MxMIndia

Tag: Sachin Tendulkar

  • Will the Bharat Ratna kill Sachin Tendulkar's endorsement career? Will the now-retired Master Blaster be free to endorse just about any brand?

    Bharat Ratna = Brand Ratna?

     

    By Binoy Prabhakar

     

    Sachin Tendulkar’s sparkling career ended with the mother of all farewells, the outpouring of adulation and emotion, the throng of photographers and hyperventilating fans who trailed his last days in India colours unprecedented in any sport, leave alone cricket. Milkha Singh, Prakash Padukone, hell, even Michael Jordan must be ruing their decision to pursue a non-cricketing sport. And then he was chosen for the Bharat Ratna.

     

    Now is that a good thing or bad thing? No doubt, Tendulkar the sportsman couldn’t have hoped for a more fitting bookend to his career than receiving the highest civilian award in India. But what about Tendulkar the brand ambassador? From a marketing standpoint, the award seems like a cross to bear. Here is why. The interest of brands in Tendulkar thanks to his farewell circus is as high as it was during his playing days.

     

    Surely, his marketing kitty of 14 brands (the number has dropped by four since May 2012 when he scored his 100th international century) can only swell hereon due to the attention.

     

    Yet, the award raises the uncomfortable question whether Tendulkar should be endorsing products in the first place. The frowns began on Twitter, the largest gathering ground for shouting heads, where users hoped the cricketer would stop associating with at least Luminous, an inverter maker, which jockeys with realtor Amit Enterprises as the most lackluster brand he promotes.

     

    Murmurs, Protests

    It didn’t take long for the murmurs of disapproval to grow louder and take a more serious overtone. A key argument relayed by this crowd was that Tendulkar had amassed tons of money from the game. Janata Dal (United) MP Shivanand Tiwari was of the view that Tendulkar was not playing for free. “Sachin has made crores of rupees by helping corporates market cricket in the country,” he said.

     

    A case has been filed in a Bhopal court against Tendulkar and the prime minister who recommended his name. At the heart of the wave of discontent was the money Tendulkar made from brands. The catcalls will grow shriller if brands decide to thrust the Bharat Ratna at the centre of commercials featuring Tendulkar. Indeed, the Bharat Ratna has inadvertently cast a harsh light on Tendulkar’s promotional pursuits. But Harish Krishnamachar, country head of World Sport Group (India), the company that manages the star’s commercial interests, says Tendulkar will honour all contracts, which run until 2014. Fortuitously for Tendulkar’s managers, a Bharat Ratna recipient is not barred from marketing.

     

    The rulebook states that “the honour does not confer any pre- or postnominal titles or letters; recipients are constitutionally prohibited from using the award name as a title or post-nominal”. That means the launch of a slogan like ‘Luminous Ratna’ or ‘Coca-Cola salutes Bharat Ratna’ can invite trouble.

     

    Mr Krishnamachar says the award increases the stature of the Tendulkar brand and will also carry with it an added responsibility of selectivity and an increased sense of trust and responsibility.

     

    In Tendulkar’s defence, he has been picky about his brand associations. He has said no to tobacco and alcohol promotions; he rejected a multi-crore deal with UB Group three years ago. WSG has no precedent to turn to as previous recipients such as Lata Mangeshkar and Bismillah Khan received the award in their twilight years. Not so with Tendulkar.

     

    At 40, he happens to be the youngest recipient of the Bharat Ratna. The “Sachin! Sachin!” fever is now showing few signs of letting up. So if there is a time to milk the affection of brands, it is now. Remember public memory is short. Sociologist Shiv Visvanathan says Tendulkar is too predictable a character. “I can see him growing less interesting day by day.” In that context, the award could have waited.

     

    A New Game Plan?

    Mr Krishnamachar says Brand Tendulkar has gained an increased visibility, adding that “Sachin has always done selective associations and hence we will assess things once he is back from his break”. It won’t be easy. Mr Visvanathan says Tendulkar has to choose from a range of brands. “He is the man who could not fail. So he has to vouch for products which are ‘fail-safe’.

