The stalwarts of Indian cricket have geared up for enthralling competitions in the upcoming months with the stakes as high as ever. The ongoing Asia Cup 2023 will be followed by the competitive Australia tour of India and the highly anticipated, ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
BRANDS AND THE FESTIVE SEASON:
While the behemoths of Indian cricket, the skipper, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and the coach, Rahul Dravid, prepare for the on-field action, they could also be graced with multiple endorsement deals considering the amount of visibility they will be receiving in the upcoming months which also coincides with the festive season.
Ms Sharba Tasneem, Head – Talent & Programmes at Meraki Sport and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, said, “Almost 40% of ad spending happens during the festive months and most brands plan their festive campaigns well in advance, which also involves identifying appropriate brand ambassadors.“
Apart from the visibility during the festive season, the Indian team will be playing the most-awaited cricketing competition against quality teams which will attract eyeballs from across the globe. Brands could thoroughly leverage a cricketer’s social media following but the only drawback during the ongoing season could be the availability of the players for the photoshoot and campaign commitments.
Ms Sharba added, “Given that these big-ticket tournaments are coinciding with the festive season, there is a definite increase in endorsement opportunities. However, apart from aspects like value match, on-field performance, consumer connect etc., the one other key factor determining this consideration set, is athlete availability, in the run-up to this period, since it takes anywhere between 2-3 months for a campaign to go live.”
A TRIUMPH COULD GO A LONG WAY:
Apart from the above-mentioned fundamentals, a series of match-winning performances could be a cherry on the top as a lot is riding on the backs of the veterans, Rohit and Virat. Considering their age, the upcoming 50-over World Cup could be the last dance for the Virat-Rohit duo and a triumph will be followed by a hike in their respective status’ in the endorsement arena, which could be integral in their plans post-November.
The same can be applied to the young guns who are making their marks by standing tall on big occasions. A healthy tournament for the likes of Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, and Shreyas Iyer could really set them up for a fruitful inning on the commercial pitch.
“A World Cup Winning Coach” could be a stupendous feather in Dravid’s cap which could inevitably entice brands to partner up with the Wall of Cricket irrespective of the continuation of his coaching stint with the Indian team.
“The increased visibility during these tournaments, coupled with a great on-field showing, will further enhance brand value for some of these players and the coach, subsequently,” Ms Tasneem concluded.