Known as India’s most successful cricket captain of all time, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has come a long way. From being a relatively unknown face in 2007, he had become a household name nationwide well before India won its second world cup in cricket. At a time when personal branding is crucial for success, Dhoni’s brand has grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade and today the former Indian team captain still has an immense brand value attached to him.
The Indian Premier League is a massive event and attracts audience and media attention from all over the world. Cricketers, who are already seen as bankable endorsers and brand ambassadors for various commercial products and luxury brands, become more valuable during the IPL as the spotlight is on them.
Dhoni, who already has many brand endorsements, has gained further during this IPL season. The prolific cricketer, although retired from international cricket, still continues to captain the Chennai Super Kings. Despite his recently announced retirement, Dhoni has the most brand endorsements in the present IPL season, with as many as 16 – starting from Khatabook, to Dream 11. Dhoni is set to earn nearly 120 to 150 crores just from his endorsements this season.
Marketing experts believe that apart from the virtue of reliability that Dhoni personifies, he can also act and get across the message of the brand he endorses. He is relatable yet idolized – just the kind of image the brands that he endorses wish to have.
There are more reasons behind Dhoni’s numerous endorsements. Brands look for the availability of a player. The coronavirus pandemic, coupled with his absence from the national team, allowed the cricket superstar to be available for brand shoots and advertisements. However, the unfading popularity of Dhoni and his legendary status as the captain cool of cricket is the main factor behind his continued appearances in advertisements and hoardings.
When it comes to comparison between the former Indian captain and the present one, IPL has been Dhoni’s home turf. Between Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings and Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore, CSK definitely has the better track record. The team’s continuous success has established Dhoni as one of the more successful team captain as compared to Virat. That is precisely why Dhoni has the greatest number of endorsements in the IPL season. The fact that Dhoni comes at a price tag that is a lot less than Kohli is also an incentive for brands.
While Dhoni’s critics believe that his brand value will slowly diminish after his retirement from international cricket, his supporters contend that he has become an idol for Indians and transcends the field of cricket as a public personality. For most Indians, Dhoni is an embodiment of trust, hard work, calmness and leadership. Even after he steps away from the cricket field, the values he projects will continue to bat for his image and brand power.
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