MUMBAI: Wondering what Juhi Chawla is doing posing as Tulsi of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhie Bahu Thi in a leading newspaper today?

Here's what. Lehar Kurkure (a Pepsi Foods brand) is attempting to target housewives through their new ads using the bubbly actor. And since the soap sagas are most popular among the housewives who are the key decision makers in matters in the family; JWT Delhi, the creative agency for Kurkure, decided to target just them by making a spoof on the popular show.

Tulsi or Juhi... does it really matter? The tag line of the ad reads - 'Kyunki Kahaani Mein Kurkure Hona Chahiye' and has Chawla dressed like the character of Tulsi from Star Plus' show Kyunki.... The second line of the ad reads - 'Now everyday watch Juhi as your favourite bahu 9 pm onwards.'
Speaking on the strategy undertaken by the agency, JWT senior creative director Sonia Bhatnagar said, "We wanted to reach out to the housewives who are the gatekeeper target audience for Kurkure because they are the ones who are hooked on to the serials on television."

Elaborating on taking Chawla in the ad, Bhatnagar said, "We wanted to do something special with Juhi as there is something about her cheerful personality. She has an amazing sense of comic timing and is not a glam doll. Instead she is a mother and a housewife too. The ad was a great acting challenge because it needed emulating another actor on television. Hence we zeroed in on Juhi who we felt was right for the brand."

As of now there the ads are on television and in print but JWT is planning a complete surround activity in the media for Kurkure. "Outdoor ads will be soon out in Mumbai and we are also looking at radio and cricket in the near future. The platform has been set by the print and television ads," said Bhatnagar. The ads appeared in Mid Day in Mumbai and Hindustan Times magazine in Delhi today.

Kurkure's tag line 'Kha ke Mast' (Eat and be happy) has been adopted in the new ads too as the company wants to own and adopt the word 'masti' in all its ads. Actor Sanjay Dutt's movie Munna Bhai MBBS has been a rave in India and more so in Mumbai because of the Mumbai lingo that is so rampant in the movie. Kurkure cashed in on the success of the 'bole to' lingo and incorporated it in its ads which reads as - 'Masti Bole to Kurkure.'

If masti (fun) and Kurkure are synonymous with each other, so are masti and Juhi... and what better than having a coup of sorts by having all three (Juhi, Kurkure and masti) packaged together.