“Master Blaster”, “God of Cricket”, “Little Master” Sachin Tendulkar needs no introduction. His name can pass as a headline, not just in India but world over. Even I (a cricket ignoramus) know of Sachin Tendulkar and have an image about him.
He’s 42, an age considered too old for a top brand icon. He retired from his profession—playing cricket—over 18 months ago, is rarely seen in public, doesn’t have a voice suited to radio or television commentary (the sinecure of choice for retired players) and was never much of a showman even in his playing days.
You would expect him to have faded away from an all-too-fickle public memory. But then you’re not talking about any ordinary cricketer here. Meet Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, post-retirement……His brand value—defined as the sum of his earnings from all endorsements—declined from an estimated Rs.120 crore at the end of 2013 to Rs.75 crore in 2014……..Pandit said his endorsements will depend on how he portrays himself and how visible he is…….. “If I was his manager, I would keep him away from run-of-the-mill commentary and other ancillary activities. For Sachin, you need to sell his legacy—as India’s greatest sportsman ever,”- Livemint.com
A summary of activities done to keep Brand Sachin alive:
Sachin Tendulkar has tried to stay relevant but his visibility in front of the masses has become practically nil. So how can he stay relevant AND visible without falling back on default activities undertaken by other retired cricketers?
If I were marketing @ brand Sachin Tendulkar…
- My TG (Target Group)- All Indians with a skew towards males
- Marketing Objective- To ensure year round mass media / public visibility for Sachin Tendulkar through activities/endorsements/events that have cricket as the base
- My brand USP (Unique Selling Proposition)-His utter devotion to and passion for all things cricket.
Sticky Marketing Ideas:
1. Cricket Blog Series/Bouquet
Being one of only two cricketers to play in 6 World Cups, Sachin Tendulkar giving advise on cricket is like Amitabh Bachchan teaching acting! He can have a series of blogs each covering a different aspect of cricket. When combined, these blogs would provide a holistic approach to the game. The blogs would be: Cricket Equipment blog (How to choose the right bat, shoes, equipment, etc); Cricket at stadium blog (how to judge the pitch,etc); Diet for cricket blog (healthy eating diets/tips pre and post match and between matches); Exercises for cricket blog; Mental prep for cricket blog (how to stay calm pre match, how to handle pressure, etc); Cricket for Parents (tips and advice for what parents can do to help their budding cricketer).
2. Cricket Coaching Outsourced for schools/colleges
Schools and colleges can outsource their respective cricket teams’ coaching to Sachin’s company. The company would send its own team of coaches. And these coaches would have undergone training with Sachin Tendulkar himself. So they would coach the teams via a course designed by Sachin to ensure best cricketing results.
3. Institute for Coaches
Sachin Tendulkar can design a certificate course for people aspiring to be cricket coaches. These Sachin certified and trained coaches can then get placements in schools/colleges/ national/international teams.
4. Cricket mobile game with a twist
Being the greatest Indian sportsman is no mean feat. So how did Sachin Tendulkar do it? How did he play the game the way he did? Insider tips and information? These will be given in a game format. Thus the cricket online game will be a game for learning cricket ‘straight from the horse’s mouth’. Currently most cricket games are simply games. That is, tips and tricks mentioned in the game are general, not from the greatest batsman of the game.
5. Pinterest Page
Social media is one of the best media for mass reach and relevance. Hence, create a Sachin Tendulkar Pinterest page. It can have boards carrying pictures, stories and Sachin’s anecdotes from different matches/countries/stadiums. Flashback with Sachin would be a very exciting prospect for his fans. The page can later hold contests where the winner gets to visit some specific cricket stadium like Lord’s in London.
6. Corporate Cricket Tournament
Sachin Tendulkar can create a Corporate Cricket tournament wherein corporates send their cricket teams to compete. Eg. Tata cricket team versus Reliance cricket team. By doing this, there are chances that corporates may approach Sachin’s coaching company (mentioned above) to coach their teams. Also, the Human Resource team of companies can fulfill their KRAs of employee engagement/team spirit.
These were some of the ideas for Brand Sachin Tendulkar to stay relevant. These are over and above endorsements like life insurance, cars, etc. Which of these do you think would be a hit? Are there any ideas you too would like to suggest?