Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif, Genelia D'Souza and Sharman Joshi are in high demand as brands!

Bollywood3000 New Delhi: Move over Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta, gen next celebrities are here to rock the ad world. Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif, Genelia D'Souza and Sharman Joshi are in high demand as brands feel they speak the language of the youth.

Deepika, 24, is endorsing brands like BSNL - which earlier had Preity as its face - Sony cameras and Fiama D'Willis.

"Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na" star Genelia, 22, has not only replaced Rani Mukerji in the Fanta and Vatika hair oil ads, she has also taken the Cadbury Perk ad from Preity.

"Younger celebrities are building a big fan following of their own. So it's natural that brands talking to the same young fans prefer to rope in younger celebrities," Shivanand 'Doc' Mohanty, national creative director of Dentsu Communications, told IANS.

Imran Khan has become the face of soft drink giant Coca-Cola. Though his uncle Aamir Khan remains its star endorser, Imran was roped in to give a younger feel.

Pepsi that embodies the most prevalent youth sentiment has dropped 40-plus Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and brought in the much younger Ranbir Kapoor for their new set of ads.

Actor Sharman Joshi has become the new face of big brands like Nokia and Airtel and Sonam Kapoor has long taken over L'oreal from Aishwarya Rai.

Katrina is not far behind. If on one hand she has stamped a deal with jewellery brand Nakshatra, earlier endorsed by Aishwarya, on the other she has taken over Pantene from Sushmita Sen.

Ad filmmaker and director Abhinay Deo says new faces make experimenting cheaper.

"Experimenting is obviously going to be cheaper when a client experiments with a new brand ambassador who is a fresh face...it's a circle of life, newer people are welcomed by the market. Plus they are in terms of a price tag much better than paying a whole sum of money," Deo was quoted as saying.

Sai Nagesh, chief operating officer, Dentsu Media, told IANS that more commitment and less money from new faces play an important role.

"Lower fee is a reason. Plus the fact that younger celebrities are more organised, stand by their commitments and are definitely more professional," said Nagesh.

He also revealed that today there is a major shift in the impact that celebrity endorsements have on young Indians.

"Earlier, the celebrity was to bring in credibility, trust and realism. Today, the consumer is not willing to believe anyone other than himself. And hence the role has now been reduced to just bringing in glamour and noticeability," he said.

Genelia D'Souza, Rani Mukharjee: Seems to be the flavour of every season

It's a common adage that 'Bollywood is the place where fate changes every Friday'. The same fact can also be reflected on the ever-changing ad arena. On one hand, where (almost) every single brand is trying to enhance its image by appointing Brand Ambassadors dime a dozen, even the Bollywood actors are also having a field day, under the sun!

In a place where 'replacement' seems to be the key word, comes yet more news which only reinstates the said term. India's most popular (natural) soap Margo, till lately, which was endorsed by Rani Mukherjee. But sources said that she has been replaced by the 'bubbly-cious' Genelia D'Souza.

With this endorsement, it will be the ninth brand in Genelia's kitty. For starters, the brands that she is endorsing includes the likes of Spinz, Cadbury's Perk, Fanta, Virgin Mobiles, LG Mobiles, Fastrack watches, Dabur hair Oil and Garnier.

To sum up, Genelia seems to be the flavour of every season and every reason!

Genelia hits out at Shahid Kapoor

Ken Ghosh’s next directorial venture Chance Pe Dance starring Shahid Kapoor and Genelia D’Souza is ready to hit the theatres next week. The title of the movie explains it all in nutshell but at a recent promotional event Shahid and Genelia were put in an awkward situation when asked about him maaroin chance (hitting on) on any lass.

To which Shahid smilingly replied, “Today, time has come when girls hit on boys and boys are quite sober.” And no sooner did he say that than the bubbly Genelia unaware of Shahid’s reply to media pulled him towards her to speak to her. Smart Shahid pointed towards Genelia’s gesture and naughtily said, “Look at her she is trying to marofy chance (hit on) on me and she is a girl. I rest my case here.” Hearing this Genelia quickly took her hand away.

Seems like Shahid- Genelia the young and bubbly pair have struck a great rapport while working together in Chance Pe Dance. While rumours of Genelia getting married to Riteish Deshmukh are all doing rounds, we wonder what has Riteish has to say on this newly blossomed friendship.