Varun Dhawan on his latest brand association with OPPO, upcoming campaign and endorsement choices

• In an exclusive chat with Advertising and Media Insider, Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan shares his thoughts on the state of advertising today, his latest brand association with OPPO and the advantages brands can draw from being active on digital platforms and targeting youth.
• He further shares the parameters he uses to associate with different brands.
• We also spoke to OPPO’s CMO, Damyant Singh Khanoria, to find out more about their ongoing campaign with Varun Dhawan and what lies ahead.

Bollywood actor and entrepreneur Varun Dhawan, whose net worth is $25 million according to CA Knowledge, is known for his charming mass appeal and accessibility in the brandverse. He was last seen in Coolie No. 1 and is often called the ‘successor of Govinda’ who doesn’t shy away from serious roles. He rose from his niche after being a part of movies like October and Sui Dhaaga, which also helped add a diverse set of brands to his kitty and find a special place in his fans’ hearts. Over the years, he has worked with brands across categories such as smartphones, automobiles, FMCG, etc.

Varun was recently appointed as the face of smartphone brand OPPO for the second time. In an exclusive interview with Ad and Media Insider, Varun told us about his screening process for brand associations and partnership with OPPO.

“I put a lot of thought and research while selecting brands to be associated with. I always look out for brands that I can relate with and look for an association that not only helps me get closer to my fans, but also at the same time, help me learn about the latest innovations and trends in other industries,” shared Varun.

In order to promote OPPO’s F19 series, Varun changed his Instagram account to Vroom Dhawan. It soon caught everyone’s attention and generated a lot of chatter.

A day later, OPPO dropped its campaign titled ‘Vroom Dhawan.’ He was seen giving out autographs to his fans with the alias ‘Vroom,’ making his fans curious again. The idea was to promote the new OPPO F19s which comes with a 33W VOOC flash charge, in a gold color that represents the mood of the ongoing festive season.

To further keep the conversation going, OPPO launched a digital-led campaign featuring Varun in a triple role.

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Telling us the idea behind the campaign, Damyant Singh Khanoria, CMO, OPPO said, “Fast Charging on the F19s is one of its key product differentiators. And ‘Vroom’, in addition the quirky wordplay with Varun, encapsulates the product benefit in a simple and memorable way. That was our key media strategy behind this - to create a unique Digital only campaign, focussing especially the top channel and high-affinity platforms for reference Instagram.”

Brands look for endorsements and associations that help strengthen the connection with their audience. So, what sparked the partnership between OPPO and Varun. “At OPPO, we are committed to bringing industry-leading technology that make a meaningful difference in the lives of our consumers. Varun Dhawan is at the vanguard of the next generation of actors. His effervescent personality and ability as an actor made him the natural choice for the OPPO F series. We’re looking forward to a long association with him in positioning the F series as the smartphone of choice for the youth,” shared Khanoria.

Telling us what inspired him to partner with OPPO, Varun added, “OPPO has always inspired me and through our association, I’ve amassed immense knowledge about technology, their commitment to India, and their promise to continuously bring the best of products for their customers. OPPO’s commitment towards their fans and customers is really commendable and this is one of the common grounds to which both of us pay most attention to.”

When asked about the state of the advertising industry today and its future, Varun said that in order for brands to succeed in a digital world, they must adopt the digital-first approach.

He said, “The advertising and marketing industry is huge and I believe that it has evolved a lot over the years. Every industry is integrating digital platforms in a bid to connect with its audience in a more organic manner. Digital consumption has gone up drastically in the past year and it is here to stay. I believe with the rise of user-generated content, consumers have also become a part of advertising, as they trust the opinions of their peers. OPPO has been at the forefront when it comes to connecting with its customers and delivering relevant and meaningful experiences and I am glad to be a part of this process.”