     

    A safe bet for brands would be to focus on Tendulkar the legend rather than Tendulkar the Bharat Ratna. Even that presents a dilemma. Visvanathan says there is going to be the touch of the comic now. “Imagine Tendulkar says Boost is the reason for my Bharat Ratna. The problem then is the Bharat Ratna becomes a brand endorsing a smaller brand.”

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2013, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • Star's Sports network of channels emerge as top destination across genres during the India-Windies Test series

    Sachin’s farewell Test is highest rated in 8 years

    By A Correspondent

     

    Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar’s farewell Test match has emerged as the highest rated Test on television in India in the past eight years. The match garnered 1739 average TVTs which remains unmatched since 2005.  According to a communiqué, the Star Sports network channels together had the maximum channel share across all genres during the six playing days of the series. (Overall TVTs generated during the day). Also, starsports.com attracted 3.5 million unique visitors during the two matches of the India-West Indies Test series.

     

    Star India put out all stops for the series. It had secured the title sponsorship rights for the Test series and launched its seven-vehicle network on Day 1 of the first Test. There was a 360-degree initiative involving programming, production, marketing to add buzz around Sachin Tendulkar’s farewell series. The broadcaster also launched three shows programs to engage with the sports fan. Then there was a  ‘Cheer for Sachin’ campaign along with a slew of on-ground activities. Star India CEO Uday Shankar presented Sachin Tendulkar with the first STAR Sports ‘Believe’ Trophy during the post-presentation ceremony in Mumbai.

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Nitin Kukreja, Head of Sports Business, Star India, said, “We are delighted with the ratings. Our strategic investment in the Hindi language feed over the past year or so is now paying us huge dividends. We will continue in our endeavor to promote sports culture in the country,” added Nitin.

     

    Important: The TAM numbers quoted above (Average TVTs; TG: C&S 15+, M, SEC ABC ) are sourced from a communiqué sent by Star Sports. These have not been verified with TAM.

     

  • A superb speech, tributes from all over and the Bharat Ratna see a glorious beginning to Sachin Tendulkar's new innings in life

    Sachin’s second innings starts in style

     

    By Pradyuman Maheshwari

     

    It was early 2000. It was a Saturday, I had to drop by at my Chartered Accountant’s office on Bhawani Shankar Road in Central Mumbai. I took the 201 bus which wormed its way through this road on to Shivaji Park where my car was parked. As the bus started, the conductor shouted out a stop or two later: Shardashram School Sachin Tendulkar.

     

    I was familiar with the area, a batchmate lived in the building across the school as did former Finance Minister Madhu Dandavate. The bus stop was named after ‘Shardashram School’. A few of us peered out of the bus window, to check if the wonderboys Sachin and (then?) buddy Vinod Kambli were around. The newspapers then were full of their exploits.

     

    Sachin Tendulkar was always destined for bigger things, and the media adulation for the boy has been unparalleled. In 2005, I remember wanting a story done on whether he should retire given his lean patch. None of the journalists in my team or the few accomplished writers I spoke to agreed to write. They refused, citing other commitments. In fact until the social media arrived, one could hardly read any criticism of the man.

     

    Others could get out to a rash shot, but for Sachin it would be being bowled on a brilliant delivery. It’s not that journalists were not being true to their jobs, but it’s possibly because we believed that #10 could do no wrong. It was perhaps his commitment to the game. Even on the Ferrari episode, while there are many who still haven’t forgotten how he sought a duty waiver which he could’ve easily paid, Tendulkar came out with just a few bruises.

     

    So what does the master blaster do post-retirement? Having been hot on the endorsement circuit for over two decades, surely the taps wouldn’t turn dry overnight.  But his various interviews over the last year and his farewell speech on Saturday have me convinced that there will be more than one opportunities coming his way. Television, for one. Given the way sports broadcast is growing, channels will surely be eager to cash in on the Sachin wave. Motivational speaker, is the second. I am sure large corporations would like to have him speak to employees, premium clients etc.

     

    While the Bharat Ratna award is welcome, it could make things difficult on the business front. Bharat Ratna awardees come #7 in the Order of Precedence in the Government of India’s protocol list, way ahead of the three chiefs of the armed forces. He will need to get that wee bit more discerning and careful with his endorsements and commercial ventures.

