Anant's Blog: Thank you, Dhoni

A few weeks ago, we wrote about Dhoni and his 31 brand endorsements.

Yup, that's right. Thirty one.

That's got to be insane. Surely there were communication ideas that could work without using MSD.

Probably be a lot cheaper than using the cricketer.

And, considering the performance of the Indian team, a lot more cost-effective as well.
 
For those who jumped on to the cricketer-as-a-celeb-brand-ambassador bandwagon late, woe betide you.

Your investment is in cold storage until the Indian team does well all over again.
 
It's time clients and creative directors looked at solutions without cricketers in the communication.
 
One only has to look at recent outstanding communication that has made a mark without cricketers. There are a number of them.
 
Try and make a list of memorable ads that have used cricketers. Have fun.
 
The truth is, cricketers are cricketers, good or bad. None of them is an actor, though.
 
And often, the scripts demand actors, not cricketers.
 
As for cricket and acting, the twain shall never meet.