Videocon, LG go slow on cricket

Advertisers no more find cricket as a vehicle to boost their sales, thanks to the World Cup debacle. More advertisers have decided to distance themselves from cricket, at least for the moment.

Electronics goods major LG today announced that the company would end its more-than-half-a-decade-long official association with cricket. An LG spokesperson said that the firm had decided not to renew their contract with ICC. The contract expires at the month- end. Consumer durables major Videocon has pulled off advertisements featuring M S Dhoni and Rahul Dravid.

Videocon will continue to focus on Shah Rukh Khan as its brand ambassador in both its print and television ads.

The firm plans to crank up the frequency of ads featuring Shah Rukh Khan for a week after India's ouster from the World Cup, which Videocon Chairman Venugopal Dhoot terms as a 'mourning period' for cricket.

"Public sentiment is not favourable for cricket at this time, as the team has not only performed badly, but it was such a bad show that they did not even make it to the Super 8. The public is furious, so why should we advertise them?"asked Dhoot. He said that bad performance apart, in this case they don't even feature in the match.

India's first round exit from the World Cup after suffering defeats at the hands of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have triggered a national outcry.

He added that the public had a short memory and in due time public sympathy would come back for the cricketers. Videocon plans to bring Dhoni and Dravid back into their advertising campaigns in a week.