     

    The Member of Parliament tag is also going to raise some expectations from Tendulkar as he will now not have excuses of being busy with the game. There will be pressure on him to cleanse the administration of sports bodies he has no connection with, make BCCI more accountable, ensure India wins more at the Olympics, take cricket to the Olympics and ensure there are more facilities for sports across the country.

     

    Sachin’s source of monies – from the contract he has with the Board of Control of Cricket – ended with the second Test against the West Indies. This meter officially stops ticking after today, the scheduled last day of the match. But, of course, the older endorsement deals will continue for a while. I am sure his manager -Vinod Naidu and his firm WSG – will ensure that the Bharat Ratna continues to rake in the moolah just as Kapil Dev is even 20 years after he bowed out (1994).

     

    > Visit www.starsports.com or the numerous Youtube pages for his speech and his press conference address.

     

    > Full text of Sachin Tendulkar’s ‘Thank you’ speech at the Wankhede Stadium:

    http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report-full-text-of-sachin-tendulkar-s-farewell-speech-at-wankhede-stadium-1920240moolah just as Kapil Dev does even after two decades post retirement (1994).

     

    Photograph: Fotocorp.com

     

  • In her review of the news media, Ranjona Banerji scans the coverage on Sachin Tendulkar's farewell match and the Campa Cola building controversy

    Ranjona Banerji: Not much imagination in the Tendulkar coverage

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Is it going to be all about Sachin Tendulkar’s farewell series or the Campa Cola compound? Either way, Mumbai dominates the news this week, making this a rare exception from all the endless political tamasha that we have been subjected to in recent times.

     

    Tendulkar’s retirement has been everywhere and it takes a very brave Indian Express to not run with the first day’s play on Page 1 of the Mumbai edition, bar a photograph. The rest of the newspapers knew what people were interested in and went with that. With everyone jumping on to the bandwagon though there is a range of Sachin nostalgia writing to pick your way through from the mundane to the sublime. Ayaz Memon’s piece in Mumbai Mirror on Thursday was filled with delightful nostalgic nuggets, based on his long experience covering cricket and as an editor. Clayton Murzello, sports editor of Mid-Day, showed why he is one of the best repositories of Mumbai’s (and India’s) cricket history today. The Times of India dedicated pages to Tendulkar’s retirement but could surely have expended more effort and dipped further into its formidable 175 year archives. The Hindustan Times was adequate but is often better at sports not called cricket. The Economic Times new sports page is still dismal and needs plenty more work.

     

    Cricket writing was once considered an art form but somehow that talent is not showing through enough in the new breed of sports journalists. It does not help that others have jumped on to the bandwagon but not every academic can write like Ramachandra Guha and not every former cricketer can write like Ed Smith. Given that most of the big celebrity names writing on cricket are sponsored and the cash registers can never be silenced, some more effort to nurture in-house writing talent may have good long-term effects.

     

    Of course, the Sachin Tendulkar story is not yet over so quite likely we shall see some more during the day. One thought on the Star Sports coverage and commentary: The discussion show on Tendulkar and cricket called Sachiiin Sachiiin is far more interesting and in-depth than the non-stop cliché-ridden jabber in the commentary boxes, particularly the Hindi ones. You feel that Navjot Singh Sidhu now has competition from Kapil Dev in how to never stop to take a breath between inanities. A little birdie tells me that apparently those who tune into Hindi commentary need cricket to be explained to them all the while and abhor silence. Sounds a bit… condescending?

     

    **

     

    The story of the apartment blocks with illegal floors in the Worli area of Mumbai has not unnaturally been covered by city newspapers. But it was a surprise to see the Campa Cola compound make it to national television on Monday, as the dramatic story of residents fighting to save their homes played out. There was misery, hope, politics and illegality on plenty of levels making for a great spectacle.

     

    The next day saw the effect of the media at work. Apparently the Supreme Court judge who had ordered that the residents vacate their homes on November 11 watched the media coverage, was deeply distressed and could not sleep all night. The next morning, he ordered a stay on the demolition of the illegal floors and gave residents till May next year to move out.

