NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli is expected to continue his reign as the top-paid celebrity brand endorser in India even after relinquishing captaincy in all forms of cricket, although it may lead to companies reworking terms of contract with him. Kohli announced his decision to quit captaining the national Test side on January 15 after stepping down as India’s T20 skipper in September.
Before these developments, the swashbuckling batter had retained the top spot as India’s most valuable celebrity brand for the fourth consecutive year with a value of around $238 million, showed data from a report by Duff & Phelps (see graphic). “In the short run, not being at the helm of things is unlikely to affect his value as a celebrity brand endorser. His relationship with Anushka Sharma, as a duo, will help ease things,” said Santosh Desai, MD & CEO at Futurebrands India. “But in the long run, his form will be key.”
Brand experts drew parallels with former master blaster Sachin Tendulkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, cricketers who enjoyed recognition even during the twilight years of their careers. Stepping down as captain of the national side did not stem the flow of endorsement deals for both these icons. “Even now, every other ad that you see on TV has Dhoni in it,” said Desai. In 2019, the Jharkhand cricketer’s brand value ballooned to around $41 million despite India’s exit from the One Day International (ODI) World Cup held in England and Wales.
The world, however, has changed, warned industry experts. “When Sachin played, social media did not exist. Kohli’s antics on the field during the last test in South Africa have not gone down well with certain sections,” said a source.
“Brand endorsements have a habit of chasing the guy at the top. In cricket, it is the captain of the team. If you are not the skipper, you will still have your old brand endorsements,” said Harish Bijoor, CEO at Harish Bijoor Consults. “But when it comes to new ones, every endorsement will be a competition between Kohli and the new captain.”
With a roster of more than 30 brands in his portfolio, Kohli tops social media rankings and boasts of the best engagement rate among all celebrities. In addition, he is a top endorser in the food & beverages and healthcare categories.
German sportswear brand Puma, which struck a Rs 110-crore deal in 2017 with Kohli for eight years, is currently betting on his work ethics and reputation as an athlete. “Virat leaves behind an outstanding legacy of captaincy. He is an exceptional performer as a leader, a player and, overall, as an athlete,” said Abhishek Ganguly, MD, PUMA India and Southeast Asia. “He has inspired and will continue to inspire everyone who keenly follows cricket and even those who don’t.”
Before these developments, the swashbuckling batter had retained the top spot as India’s most valuable celebrity brand for the fourth consecutive year with a value of around $238 million, showed data from a report by Duff & Phelps (see graphic). “In the short run, not being at the helm of things is unlikely to affect his value as a celebrity brand endorser. His relationship with Anushka Sharma, as a duo, will help ease things,” said Santosh Desai, MD & CEO at Futurebrands India. “But in the long run, his form will be key.”
Brand experts drew parallels with former master blaster Sachin Tendulkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, cricketers who enjoyed recognition even during the twilight years of their careers. Stepping down as captain of the national side did not stem the flow of endorsement deals for both these icons. “Even now, every other ad that you see on TV has Dhoni in it,” said Desai. In 2019, the Jharkhand cricketer’s brand value ballooned to around $41 million despite India’s exit from the One Day International (ODI) World Cup held in England and Wales.
The world, however, has changed, warned industry experts. “When Sachin played, social media did not exist. Kohli’s antics on the field during the last test in South Africa have not gone down well with certain sections,” said a source.
“Brand endorsements have a habit of chasing the guy at the top. In cricket, it is the captain of the team. If you are not the skipper, you will still have your old brand endorsements,” said Harish Bijoor, CEO at Harish Bijoor Consults. “But when it comes to new ones, every endorsement will be a competition between Kohli and the new captain.”
With a roster of more than 30 brands in his portfolio, Kohli tops social media rankings and boasts of the best engagement rate among all celebrities. In addition, he is a top endorser in the food & beverages and healthcare categories.
German sportswear brand Puma, which struck a Rs 110-crore deal in 2017 with Kohli for eight years, is currently betting on his work ethics and reputation as an athlete. “Virat leaves behind an outstanding legacy of captaincy. He is an exceptional performer as a leader, a player and, overall, as an athlete,” said Abhishek Ganguly, MD, PUMA India and Southeast Asia. “He has inspired and will continue to inspire everyone who keenly follows cricket and even those who don’t.”
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