Reebok India ropes in John Abraham as brand ambassador

Sportswear company Reebok India said on Monday it has roped in Bollywood actor John Abraham as its brand ambassador in a long term deal.

The company, which is repositioning Reebok as a fitness brand, however, did not disclose the value of the contract.

"We are trying to reposition Reebok as a fitness brand and John Abraham perfectly fits into the profile.

“He will be promoting the training and running categories," Reebok India Brand Director Somdeb Basu told PTI.

With the association, the company is looking to strengthen the training and running categories, which are its two biggest segments, and inspire Indian consumers to take up fitness as a lifestyle, he added.

Commenting on the development, Adidas Group India managing director Erick Haskell said: "Reebok has solid plans in the fitness sphere and we want to give our consumers a never before fitness experience at every touch point."

Reebok, a part of the Adidas Group, will launch a festival season campaign featuring Abraham for its running and training gear.

"John Abraham is the perfect embodiment of our fitness philosophy, we are very excited to partner with him and together take our commitment to fitness to the next level," Haskell said.

In June, Adidas had said it has putting behind the 211 million euro hit due to alleged fraud at its arm Reebok India and the company would focus on growing the brand with plans to open 100 'fit-hub' stores by early 2014.

Last year in May, Adidas had alleged Rs 870-crore (Rs 8.7-billion) fraud at Reebok India by the company's former managing director Shubhinder Singh Prem and former chief operating officer Vishnu Bhagat.

The matter is currently under investigation.

Image: John Abraham; Photograph: Pradeep Bandekar