     

    In between all this were several comments from senior journalists about how because the Campa Cola residents were middle class they got media attention, which slum dwellers don’t get. Undoubtedly there is truth in that remark. But it is also true that the Campa Cola case revealed one more instance of developer-municipality-politician culpability, which affects slum dwellers and the middle class both. Any exposure is therefore not to be sneezed at.

     

    And just to push the point further, I have actually read about slum demolition in newspapers and seen it on TV. How far it has made Supreme Court judges lose sleep I do not know. Room for improvement everywhere perhaps.

     

    Ranjona Banerji is a senior journalist and commentator based in Mumbai. She is also Contributing Editor, MxMIndia. She can be reached via Twitter at @ranjona. The views here are her own

     

  • While we hope he plays the second innings after the 74 in the first today. Presenting here 42 Amul ads that track Sachin's life and times

    Utterly Butterly Tondulkarlicious

    Sachin’s final test match- Nov’13

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    He’s retiring. There are many of us who wanted Sachin Tendulkar to do that. Go away with his head held high rather than be subjected to nasties by all and sundry. The fact of the matter though is that his contribution to the game has been phenomenal.

     

    For most of these 24 years, the iconic Amul Butter hoardings have been tracking the man. MxMIndia believes that while the news media reports reflect on current affairs and trends, Amul Butter billboards are an excellent mirror of what’s top-of-mind in urban India. These are crafted by Rahul da Cunha and his team at da Cunha Communications for the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd, makers of the butter brand.

     

    Last year, we carried 25 ads that da Cunha Communications created with news around Sachin Tendulkar as the theme. On his 40th birthday, we dug a little deeper to bring you 40 ads from the Amul site and one that’s got the same visual but with a different headline. Now, presenting 42 of them – with two after his October 2013 retirement announcement.

     

    Enjoy!

     

    The great Sachin Tendulkar retires.-Oct'13

     

    The latest Amul ad on turning 40 (source: epaper.timesofindia.com)

     

    Sachin, Harbhajan & Ponting will share Mumbai Indians dressing room in IPL- April'13

     

    Tendulkar retires from One Day International – Dec'12

     

    Good wishes for Sachin Tendulkar to return to form – Nov'12

     

    Legend Sachin Tendulkar to be conferred with the membership of The Order of Australia – Oct'12

     

    Dismal performance by Sachin Tendulkar in the ongoing Test Series.- Sept'12

     

    New hairstyle being donned by ciricketer Sachin Tendulkar – May'12

     

    Veteran cricketer Sachin Tendulkar nominated to Rajya Sabha – April '12

     

    Sachin Tendulkar achieving a record hundredth Century – March 2012

     

    India's obsession with Sachin Tendulkar's 100th hundred (January 2012)

     

     

     

    Former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar's ouburst against Sachin Tendulkar in his autobiography (September 2011)

     

     

    Indian cricketers injured in the ongoing ODIs (Sachin had injured his big toe) – September '11

     

    Sachin Tendulkar, the first batsman to score 50 test centuries (December 2010)

     

     

    Special edition autobiography of iconic Indian cricketer, to have his blood on the signature page-July'10

     

     

    Sachin Tendulkar scores a double century against South Africa in the second one-dayer (February 2010)

     

     

    Controversy surrounding the friendship of Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli (July 2009)

     

     

    Controversy surrounding Adam Gilchrist accusing Sachin Tendulkar of not having a sporting attitude & being a liar, in his about to be released autobiography (October 2008)

     

     

    Indian master blaster Sachin Tendulkar missing century in cricket one-dayers.(November 2007)

     

     

    Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar – the Master Blaster to appear as superhero in a new range of comic books, animation and games (March 2007)

     

     

    On master blaster Sachin Tendulkar's 35th Test Hundred making him the highest century maker in the history of Test Cricket (December 2005)

     

     

    Sachin Tendulkar marks his return to international cricket with a sparkling knock (October 2005)

     

     

    On Indian star batsman Sachin Tendulkar's tennis elbow aliment which has kept him out of cricket (October 2004)

     

     

    Disappointing performance by Indian Cricket Team in Holland Tri-Series, NatWest Trophy and ICC Championship Trophy. They seem to be concentrating on testimonial advertising rather than Cricket – September'04

     

    About new found team spirit in South Africa – March 2003

     

    On Indian cricketers extremely high levels of endorsements on T.V. – February 2003

