Why India's Olympic stars fail to dazzle on brand endorsement pitch

Recognition and recall are the essential qualifications of fame, hence the basics for any celebrity endorsement. Most Olympic medallists actually fail that basic but essential test itself

Earlier this week, Coca-Cola signed Paris Olympics medals winner Manu Bhaker for Rs 1.5 crore for a one-year endorsement deal for Thums Up. So far, Bhaker had just one endorsement deal — with Performax, ostensibly at Rs 25 lakhs. According to IOS, her handlers, they have received over 40 enquiries and are likely to soon close at least half-a-dozen endorsements on behalf of the double bronze medallist. Good for her!

Neeraj Chopra fell short of gold at Paris this time. But his gold at Tokyo three years ago had opened the endorsement floodgates for the javelin champion