"The advertisements need to touch the consumer's mind or heart. In the 1980s, most television makers were trying to prove that their technology was better than the others'. Onida's technology was superior, so much so that owning it would make others envy the owner. I thought that I could portray this envy as a green Devil," says Gopi Kudke, independent brand consultant and the creator of Onida's Devil.

Orbit, the world's largest chewing gum brand, is relying on Bhatawdekar, who is supposed to look like a doctor and yet not quite look the part. He has a cow for a heroine. It can be said about the campaign that "it's working". ITC's Bingo brand of snacks is using another doctor, perhaps even more un-doctorlike than Bhatawdekar.

Big advertisers like Hindustan Unilever follow a process called integrated brand communication to evaluate if a brand or a campaign needs an ambassador.

Many of its celebrity-less campaigns, like the Sunsilk Gang of Girls, were an instant success even as HUL's other brand, Lux, has achieved prominence on the back of known faces. Liril's waterfalls have done well, as have the girls in the waterfall.

To sum up, celebrities add to the brand value of a product and increase the commission of the agencies producing the campaigns. However, the quality of the product and the main idea in the campaign need to stand on their own.

There are campaigns in which celebrities are seen to interfere with the content of the campaign to check how they appear in it. Some brands use celebrities wrongly and end up blaming the celeb.

Says Porwal: "It is like a bad workman blaming his tools. Advertising needs to entertain and engage. Neither the product nor the celebrity can be the hero. They are both enablers for consumer benefit and entertainment."

Image: Fido Dido, the 'cool' character, from 7 Up ad