Varada Bhat in Mumbai
After he smashed India to World Cup victory, Yuvraj Singh has moved to a new orbit in the endorsement circuit.
"Jab tak balla chalta hai, thaat chalte hain. Warna " (as long as your bat does the talking, you are on top of the world. Otherwise ). When he first said this last year in a Birla Sun Life Insurance commercial that dealt with the insecurities of life, Yuvraj Singh was entirely believable.
Stung by loss of form which even led to his ouster from the Indian Test cricket team, Singh seemed to have become a lost case.
The rise of Brand Yuvraj
Image: Yuvraj Singh holds the World Cup trophy."Last year, Singh's bad form and some negative news had directly impacted his image," says Rajneesh Ghai, CEO, Percept Talent Management.
But all that is now distant memory after he smashed India to cricket World Cup victory.
The rise of Brand Yuvraj
Image: Yuvraj Singh.As per industry estimates, Singh now charges around Rs 3-4 crore per endorsement deal.
The rise of Brand Yuvraj
Image: Yuvraj Singh.But no one doubts the re-emergence of Brand Yuvraj. According to leading sports marketing agents, at least five new beverage and automobile brands have shown interest in signing up the left-hander as their brand ambassador.
The rise of Brand Yuvraj
Image: Yuvraj Singh with M S Dhoni.Brands, which had dropped him earlier, are now keen to sign him on. For example, Fiat, which had earlier roped in the southpaw to promote its hatchback Punto, is now considering re-engaging him.
The rise of Brand Yuvraj
Image: Yuvraj in Revital advt.Brijesh Kapil, Vice President, Ranbaxy Global Consumer Healthcare, says the company has launched an aggressive marketing campaign immediately after the World Cup on a 360 degree platform focusing on TV, print, outdoor, online and digital space.
The rise of Brand Yuvraj
Image: Yuvraj Singh in Birla Sun Life advt.So expect more high-voltage promotional activity from Revital surrounding the master all-rounder.
Percept's Ghai says typically, in India where cricket is much more than game, a player's on-field performance is directly proportionate to his endorsements.
The rise of Brand Yuvraj
Image: Yuvraj Singh.Explaining Singh's comeback, Anirban Das Blah, COO, KWAN Entertainment & Marketing Solutions, says after the World Cup win, there is a huge emotional connect at the moment with cricket. Since Singh has scripted a dramatic turnaround on such a big stage, most brands will definitely want to ride the wave.
His Casanova image, which was looked down upon when his on-field performance was bad, will now suddenly add to his youthful appeal. That's what success does," says an image manager.
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