Seen from the perch of his great brand appeal, Dhoni is in the sublime present, and as grounded and undemonstrative as ever .
Dhoni’s retirement from international cricket can be seen from various angles. As a cricketer, he has achieved plenty and that he wanted the next generation to take over was eloquently clear when he quit Tests during the 2014 tour of Australia. The handing over process had begun years ago and the man known as India’s greatest finisher knew when to draw a line on his international career.
Dhoni has been a pillar of strength for Indian cricket ever since he burst on to the international scene. His contribution as a player and captain cannot be deciphered only from the statistics, although they speak eloquently. But then, Dhoni is not just a cricketer; he is a global brand. And if one considers only his glorious past, let me tell you: he is in a sublime present and an even more promising future. It’s evident, considering the fact that his brand value (a February 2020 Duff & Phelps Celebrity Brand Valuation study puts Dhoni at No. 9, with a value of $41.2 million) has almost doubled last year, despite him not playing international cricket post the 2019 World Cup.
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Brand Dhoni is forever young and keeps adding value. If you look at his brand associations in the past and present, you will observe that he appeals to all societies and age groups of this country and world. Brands like Allied Blenders, Cars 24, Coca-Cola, GSK, Indigo, ITC, Khata-Book, Matrimony, Oppo, Orient, Richemont Group, Star India, TVS are just a few. As on April 2019, Dhoni was endorsing 27 products. The only other time he endorsed so many brands was between 2010 and 2012, when he was India captain across three formats. There was a 15-month period when he had signed 21 endorsement deals—12 new ones and renewed nine! That’s a measure of his appeal.
When we talk about Dhoni as a brand, he has an intimate relation with the world. Whatever he endorses, that product outgrows the category growth. I would like to share few examples like Yippee (an instant noodle brand) that, according to industry sources, is said to have 50 per cent growth. Khaatabook has grown multifold post Dhoni’s engagements and online fantasy cricket platform Dream11 is another fabulous growth story.
The Dhoni-TVS partnership is now over 16 years old. We rarely see such strong and lengthy partnerships. Clients who look for deeper and immediate penetration in the market turn to Dhoni for promotions. He is one of those selective personalities who can easily reach to the classes and the masses, cutting across all regions. Even at the height of the IPL match-fixing and betting scandal, Dhoni didn’t lose his brand equity. Not a single brand left him. Some extended their association.
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I have been friends with Dhoni for over two decades. He is a very simple and humble human being and has not changed one bit ever since we started playing domestic cricket together. Our relationship isn’t like a typical manager-athlete one; we share a bond of friendship. His likes and dislikes come naturally to me, just like a friend. And every day I learn something new from him. He has the purest heart and is very sorted in his approach. He is a highly intelligent man too, and is well aware of all topics of importance. Nowadays, he spends lot of time with his family, close friends and parents and in-laws.
Have you ever heard Dhoni showing off his fame or fortune? He never has. If you see his celebrations on field, one can surmise how calm and composed the man is. Similarly, he handles all the fame and limelight by keeping himself grounded. He always says, “I want people to remember me as a good person, not just as a cricketer”.
What will Dhoni do next?
Well, he will be leading Chennai Super Kings in the upcoming IPL in the UAE. But after that, he will have a lot of time to spend on his association with the Services personnel. He loves to wear that olive green Army uniform. The man who in 2008 drove a team bus back from the Nagpur ground to the hotel certainly enjoys adventure. MS is full of ideas and he has many things to keep him busy. Whatever he plans to do in life, it will be in his unique way, ‘Mahi style’.