     

    On the launch of the restaurant `Tendulkars' in Mumbai – October 2002

     

     

    On the waiver of import duty on the Ferrari gifted to Sachin Tendulkar (September 2002)

     

     

    On Sachin Tendulkar playing his 100th Test Match (September 2002)

     

     

    Sachin Tendulkar accused of ball tampering (November 2001)

     

     

    Mike Denness finds Sachin Tendulkar guilty of ball tampering (November 2001)

     

     

    On Sachin Tendulkar's foot injury (July 2001)

     

     

    On a stand in a cricket stadium being named after Tendulkar and signing a billion rupee contract – May 2001

     

     

    Questions being raised on the resignation of Sachin Tendulkar from the captaincy of the Indian Cricket Team." (Feb 2000)

     

     

    Media speculations on Sachin Tendulkar's back trouble affecting his future career (September 1999)

     

     

    On the lone success of Sachin Tendulkar, while his team-mates keep failing (1999)

     

     

     

    Sachin Tendulkar's back injury (1999)

     

     

    About the similarities between Don Bradman and Sachin Tendulkar (1998)

     

     

    On Sachin Tendulkar winning a car for the cricket finals between India & Australia (1998)

     

     

    Ajit Wadekar wants Wonderkid Sachin Tendulkar to be given a flat in Sportsfield – a highrise specially built by the Government for sportsmen – as a gesture of appreciation (1998)

     

     

    Indian cricket team's victory over England (1992)

     

     

    On the smashingly successful partnership between Tendulkar & Sehwag in Kanpur. – January 2002

     

     

  • His former captain, commentator & senior communications pro Hemant Kenkre on why Sachin Tendulkar has been a fav with brands over 2 decades

    Such an Enduring Endorser!

     

    By Hemant Kenkre

     

    It’s a no-brainer to identify the one name that ploughs through the diversity of India and gets the nation together – cutting the various barriers of religion, caste, creed and socio-economic backgrounds. Twenty-four years after making his international debut, Sachin Tendulkar still gets top billing as he says his final hurrah at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium today.

     

    Having known him and having watched him closely both on and off the field – I had the privilege of leading him, for the Cricket Club of India, in his first year in senior cricket tournaments in Bombay – one has seen his brand grow to an unmatched level from 1989 till date.

     

    One has only to read any newspaper, surf a website or switch on the television or radio to understand the impact that this shy man has had on a country bereft of ‘real’ heroes. Sachin mania has been rocking India from the day that he announced his intention to retire from all forms of cricket.

     

    What takes the best of Indian and international brands to invest in brand Sachin Tendulkar? Why do organizations pour millions of dollars on a 5-foot, 4-inch stocky man with a squeaky voice who came from a middle-class back ground? Why do parents lug their son’s cricket kitbags on the many maidans of India beseeching greedy coaches to make their ward the next Sachin? Brand Sachin connects across all demographics – from nine to ninety.

     

    There is something about Sachin that endears the heart and builds an emotional bond with people that follow him. India always had sporting heroes like Dhyan Chand, Milkha Singh, Vijay Amritraj, Prakash Padukone apart from cricket legends Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev. The latter two had many endorsement deals but not at the maniacal level that is happening with Sachin – with brands sticking to their mascot in spite of him retiring from the game.

     

    In 1989-90, I was associated with an advertising campaign that featured Sachin. The brand, Anja San, a bespoke tailoring outfit had featured legendary ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh and table wizard Zakir Hussain as their models. The late Varsha Bhosle, the brains behind the campaign, had identified Sachin as the next model and it was my job to get him to endorse the brand. Sachin had not completed even a year in international cricket and had not even played an international match in India. When queried why she had shortlisted him, Varsha said: “Wait and watch; you will see why I want him to endorse the product. There are cricketers and there is Sachin…”

     

    The print campaign, one of Sachin’s first, was shot by noted photographer and ad-film maker Shantanu Sheorey who made me stand behind the camera and speak to Sachin so that he would be relaxed while facing the camera. The campaign created a stir when it was released in 1990 – after Sachin had scored his first century against England in Test cricket.

