Following news item appeared in FE on 21.10.09:
Column : Liril minus its girl
Lalitha Srinivasan
Posted: Tuesday, Oct 20, 2009
Posted: Tuesday, Oct 20, 2009
Many TV viewers have been wondering why the Liril girl has just disappeared from the brand’s TV commercials. The answer is simple. In the face of India’s changing consumer tastes, Hindustan Unilever (HUL), India’s largest FMCG company, has decided to say goodbye to the ‘Liril girl’, the company’s mascot for over three decades.
Remember Karen Lunel who tirelessly sang “Come alive with Liril Freshness,” in Liril’s TV commercial for over 12 years (1975-87)? In fact, Liril has been a launch pad for many peppy young beauties who danced their way to stardom in Bollywood. After Lunel, HUL introduced a bevy of young beauties who went on to become successful film stars —like Preity Zinta and Deepika Padukone. But with the disappearance of the Liril girl, Bollywood producers need to scout for fresh faces across the country.
What’s the rationale behind HUL’s move to do away with the Liril girl? With increasing competition, the market dynamics in Rs 6,200 crore branded toilet soaps have changed dramatically in the last two years. With the entry of ITC, it’s quite tough for HUL and Godrej Consumers Products to hold on to their market share.
In a bid to reach out to a wider target audience, HUL has relaunched its Liril with value additions. The company has also revamped its advertising strategy to woo family audiences. Godrej has relaunched Cinthol, and is beaming a high-voltage campaign featuring none other than Hrithik Roshan.
According to HUL, the brand needed a makeover to become relevant to the new generation. So, the company has rejuvenated the brand with the launch of Liril 2000 which is supported by aggressive mass media campaigns. To woo consumers, HUL has now opted for the route of building a bond with the family. With the tagline “Liril 2000 refreshes all the 2000 parts of the body,” HUL’s new campaign stresses family intimacy in its communications.
But the million dollar question is: Will Liril’s makeover and new ad campaign bring in volumes in the branded toilet soaps industry in India? Will it be able to revive the old magic without waterfalls and lissome girls?
This is what I posted in FE in response to above piece :
Dear Sir,
I am 60 years old now and was around 36 in 1985 when Karen Lunel’s first ad for Liril was seen on Indian Television.I even recall it vividly today ! The ad had captured the imagination of the very conservative Indian society of those times and it was thought to be quite daring and much ahead of its time.She looked very sexy and cute in that lime green bikini ( I believe it was a stuff of what dreams of adolescent young boys were made up of in those days) while she frolicked in the icy waters of a Kodaikanal waterfall, singing to the memorable jingle “La la la,la la la…..” which I feel must have sold millions and millions of soaps in those times.
No other celebrity or model girls who later on featured in Liril ads could ever re-create the magic of Karen ( Sonali Mehta in 1987,Pooja Batra in 1993 and Priety Zinta in 1997 if I recall ).And yes,the media had promoted a lot many rumours about Karen in those days to hype the product/ad including one about her death while shooting for that ad featuring her dancing under the waterfall !
Since she had worked as an Air Hostess in Air India at that time,I also recall having read that when VIPs like Tata or Rajeev Gandhi or Indira Gandhi travelled on Air India,they insisted that Karen accompany them on their flights.
I believe that Karen was and will ever remain a timeless brand ambassador for Liril and the fact that her face and figure had made fortunes for Hindustan Lever in those times,is one fact fit for a place in the record books and such heights of fame are not ever likely to be achieved again by Liril,try as much they wish !
Thank you Latha Srinivasan-you have helped me to re-live some of my nostalgic moments,with this piece – a blast from the past !
J S BROCA
NEW DELHI
To view the original TV ad go to :
YOUTUBE :Karen’s original ad 1985
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Dear Readers,
here is the link to the youtube ad of liril in which Priety Zinta had appeared in 1997:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzdWQBedqgU&NR=1
enjoy !
j s broca
new delhi
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Dear Readers here is the link to the ad featuring Anjali Jathar (DINGY) from 1991 :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJZCDq7oS90&feature=related
Have a nice view !
J S BROCA
NEW DELHI
Dear Readers,here is the link to pooja batra in the tanker ad of liril :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oww-6jK2uP4&feature=related
Re-live 1993 !
j s broca
new delhi
THIS IS THE LINK TO AD BY RUCHI MALHOTRA OF 1994 :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKxToLqv90s&feature=related
C..O…O…OOO…L…!
J S BROCA
NEW DELHI
Now then here is another lovable ad from Liril archives :
Tara Sharma (matki ad ) in 2001 ad of LIRIL :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOAbtRt1d1A&feature=related
J S BROCA
NEW DELHI
Yes,here is TARA SHARMA again in LIRIL ICY COOL ad :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJYTawaN5LE&NR=1
Quite hot ! See the Dog barking !
J S BROCA
NEW DELHI
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