Date:22/07/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/07/22/stories/2005072201740800.htm

Back Chiranjeevi to endorse hair oil brand Navaratna

Our Bureau

Film star Chiranjeevi with Mr Harsha Vardhan Agarwal, Director, Emami Group, at a press conference in Hyderabad on Thursday. — Mohammed Yousuf

Hyderabad, July 21

THE Rs 700-crore Emami group has roped in Telugu film star Chiranjeevi to promote its massage oil brand `Navaratna' in Andhra Pradesh.

The group's FMCG division has already signed celebrity film stars such as Amitabh Bachchan, Sunny Deol and Govinda to promote the brand in the North.

Announcing this at a press conference here on Thursday, Mr Harsha Vardhan Agarwal, Director of the group, said the company looked at signing local celebrities to promote its products.

"Mr Upendra, a leading Kannada actor, does the promotion in Karnataka," he said.

The company expected a growth of 25-30 per cent for the brand in Andhra Pradesh after signing Chiranjeevi for promotion.

Of the Rs 700-crore turnover, FMCG sector contributed Rs 350 crore that included Rs 100 crore from Navaratna. One fourth of Emami's adspend went into Navaratna. The company planned to launch ayurvedic healthcare products in a few months.

The group projected a growth of 15-20 per cent in the FMCG sector.

"We export to the Gulf, European Union, Australia and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)," Mr Agarwal said.

Chiranjeevi said a significant part of the remuneration would go to the charitable trust he promoted.

"The trust targets to provide vision to at least 1,000 people in two years," he said.