     

    When Coca-Cola re-entered the Indian market in 1995 their biggest threat was Sachin Tendulkar endorsing rival brand Pepsi and not some rabble-rousing organisation gunning after MNC’s in India. Sachin’s “Boost is the secret of my energy,” was the successor to Kapil Dev’s “Palmolive da jawab nahi,” and precursor to the “Sehwag ki Maa” campaign. All being rustic, honest and completely believable.

     

    Why have marketers preferred to bank on Sachin from 1990 till date? One remembers an incident that took place when the Indian selection committee sat down to pick the team for the Pakistan Tour in 1989. The panel knew Sachin was supremely talented and were worried to pick the 16-year old as he was bound to face baptism by fire with thunderbolts thrown at him by Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. “What if he fails?” was the question doing the rounds when the late Naren Tamhane, former India wicket keeper and part of the committee said: “Sachin never fails!” Wise words that marketers and brand managers believe in to date. 23-years on, one realises what Varsha meant…there are cricketers and there is Sachin!

     

    P. S. Sachin did not charge any fees for the Anja San campaign

     

    Hemant Kenkre, former cricketer, commentator and cricket-writer and communications practitioner, has captained Sachin Tendulkar for the Cricket Club of India (CCI).

     

  • November 18 is when we will see the last of Sachin Tendulkar playing for India. An infographic by MSLGroup capture what possibly lies ahead for the master blaster

    What’s Next for Brand Tendulkar?

    Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar will play his 200th and final Test match from November 14 to 18. While he’s been captain of the Indian team and a run-machine having broken several records in the last 24 years, Tendulkar is more than a cricketer, he’s an icon. He’s also one of India’s most enduring brands, with appeal across gender, age, socio-economic standing and regions.

     

    MSLGroup has put together an infographic that analyses what’s next for Brand Tendulkar, the opportunities that lie before him and the changes in positioning that he may bring about.

     

     

     

  • Presenting '10 on 10', the Sachin Tendulkar Quiz. Set by Sorbojeet Chatterjee, head of marketing at dna, and Quizmaster at the 'dna Ultimate Sachin Quiz' that's happening today (Nov 13) at Hard Rock Café in Parel, Mumbai.

    10 on 10: The Sachin Tendulkar Quiz. Presented by dna. Win 5 Prizes.

    So how good are you with the information on Sachin Tendulkar. Beyond statistics, beyond recent records and beyond basic personal info.

     

    Presenting ’10 on 10′, the Sachin Tendulkar Quiz. Set by Sorbojeet Chatterjee, head of marketing at dna, a quiz addict and a huge Sachin fan. In fact he’s going to the Quizmaster at the ‘dna Ultimate Sachin Quiz’ that’s happening today (Nov 13) at Hard Rock Café in Parel, Mumbai.

     

    Try cracking it and send us the answer s to Questions 3 and 6 in the subject line at editor@mxmindia.com. In addition give us a one-word descriptor on Brand Sachin Tendulkar . There are five goodies to be won courtesy dna. The names of the winners will be announced tomorrow. Entries must reach us by 5.30pm today (Nov 13). The correct answers will be announced tomorrow.

     

    1. When Sachin made his debut in Test Cricket against Pakistan – A cricketer was playing his 100th Test in the same match. Identify him?

    2. Sachin wasn’t the first cricketer to score a double hundred in ODIs. Who achieved this feat before him?
    3. Tendulkar featured in which Bollywood film?
    4. Sachin was the first cricketer who was given out by the Third Umpire. A brilliant effort by which fielder resulted in his dismissal?
    5. Sachin lost his father during the 1999 World Cup. He returned back to join the team and scored a century in the first match. Against which team?
    6. Tendulkar teamed up with Shoaib Akhtar and Brett Lee to promote which brand?
    7. Sachin was forced to open the innings in ODI when a regular opener got injured. Identify the opening batsman?
    8. Against which team did Sachin play his last ODI?
    9. Sachin has the highest number of 150+ scores in test matches. Whose record did he surpass
    10. Before attending the Wimbledon finals in 2012 Sachin had tweeted – “Just got fitted in my _____ suit. Feels like second skin”. Identify the brand?

     

    Here’s what you need to do to win a prize:

    Send us the answer s to Questions 3 and 6 in the subject line

    Send mail to editor@mxmindia.com.

    In addition give us a one-word descriptor on Brand Sachin Tendulkar. This will be used as a tie-breaker in case of more than five all-correct entries

    Please give us your name and mobile number.

    Employees and relatives of MxMIndia and dna cannot enter. Entries must reach the editor@mxmindia.com inbox by 5.30pm today (Wed, Nov 13, 2013).

    The five goodies will need to be collected from an address in Mumbai which will be provided along with the list of winners.

     

  • The conclave kickstarted with a chat session with Ajit Tendulkar, Sachin's brother

    Galaxy of stars at India Today group’s Salaam Sachin Conclave

    By A Correspondent

     

    The LAVA Salaam Sachin India Today Conclave organised by the India Today group was held with much fanfare in Mumbai on Tuesday (November 12). The opening session saw Sachin Tendulkar’s brother Ajit share insights on the master blaster’s life and career. The session was conducted by Boria Majumdar who is now Consulting Editor with the India Today group. Ajit reflected on life after November 18 when Sachin will quit the game.

     

    “One thing after 18th November Sachin won’t be wearing I ndia cap again. It will be a big change for him. He has been wearing that India cap for last 24 yrs. He always stepped on the field and people expected to score him 100 always. Pressure is not going to be there further. He can eat as many butter chicken as he wants with no further media scrutiny.” Ajit said

     

    The day saw a galaxy of cricketing stars – Sachin’s seniors like Sunil Gavaskar and contemporaries like Brian Lara in attendance.

     

  • Kicking off our series on the Master & the Media, Ranjona Banerji writes on why it's tough to imagine how the media will survive once Tendulkar has retired

    Why the media will miss Tendulkar much

     

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Is the media going needlessly gaga over Sachin Tendulkar’s impeding retirement? Or is this in the natural course of events, given the great cricketer’s tremendous influence on Indian life?

     

    In fact, it is hard to imagine how the media will survive once Tendulkar has retired. At least one week will be very difficult, given the range of our collective memory.

     

    1. The most upset will be those writers and journalists who have made a career out of slamming Sachin Tendulkar. Some have had the good sense to quickly bring out books on the subject before his retirement so they can make a little money from sales for at least three days. Although they had been calling for Tendulkar’s retirement for at least 10 years, it would actually have served their cause if Tendulkar had kept playing till he was about 53 or indeed, never retired at all.

     

    2. The secondmost upset will be those who have made a career out of Tendulkar memories. I saw him first, I recognised him first – well, those one can understand. And then there are spin-offs like I saw him last but I still knew he was great and so on. However, it is likely that these writers will manage to get leverage a little longer than the anti-Tendulkar brigade. Because nostalgia gives everything a nice rosy colour: many more books will be written about My Times with Tendulkar than How I Wish Tendulkar Had Retired At 53 So I Could Keep Bitching For Another Thirteen Years.

     

    3. Cricket statisticians will find themselves temporarily jobless as many records will remain unbroken or unchallenged for a while. There are only so many times you can mention “This is XX’s first Test match”. Actually, you can say that only once. Unless of course some other player decides to keep playing till they’re 53 or at least 40. Then the Anti-Tendulkar brigade can also jump on to that bandwagon and get some reflected glory. This ploy works best if the next player you target will be the one you had supported against Tendulkar. Like life coming full circle or a helicopter shot.

     

    4. Advertisers and sponsors will now have to find some other sure-shot selling smile, squeaky to non-squeaky voice, curly hair to non-curly and back. I would suggest that tennis sports goods, fast cars and rock bands can continue to use Tendulkar as a celebrity endorser. His large fan base (larger than the anti-Tendulkar base, much to their own disgust) will keep the cash registers clinking and chi-chinking away. Sports channels though can keep making programmes on Tendulkar. Retired sports greats make excellent fillers in between cars going round and round or people pretending to bash each other up.

     

    5. The band of Bengali sports writers who feel that Sourav Ganguly was done badly by Tendulkar in the Greg Chappell as coach days will now largely be out of sorts. They have to find someone else to feed their persecution mania. Since Ganguly has established himself as a very good commentator in English and Hindi, their best bet to feed their rage is in case Tendulkar becomes a commentator too.

