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India cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is unlikely to see his brand value erode due to the ongoing spot-fixing controversy and the hearing in the Supreme Court.
“As long as he performs and leads the Indian side successfully, I don’t think there will be any impact on his brand value,” said Hitesh Gossain, former senior vice-president, strategy and business development, Percept Talent. Gossain advises companies on business and brand strategy as an independent consultant.
Dhoni’s name figured in the investigation into the illegal betting scandal during the sixth season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), where Chennai Super Kings (CSK)’s team principal Gurunath Meiyappan was implicated, along with players and co-owners of Rajasthan Royals. (DHONI: TOPPING THEM ALL)
Harish Salve, advocate for the petitioner in the match-fixing controversy, said Dhoni, the CSK captain, had lied to the probe panel about Meiyappan’s role in CSK. This, Salve had said, was culpability by volition. “It is hard to believe Dhoni did not know about the role of Guru Meiyappan and there was no need for Dhoni to lie. By defending Dhoni, the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) is again compromising its position,” Salve said in an interview to a TV channel on Friday, adding the BCCI take strict action against him.
However, advertisers who have hired Dhoni as their brand ambassador, said they would rather wait before taking a decision to drop him. Aircel and Reebok, part of the Adidas Group, said they would continue to be associated with IPL and there was no change in their advertising plans.
Dhoni endorses 16-17 brands, including Pepsi, Lays, Gulf Oil, Star Sports, Ashok Leyland, McDowell’s, Amrapali (a real estate company), Lafarge, Reebok and Aircel. He is the highest-paid cricketer when it comes to endorsements in India, charging nothing less than Rs 10-12 crore a brand. Nearest rival Virat Kohli, Team India’s vice-captain, commands Rs 6-7 crore a brand.
“Dhoni invokes trust. His humble nature and small-town roots have ensured he remained among the top-three most-trusted sports personalities in the country, according to our brand trust report for three years,” says N Chandramouli, chief executive, TRA.
But Dhoni’s rank has been fluctuating in the report, moving from 447 in 2012 to 727 in 2013 and 699 in 2014. Chandramouli says the controversy might take a toll on his ranking. “I do see the trust factor impacted. Because culpability by volition will mean people will take whatever he says with a pinch of salt, hitting trust in him as a brand.”
