Brands try to cash in on Indian Olympians but gross commercialisation not a good idea: ad experts
Though bulk of the endorsement deals are bagged by cricketers, advertising experts held that a promising future awaits athletes

After years of hard work, Indian athletes may finally get their due. With Olympic athletes PV Sindhu, Sakshi Malik and Dipa Karmakar currently in the spotlight for their impressive performance at Rio, advertisers are making a beeline to cash in on their popularity.
While shuttler PV Sindhu bagged a silver medal, wrestler Sakshi Malik walked away with a bronze. Though gymnast Dipa Karmakar missed out on a medal by a whisker but her fourth place finish brought her immense respect.
“A nutrition company, a pain-relief brand, a cement company and a consumer electronics brand are learnt to have already evinced interest in signing her up for brand association deals,” reported The Hindu. Karmakar has also been recommended for a Khel Ratna.
Medallists Sindhu and Malik are also not far behind. Several state governments including the ones in Madhya Pradesh and Haryana have announced handsome cash rewards for the girls. Air India’s Chairman & Managing Director Ashwani Lohani offered Malik business class tickets for any two destinations in the next twelve months. Moreover, Sindhu will be receiving a BMW from V Chamundeshwarnath, President of Hyderabad District Badminton Association.
However, adman Piyush Pandey cautioned against gross commercialization. “They are role models for India. Brands should use them in a dignified manner. Commercializing them is not a good idea. Don’t misuse their fame,” said Pandey, Executive Chairman and Creative Director, Ogilvy & Mather, India and South Asia.
Going further, he reasoned that the athletes stood for certain values like determination. Hence, brands must find “something within their character” that matches with them.
“Don’t show her washing clothes or using toothpaste just because she has won a silver medal,” he added. VK Chopra, Chief Patron of the Delhi Advertising Club, agreed that advertisers would be very keen to get associated with these athletes.
“You look at any player. Once you get recognition globally then you immediately become a face or a celebrity,” said Chopra. Commenting on Sindhu’s performance, he stated that the world has now become aware of her existence. He hailed the media for giving proper exposure to athletes who had made the nation proud.
“I am 100% sure that our athletes will fetch good endorsement deals post-Rio,” he said. But the one reality that cannot be denied is that athletes don’t come anywhere close to competing with cricketers when it comes to endorsement deals.
However, Pandey is optimistic and considerate of cricket’s popularity. “Let’s not be cynical about it. Cricket has been popular. Unfortunately, other sports are not that popular. Therefore, cricketers have been used,” he said.
He stressed that those who are far sighted will also look for icons outside of the cricketing space. “Anyone who has a long-term vision and is smart enough to concentrate on other sports besides cricket will benefit,” he argued.
The assertion that athletes will get a lot more brand assignments in the near future goes almost uncontested. “I think surely they will. I don’t have the slightest of doubts regarding it,” said Shripad Kulkarni, Managing Director, Vizeum India.
Kulkarni was of the opinion that Olympians had got a lot of traction due to their recent performance in Rio and managed to catch the fancy of the youth. But he maintained that comparing the endorsement deals of cricketers with other sportspersons wasn’t correct.
“It is a function of the popularity of the sport and the celebrity status that cricketers enjoy which is, at times, more than that of film stars,” he said. He also pointed out that every sport had a distinct appeal and persona besides reaching out to a different audience.
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur
The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more
With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.
The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
Swapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out
The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'
Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."
The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."
COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.
Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.
He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board
e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.
According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.
As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.
A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.
Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall
The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall
Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.
“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.
“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.
"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."
"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
test
test
test
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
test
test
test
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias
Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments
KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.
Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy
Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.
Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."
Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp