Cricketers as Pitchmen

In the good old days the logic of using cricketers to endorse brands was based on common sense. Denis Compton, the dashing Middlesex and English cricketer, was chosen to endorse Brylcreem because he looked good with slicked back hair and was popular with the ladies. Period. In the 70's Pamolive chose Kapil Dev because he was a successful cricketer and more importantly, had a tough beard. Needless to say these endorsements worked because they were credible. You could actually believe that Kapil Dev would have used a Rapidex or Pamolive shaving cream. There was no rocket science to the damn thing.

But today, marketers are running around like sex- starved bull in the endorsement China shop. Chricketers are chosen like they chose salves in ancient Rome and Macedonia. You pick whoever is available and comes within your budget.

No wonder Anil Kumble is peddling engine oil and Ganguly is endorsing microwaves. And Virendra Shewag is doing Polyrich suiting. There no between brand and brand ambassadors. In a mad frenzy to sign up a cricketer, most marketers have forgotten a basic a fact of testimonial advertisement.
testimonials work best only if they are honest and credible.
Matching the right brand with the right cricketer is the key. Anil Kumble talking abt how to improve physical fitness makes eminent sense ay be Kumble would be better suited for vitamin supplements, gyms,ayurveda brands. Anil Kumble talking abt the relative merits of one engine oil over another doesn't fit make any sense at all.
Will u buy a Cola because Yuvraj says so ? ( I wouldn't ) Will u buy a heat exchanger because Yuvraj says so? Now u must have got the answer.


This was a beautiful article in DNA 21/09/2005 which caught my eye.