As the Dabangg, Tiger and Bodyguard-fame and Bigg Boss-host turns 59 years old today, Marketing Mind comes up with a comprehensive exploration into Salman Khan’s first encounter with camera, his brand endorsement and ambassadorship journey as well as his notable brand associations amongst others.

Born into a family with deep cinematic roots on December 27, 1965, in the town of Indore (Madhya Pradesh), the story of Salman Khan who is often referred to as the ‘Bhaijaan’ of Bollywood is no mystery awaiting to be solved.

With his father Salim Khan being a legendary screenwriter known for iconic scripts like ‘Sholay’ and ‘Deewar’ and his mother, Sushila Charak (later Salma Khan), and stepmother, actress Helen, he grew up in Mumbai alongside his siblings, Arbaaz Khan, Sohail Khan, and sisters Alvira Agnihotri and Arpita Khan Sharma. Hence, it was only obvious that creativity and bollywood literally ran in his veins.

But little was it known then that the young 23-years old boy who started his cinematic journey with a supporting role in ‘Biwi Ho To Aisi’ in 1988 would land up playing his first lead role in ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ in 1989 and go on to win his first Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut, all within two years!

Once he established himself as a romantic hero with his boy-next-door charm winning hearts in his debut film, the 1990s saw him building his career with a mix of romantic hits and family dramas, including not the likes of but the iconic films like ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun!’, ‘Karan Arjun’, ‘Judwaa’, ‘Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya’, ‘Hum Saath-Saath Hain’ and many more.

And within a decade of giving hits and showing his versatility by seamlessly transitioning from romantic hero to action-packed roles to lighthearted comedies and emotional dramas amongst others, Salman Khan soon became a sought-after face for major brands owing to his mass appeal and relatability.

But did you know that even before he appeared in Bollywood movies, he made his debut in the advertising world by featuring in an ad commercial for Campa Cola? Yes, you read it right, and it was a sheer move of fate and destiny on the chessboard of Khan’s life- his first encounter with a camera!

In 1982, Chaitra Advertising (now Leo Burnett) approached ad filmmaker Kailash Surendranath for an ad film for Campa Cola. At the time, the ad filmmaker gave the idea that the ad should be shot underwater, which at the time was a very fresh concept and the technology for underwater shooting was also not easily available, making it a challenging task. Hence, it was only obvious that the casting for the ad needed swimmers!

With the song being composed by Ronnie Desai and Shiv Mathur and Models like Ayesha Shroff, Shiraz Merchant, Sunil Nischal and Vanessa Vaz being the cast for the Campa Cola ad, the team lacked a swimmer boy as the girls knew diving well.

And then came the plot twist- Aarti who was Surendranath’s girlfriend was told by her father that his friend’s son is a good swimmer and was swimming in the pool at The Sea Rock Club. But with men being men, the boy jumped inside the water upon seeing Aarti and crossed the entire pool by swimming underwater only to find out that Aarti was gone when he finally reached the other end of the pool

The lady at once got an idea that the boy was a good swimmer and could be the fit for Campa Cola’s ad. Surendranath then went on to cast that boy in his ad film and put in front of the camera, who we today fondly know as Salman Khan and gave him his first ad break even before his debut in Bollywood!

From then to now, his brand endorsement journey has seen similar heights as his stardom in the industry and over the years, he has been associated with a slew of brands across multiple categories including the likes of beverages, clothing and lifestyle, automobiles etc.

That being said, Salman Khan has consistently ranked among the top celebrity endorsers in India and as per industry estimates, his annual endorsement fees range from Rs 7-10 crores per brand.

According to Kroll’s 2023 Celebrity Brand Valuation Report, Salman Khan’s brand value is $81.7 million, thanks to his blockbuster films, TV hosting gig (Bigg Boss), and brand endorsements.

Here’s a compilation of a couple of his notable ad campaigns on his birthday:

Thums Up: Salman endorsed Thums Up from 2002 to 2008, bringing his energetic and action-packed persona to the cola brand. He rejoined Thums Up in 2012, reinforcing its macho image.

Mountain Dew: During his break from Thums Up, Salman was associated with Mountain Dew, aligning with its adventurous campaigns.

Pepsi: In 2019, Salman became Pepsi’s brand ambassador, appealing to younger audiences with his timeless charisma.

Parle Agro’s Appy Fizz: In 2018, Salman took over from Priyanka Chopra as the brand ambassador, launching the “Feel the Fizz” campaign.

Prataap Snack’s Yellow Diamond Chips: Appealed to youth with his charm.

Being Human: Khan’s Being Human Foundation launched its own clothing line, which he actively promotes. The brand combines philanthropy with fashion, focusing on affordable yet stylish apparel.