Monday 29 April 2013
Mumbai. Fair & Handsome, the so-called “mardo waali cream”, might soon be out of business as it’s no longer deemed effective, Faking News has learned. The fairness cream for men has failed to impress the youth after cricketers Chris Gayle and Lasith Malinga, both with dark skin color, proved to be the best cricketers in the fourth season of IPL, with Gayle winning the “orange cap” and Malinga bagging the “purple cap”.
“We are afraid that Indian men finally might want to look like them; after all both of them pickedplaying for an Indian professional league over their own respective countries,” Emami CEO Gaurav Gorabankar told Faking News, conceding that his deepest fear was Indian masses no longer being embarrassed with dark skin color.
The message won’t work anymore?
His fears are backed with data as the fairness cream recorded a decrease in the rate of sales with the increase in the number of runs and wickets amassed by both the players in IPL-4.
“This trend might continue as India plays West Indies next; even Ravi Rampaul is not exactly fair,” the CEO rued.
Chairman of ICCF (Indian Consumer Complaints Forum) under the banner of “jaago gharak jaago” also agreed that the success of Gayle and Malinga would surely affect the overall thinking of Indian customers.
“People are slowly becoming aware that using deodorants, creams, shaving gel, soft drinks, etc. cannot change anyone’s fortune except the stars who are endorsing it,” ICCF Chairman opined.
In fact, the success of the duo is impacting other products as well. Shareudiin, a stock broker, revealed that the share-price of a combs manufacturing company also recorded loss as investors felt that consumers could stop using company’s products to get dreadlocks like Gayle and Malinga.
But the corporate sector and marketing managers are not wholly disappointed and see a silver lining in the clouds. Sources suggest that companies selling hair oil, health capsules, and energy drinks are in the race to get their products endorsed by either of the new stars with “interesting” hairstyles.
Apparently, Navratan Tel, the hair oil brand, is planning to come up with an advertisement where a fair skinned bowler would apply the oil on his head for “cooling effect” after facing heat of Gayle on the pitch.
Meanwhile Kolkata Knight Riders owner Shahrukh Khan, who endorses “Fair & Handsome” cream, has refused to comment if his endorsement was the reason why Chris Gayle was not performing as brilliantly when he played for KKR.
(reported by Divya Sharan)
