Brands
Shah Rukh Khan: King of Bollywood & brands
MUMBAI: That boyish charm, that dimpled smile, that romantic effervescence – Shah Rukh Khan has effortlessly won viewers' hearts, be it on the silver screen with his movie personas, or on the small screen with his brand endorsements.
to the golden days of advertising.
Here’s a look at the King of Bollywood’s journey as one of the most dynamic and bankable faces in ad campaigns:
Videocon
The young Indian side under the leadership of MS Dhoni won the ICC World T20 in 2007, and Videocon came up with this droll commercial featuring the Indian captain and SRK. The duo played long-lost brothers in childhood and have their real-life roles reversed. While Dhoni plays an actor, SRK is a cricketer!
Byju’s
Ed-tech company Byju’s has partnered with Khan to unveil their new offering – Byju’s Classes to parents across the country. In the campaign, Khan is seen essaying the role of a teacher to a group of parents and discusses the common worries they have regarding their children’s after-school tutoring needs.
D’Decor
Home furnishings brand D’Decor memorable campaign ‘Beautiful Homes tell Beautiful Stories’ was a series of short films featuring Gauri and Shah Rukh Khan. The brand marked 10 years of association with the couple with this campaign. The film transported viewers straight into Gauri and Shah Rukh’s living room where they’re celebrating their 22nd wedding anniversary.
Hyundai
Shah Rukh Khan has played an instrumental role in building brand Hyundai in a competitive market like India. He had a contract with the auto company from 21 April 2017 to 20 April 2019. This was his longest association with a brand. Here’s a look at King Khan’s ad for the auto company:
LUX
LUX has featured Shah Rukh Khan in their creatives for a long time. Among all the ads he has done with LUX, the most love he got from the audience was when actresses were seen assisting him into a bathtub.
DISH TV
DISH TV signed Shah Rukh Khan in 2007 for the first time. Since then, he is the face of the brand. During their decade-long association, he has played a key role in delivering DISH TV’s communication strategy.
Denver
Denver is another brand that has used the image of Shah Rukh Khan to promote its range of fragrances for men. He has been seen endorsing Denver deodorant in various marketing and promotional campaigns.
Pepsi
The Oye-Bubbly ad featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Sachin and Amitabh Bachchan created a storm in 2014. Ye Dil Maange More campaign is another example where Khan has successfully conveyed the beverage brand’s messaging in his signature style.
Brands
UK’s OnlyFans seeks US investor at $3bn valuation after owner’s death
The adult video platform is seeking stability after the death of its billionaire owner
LONDON: OnlyFans is looking for a new partner. The London-based adult video platform is in advanced talks to sell a minority stake of less than 20 per cent to Architect Capital, a San Francisco-based investment firm, in a deal that would value the business at more than $3bn (£2.2bn).
The move is driven by an urgent need for stability. Leonid Radvinsky, the Ukrainian-American billionaire who owned OnlyFans, died of cancer last month at the age of 43, leaving the future of one of Britain’s most profitable privately held businesses suddenly uncertain.
The choice of Architect Capital is not arbitrary. The firm has deep expertise in financial services, which aligns neatly with OnlyFans’ ambitions to offer banking products to its creators, many of whom have long struggled to access basic financial services because of the nature of their work.
The numbers behind OnlyFans are, by any measure, staggering. The platform posted revenues of $1.4bn in the year to 30th November 2024, with a pre-tax profit of $684m, up four per cent on the prior year. Payments to creators totalled $7.2bn over the same period, a rise of nearly ten per cent. Radvinsky personally collected $701m in dividends from the business in 2024 alone, on top of more than $1bn in such payments he had already received. The platform, run through its parent company Felix International, hosts 4.6m creator accounts, with performers keeping 80 per cent of subscription proceeds and the platform pocketing the remaining 20 per cent. It has 377m fan accounts in total.
The current minority stake talks represent a notable scaling back of ambitions. In January, OnlyFans was reported to be in discussions with Architect about selling a majority stake of 60 per cent. Before that, the company had explored a sale to a consortium led by Forest Road Company, a Los Angeles-based investment firm. Neither deal materialised.
OnlyFans has built an enormously lucrative business on content that mainstream finance has long refused to touch. Now, with its owner gone and a $3bn valuation on the table, it is looking for the kind of respectable institutional backing that might finally persuade the banks to take its calls.
