Sanjaya to endorse US financial services company Nationwide

Former American Idol contestant Sanjaya Malakar has been chosen as the brand ambassador for Nationwide Financial, an American insurance and financial services organization, to target the South Asian community in USA. Nationwide’s Life Comes at You Fast campaign will star Malakar take on the subject of planning for one’s retirement, albeit in a funny way. 

Malakar is seen visiting a monastery in India to seek advice and he is told that he needs a retirement plan, and some work on his hair. This is the third year Nationwide created advertising specifically targeting the South Asian market. The Sanjaya ad is one of six new spots that will specifically target the South Asian market.

Speaking to Campaign India, Tariq Khan, VP, multicultural markets, Nationwide Financial said, "South Asian Americans have among the highest population growth, income and education, and their desirable profile makes them an important consumer segment for Nationwide Financial. Sanjaya Malakar is a young South Asian American who enjoys popularity among the general market and with South Asian Americans. This campaign is the continuation of our popular "Life comes at you fast" series that has been quite popular in the South Asian market. We are very excited about this ad that will be launched in a month or so."

The ad was shot in a suburban location near Pune and was directed by Vinil Matthews.