Sachin Tendulkar: From Bradman to Brandman
Kapil's
Devils made India fall head over heels in love with cricket by winning
the 1983 World Cup; by the Nineties, as the country opened its doors to
the world, the game had captured the imagination of a billion people.
It is in this backdrop that Sachin Tendulkar arrived, turning a pristine sport into a multimillion dollar industry. His meteoric rise was the perfect platform for dozens of brands, with his humility and simplicity connecting him to the masses like never before.
Cricket may have changed over those two-and-a-half decades, for better and for worse, but the Little Master, even as he evolved, has remained a calming constant.
As former India batsman Gopal Bose put it, "It's just plain unreal that a top cricketer should remain free of controversies through such a long career. He's the son every mother dreams of having, the brother every sister wants."
There have been huge brands among sportsmen but his impeccable image over such a long time has helped sustain him as THE brand. Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong and so many others suffered setbacks after falling from grace, but not Sachin.
"The phenomenon that he has been and the mass following that he has, certainly allowed the creation of the entire 'sportsperson as an endorser'. While a few existed prior to him, his professional peaks and the opening up of the Indian economy - did wonders as a combination," Harish Krishnamachari of World Sport Group told TOI.
"I believe the key part of the evolution of Brand Sachin has been his continued relevance. He continues to lend credibility to brands, products and causes that he has been associated with," added the country head of WSG, which has been handling the Little Master's endorsements since 2006.
Sachin may have become the richest cricketer in the world and helped make BCCI a cash cow but Shailendra Singh of Percept will tell you where the real credit should go.
"Often in India, too much credit is given to the athlete and very little to those who create the brand. In Sachin's case, I'd give 100 per cent of the credit to Mark Mascarenhas. Sachin did his job on the field and Mark off it. It takes two to tango," Singh reminded.
If the Dhonis and Kohlis are striking multimillion dollar deals today, they can thank Sachin for his talent and Mascarenhas, who died in a car crash in 2002, for the vision to believe and invest in him.
Both Sachin and Dhoni made it to the Forbes list of top 100 richest athletes in the world in 2011. According to a recent survey conducted by Wealth X, Sachin's net worth is $160 million, which makes him the richest Indian sportsperson.
Marketing experts are convinced Brand Sachin will actually get bigger after his retirement. With his squeaky-clean image and the trust he has earned, a whole new range of products and market has opened up for him.
Also, he will now have more time for his sponsors. However, Singh spells out the challenge. "It's all about visibility. He's visible 300 days in a year; after retirement can he stay visible for that long a time in a year?"
It is in this backdrop that Sachin Tendulkar arrived, turning a pristine sport into a multimillion dollar industry. His meteoric rise was the perfect platform for dozens of brands, with his humility and simplicity connecting him to the masses like never before.
Cricket may have changed over those two-and-a-half decades, for better and for worse, but the Little Master, even as he evolved, has remained a calming constant.
As former India batsman Gopal Bose put it, "It's just plain unreal that a top cricketer should remain free of controversies through such a long career. He's the son every mother dreams of having, the brother every sister wants."
There have been huge brands among sportsmen but his impeccable image over such a long time has helped sustain him as THE brand. Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong and so many others suffered setbacks after falling from grace, but not Sachin.
"The phenomenon that he has been and the mass following that he has, certainly allowed the creation of the entire 'sportsperson as an endorser'. While a few existed prior to him, his professional peaks and the opening up of the Indian economy - did wonders as a combination," Harish Krishnamachari of World Sport Group told TOI.
"I believe the key part of the evolution of Brand Sachin has been his continued relevance. He continues to lend credibility to brands, products and causes that he has been associated with," added the country head of WSG, which has been handling the Little Master's endorsements since 2006.
Sachin may have become the richest cricketer in the world and helped make BCCI a cash cow but Shailendra Singh of Percept will tell you where the real credit should go.
"Often in India, too much credit is given to the athlete and very little to those who create the brand. In Sachin's case, I'd give 100 per cent of the credit to Mark Mascarenhas. Sachin did his job on the field and Mark off it. It takes two to tango," Singh reminded.
If the Dhonis and Kohlis are striking multimillion dollar deals today, they can thank Sachin for his talent and Mascarenhas, who died in a car crash in 2002, for the vision to believe and invest in him.
Both Sachin and Dhoni made it to the Forbes list of top 100 richest athletes in the world in 2011. According to a recent survey conducted by Wealth X, Sachin's net worth is $160 million, which makes him the richest Indian sportsperson.
Marketing experts are convinced Brand Sachin will actually get bigger after his retirement. With his squeaky-clean image and the trust he has earned, a whole new range of products and market has opened up for him.
Also, he will now have more time for his sponsors. However, Singh spells out the challenge. "It's all about visibility. He's visible 300 days in a year; after retirement can he stay visible for that long a time in a year?"
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