK is also seen using a Poco phone. Zomato's delivery personnel don the recognizable red uniforms in certain scenes. Subtle brand appearances include SRK mentioning Uber in a dialogue, Union Bank, SBI, Tata trucks, Mahindra cars and Yezdi's bike Adventure.