New look from beauty bee

It took some time to happen, but Jassi is finally set to transform from the ugly duckling to the beautiful swan that she is. But not before Vandana Luthra weaves her magic and VLCC does three months of hardcore in-serial branding.

As part of the first-of-a-kind tie-up, the beauty clinic launched the VLCC Look of the Year pageant in the popular Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin serial, to be beamed from the March 7 episode.

Integrating with the existing storyline, and to be telecast over 10-12 episodes, the pageant will feature Vandana herself, advising Jassi on her looks and overall personality. The much-awaited transformation of Jassi will happen in the grand finale of the pageant.

Excited about the tie-up, Mukesh Luthra, managing director, VLCC Health Care Limited, told Goodlife: "Lots of companies have tried their hand in in-film branding. We ourselves had done so in Anil Kapoor's home production Badhai Ho Badhai, where Anil loses weight after undergoing the VLCC programme. But television has been largely an untouched medium when it comes to advertising.

"Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin, with a viewer base of more than 40 million across the world, is no ordinary serial. Since Jassi the character needs a 'complete transformation' and VLCC the company is all about 'complete transformations', we decided to go for what is being touted as an advertising coup."

As far as the channel Sony goes, the transformation will give a much-needed boost to the TRPs of the once must-see serial. Speaking on the alliance with VLCC, Tushar Shah, vice-president, marketing, Sony Entertainment Television, said: "The beauty of the partnership lies in its natural synergy, simplistic integration and perfect timing."

Vandana Luthra is an accomplished professional, he added, explaining why Sony had thought of roping her and her company in to play a key role in the transformation.

"The choice of our partner only shows what we plan to achieve and portray through our programming. The VLCC tie-up, though, is just one of the elements of the transformation of Jassi," he stressed.

Taking its integration with the show a step further, VLCC is also ready to launch a nationwide contest titled Aap Jaissi Koi Nahin. A simple question-based format, the eventual winners will be given a "complete transformation" by VLCC and a chance to visit Jassi on the sets of the serial.

"Lots of middle-class girls across the country relate to the character of Jassi, someone who defied the odds and became the CEO of a big company in no time," said Mukesh. "We want to exploit that identification and hope to get many girls, from cities and even villages, to undergo the transformation."

To go with the tie-up and the contest, for the next one month VLCC has launched a special "transformation" package across all its 80 centres in the country. The company also plans to undertake an exhaustive on-ground promotion across 15 cities to create awareness about the contest.

For Vandana, who has already shot one of her two episodes, it was a delightful experience. "We shot in Mauritius, where Jassi meets me for the first time at a beach party," she told Goodlife.

"I am slated to shoot in Mumbai for the all-important episode where Jassi is transformed. Before this, I have been appearing in front of the camera for television interviews for the last 15 years. This was a very different but thoroughly enjoyable experience."

Much of the credit for the fun goes to Jassi, said Vandana. "She is such a positive thinker and a lovely human being. While I specialise in making my clients comfortable, it was she who put me at ease in front of the camera," she admitted.