Pepsi dumped Sachin for overpricing?

The seniors vs youngsters debate has sparked off once again. And it’s not the cricketing fraternity that’s caught in the middle of it. After news of a cola major Pepsi deciding to end their innings with Sachin Tendulkar, this debate has gained an all new momentum. Seems like ’youngistaan’ is after all the mantra that’s being followed, literally . While the divorce was made public, the junta kept wondering if Brand Tendulkar is actually past his prime to sell products he has been associated with for years.

While T20 seems to be the flavour of the season, industry insiders believe that this decision was waiting to happen. Recurring injuries have kept the Little Master off the field for a long time. This ensured that his younger counterparts were seen playing a lot more. And when the young Team India brought the T20 World Cup home sans the veterans, it created new heroes overnight. Latika Khaneja, director, Collage Sports Management, is of the view that the industry functions according to the flavour of the season. "In this industry, it’s all about topicality. Today, Dhoni is the flavour of the country as he won the T20 World Cup and is also the captain of the ODI team. He looks good and is certainly an option instead of Sachin," says Khaneja.

But the age factor too cannot be ruled out here. Many believe that it’s Sachin’s age that’s going against him. "It’s all about ’brand fit’," says Jeet Banerjee, managing director, Gameplan. "While signing an ambassador, the brand has to keep in mind if the person’s image fits the product they are marketing right now." Hence, it was only a matter of time before Pepsi chose someone younger to fit the anthem, ’yeh hai youngistaan’ . But here is where adman Prahlad Kakar begs to differ. "It depends on how the company portrays its ambassador. Write a good script and I’m sure Sachin will be able to pull off a naughty and mischievous character as well. He has done so in the past in the ad with Shah Rukh Khan," affirms Kakar.
That’s for the future to decide. But one has to admit that it’s also the monetary aspect that plays a huge role in the signing of new brand ambassadors . While Sachin’s star was high up in the sky, his brand equity too skyrocketed. Even today, he commands a higher remuneration than any other sportsperson in India. And when a brand can get two or more stars at the cost of one, it’s a jackpot.

"Pepsi can’t afford to pay Sachin as his price keeps increasing," says Kakar, adding, "They can get other stars who could fit their current marketing strategy at the cost of one." Khaneja too voices the same opinion, saying, "It’s a case of price-performance issue. The brand looks to see how much it’s getting in return of the money invested in the player.

Sachin is very expensive and the priority is on the financials rather than anything else." Adman Ram Ray says that one cannot after all dismiss the investment angle all together. "It’s more about investment than anything else. They believe that Dhoni and the other youngsters are a better investment option today. In the long run, they’ll get better returns from the youngsters." But according to industry insiders, touting Sachin to be the most expensive player right now, cannot be all together accurate. It’s believed that while Sachin charges around Rs 3 to 4 crore per endorsement, Dhoni’s remuneration is anything between Rs 4 and 5 crore. Yudhajit, managing director, Mindscape Maestros, who has recently signed Dhoni, says that MSD right now is the biggest sporting brand in the country. "I always believed in working with the biggest brand and who better than Dhoni?"

Recurring injuries and ’getting old’ will be discussed for sometime now. But all said and done, it’s now left to see how Sachin works on his image management. After TVS, Airtel, Fiat and Pepsi ending their association with the Little Master, Sachin is now working with Canon and AVIVA Life Insurance. Out goes the Master Blaster image, and in comes the family man who cares for his children and their future. "Brand managers need to have a definite career management plan for the star.

The utmost aim is to get maximum returns," says marketing consultant Sunil Kalra. Khaneja who also manages Gautam Gambhir is now thinking of giving the star a completely new makeover. "After the T20 World Cup and IPL, Gambhir has become hot property. He is well-spoken but has his limitations which needs to be delt with. And that’s top priority."

It’s also interesting to notice how Sachin can now be spotted at various other high profile sporting events like Wimbeldon and F1, which has a much niche audience. Sachin and Pepsi may have parted ways. His image as a father and uncle may not appeal to the youth any more. But the more mature brands have now found a great ambassador. While for the youth the fizz may be out of Sachin, for the mature brands, it’s time to bring out the champagne for the older and much wiser Master Blaster.