What's age got to do with it?

Actors are usually susceptible to online vitriol. Now they may have hardened themselves to all the hate but the same can’t be said about their better halves who stay away from the big screen. Mira Rajput, the wife of actor Shahid Kapoor, is one such star wife who’s been at the receiving end of severe criticism for her debut advertisement. The advertisement in question has Mira endorsing an ‘anti-ageing cream’, talking about how her skin changed after pregnancy and how with a little boost from this product, she was glowing again. As soon as the ad released, social media lashed out at her! Mira’s crime was that she endorsed an ‘anti-ageing cream’ in her 20’s and was branded a hypocrite. “I am 27, I don’t need it and she is only 23 years old and she needs it,” said a comment. Brands use celebrities and their fame to push their products. So should age be a criterion in promoting such products? Or should models of the preferred age promote these?

Bring real-life women
The endo-rsement process is an evolution. What you try to do is you endorse someone you believe in and their ideas and their solutions align with yours. For me, the purpose got defeated not with the essence of the ad but its execution. Kajol has also endorsed this brand and she was the right fit. But, in this case, Mira Rajput, who is a young mom, isn’t the right choice for this campaign/endorsement as she doesn’t fit the bill. Changing the mindset of women with real-life case studies would have been the game-changer. A brand has to understand that what would bring loyalty to their image are real-life women from diverse backgrounds. That would be path-breaking when their journeys are shared and highlighting how the product helped them.
Ruchika Beri, Brand Consultant

Personal choice
I think there’s no point in criticising Mira for the ad. She’s a celebrity and a mother, thus she might need the product. She is much photographed and always in the public eye. In this industry, taking care of the skin is essential given the fact that celebrities get exposed to the sun, pollution, hectic shooting schedules, etc. All these factors contribute to early ageing. Also, after giving birth, the skin goes through a lot of changes and might need some help. Today, people have the resources to take care of themselves. It does not make sense to say she doesn’t need an anti-ageing cream in her 20’s as skin types are different and so are lifestyles. How they would like to take care of themselves and what they would like to endorse are their personal decisions.
Arthi, Model

To each his own
I feel social media influencers have the right to promote products they believe in at whatever age. Now we all change and evolve from time to time. But giving someone flak for saying she used a particular brand earlier and now decided to try something new, is uncalled for and ridiculous. I personally started using anti-ageing serums at 24 and my skin still thanks me. In fact, some experts even say the earlier you start, the lesser signs of ageing you see. Skincare regimens vary from person to person and there’s no ‘age’ prescribed for anything as long as it suits you. As an influencer, it’s so easy to get bullied and trolled. I wish people reacted the same way to actual problems in our country that need so much more attention. Live and let live!
Anjali Sukumaran, social media influencer

Need for advertising morals
First of all, it was totally unnecessary to troll or abuse her on social media. Consumers are more likely to believe the statements a celebrity makes and view the product positively if the person is a right fit. Conversely, regard for the brand comes down if it is obvious that the celebrity does not share the company’s values. When a brand decides to endorse its product through advertisements, it needs to keep some advertising morals. They could have been more careful with the execution. As the celebrity here is endorsing the product with a direction from the brand and its ad agency, she didn’t have a big role apart from talking about it. But working with an advertising company, I would always keep these morals in mind and try to choose who should promote which product.
Ajith Kumar R. Ad filmmaker

Confidence is commendable
There are hardly 2-3 women celebrities who have done ads for after-pregnancy products. Every woman wants to look young and beautiful. So there is nothing wrong with doing an ad for an anti-ageing cream. Doing an ad like this makes her more confident. Women in India are following this lovely mother. I appreciate Mira for taking such a big step.
Preet Karnawal, Model