Vijay Sales turns Biswa Kalyan Rath's joke into ad campaign

Electronics retail chain Vijay Sales has turned a joke from one of Biswa Kalyan Rath’s recent stand-up sets into a self-aware advertising campaign. The collaboration takes a light jab Rath once made about the brand’s straightforward name and develops it into a scripted reel posted on the comedian’s Instagram account.

The campaign, conceptualised and executed by White Rivers Media, opens with Rath arriving at a Vijay Sales store after being invited for a meeting. Instead of discussing electronics, he begins asking an unusual question — “Logo kisne banaya?” (“Who made the logo?”). Each time he repeats the question, the staff steer the conversation towards a product pitch.

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A post shared by Biswa Kalyan Rath (@biswakalyanrath)

First, headphones are suggested, followed by a Smart TV, and finally the iPhone 16 — each time winning Rath over with features, pricing, and offers. The reel ends with an animated version of the Vijay Sales logo speaking directly to Rath, offering tongue-in-cheek explanations about its origins before the store staff wrap up the scene with the word “Trust.”

The ad blends product placements with humour, keeping Rath’s deadpan style intact. By leaning into the comedian’s earlier punchlines, Vijay Sales signals a willingness to embrace self-aware humour to better connect with online audiences.

Not The First Time A Brand Has Embraced A Joke

Vijay Sales isn’t the first brand to turn a comedian’s roast into a marketing opportunity. Garnier Men took a similar approach with stand-up comic Anubhav Singh Bassi, who had previously mocked the idea of face washes — including the brand — in a performance.

In Garnier’s ad, Bassi appears alongside actor John Abraham, beginning with his on-stage scepticism about the product. Abraham encourages him to try Garnier Men TurboBright Face Wash, leading to light banter and playful references to its menthol and charcoal ingredients. The commercial ends with Bassi conceding his approval after using it.

By directly addressing a past joke, Garnier positioned the product as effective while keeping the exchange rooted in Bassi’s familiar comedic tone.

A Growing Advertising Tactic

These two campaigns highlight a growing advertising trend where brands collaborate with comedians to reframe past jokes into promotional material. The approach offers built-in audience recognition, as fans are likely to remember the original joke, and positions the brand as self-aware and approachable.

For comedians, the campaigns extend their on-stage persona into a new medium without losing their style. For brands, they transform moments of humour — even when directed at them — into opportunities for engagement.

The recent campaigns from Vijay Sales and Garnier Men show how punchlines can be reworked into campaigns that resonate with audiences while softening the line between criticism and endorsement.