     

  • Cashing in on the hype surrounding Sachin Tendulkar's farewell Test matches, broadcaster Star India has raised ad rates by almost 30-40%

    Star cashes in on Sachin mania, hikes ad rates by 40%

    By Ravi Teja Sharma & Ratna Bhushan

     

    Cashing in on the hype surrounding Sachin Tendulkar’s farewell Test matches, broadcaster Star India has raised ad rates by almost 30-40%. Advertisers and media buyers spoken to said while interest among the advertising fraternity is high for the Master Blaster’s 199th and 200th Test matches, to be played in Kolkata and Mumbai this month, they said advertisers may not be willing to cough up the premium being demanded.

     

    Typically, broadcasters charge anywhere between Rs 30,000 and Rs 50,000 for a high-interest Test match series. But for the series against West Indies, Star is demanding anywhere between Rs 60,000 and Rs 1 lakh per 10 seconds.

     

    “Star is asking higher rates (for the two matches) and there’s a certain level of interest among advertisers. But it’s not a big frenzy … it’s generally not boom time in advertising and rates could have been very low for the upcoming Test series had it not been for the Sachin factor,” says Ashish Bhasin, chairman India & CEO South East Asia at media buying firm Aegis Group.

     

    Advertisers, many of whom are still negotiating deals with Star, said ad rates would have to be realistic. “There’s a premium being charged, but we don’t know if it is justified. Viewership will certainly be high because these are Sachin’s final Tests, but if he gets out cheap, it will fall. We are still negotiating,” says Shubhodip Pal, chief marketing officer of mobile phone maker Micromax.

     

    Star, which has invested heavily on cricket acquisitions, is trying to use the opportunity to make the best of Tendulkar’s swansong. Sanjay Gupta, COO at Star India, says: “The frenzy among sports fans for Sachin’s last two matches has the same appeal compared to an India final in the World Cup.”

     

    While Mr Gupta declined to comment on the ad rates being demanded, he said advertisers such as telecom services provider Airtel, tobacco-to-consumer goods firm ITC, insurance firm Bharti AXA and confectionery maker Perfetti van Melle were among the ones who had picked up sponsorship and spot buys for the series.

     

    Last month, Star India had acquired title sponsorship rights for all international cricket matches to be played in the country till March 2014 at 2 crore per match – this was 40% lower than what telecom services provider Bharti Airtel had paid for the same sponsorship last year, an indication that the advertising market has dried up to a large extent, hit by the economic gloom and dwindling interest in sponsorship rights.

     

    Star India has acquired the rights for a period of six months till March next year. With the matches at Eden Gardens and Wankhede, Tendulkar will also become the first cricketer ever to play 200 Test matches.

     

    The rates are still significantly lower than what an IPL T20 match commands. IPL broadcaster Multi Screen Media had charged anywhere between Rs 4 and Rs 4.5 lakh per 10 seconds of ad time for IPL 6, while for the final four games of the T20 tournament, the asking rate shot up to Rs 15 lakh per 10 seconds. Ad rates for the final of IPL 5 were around Rs 10 lakh per 10 seconds.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2013, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • Star India has asked fans of the master blaster to cheer "Sachin-Sachin" and break the world record of cheers for a hero who has always broken records for India!

    Star India to break another record with Sachin, net max number of cheers

    By A Correspondent

     

    This deserves special space even though we are peeved that it’s easier to get Sachin Tendulkar on record than some of the top guns of Star Sports. Why, it’s easy to even reach out to the CEO of Star India. Or the I&B or sports ministers of the country.

     

    The broadcast network has launched a unique campaign ‘Cheer for Sachin’ to pay tribute to Sachin Tendulkar as plays the farewell series against West Indies next month. Star India is targeting to break the world record for maximum ‘Cheers’ garnered by any campaign ever across the world.

     

    Celebrities like Priyanka Chopra, Prosenjit Chaterjee, Kapil Dev, Ravi Shastri, Wasim Akram, Rameez Raza and protagonists from the leading serials on Star Plus like Diya Aur Baati Hum and Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai have already recorded their cheers. The broadcaster has also reached out to Sudhir Kumar Chaudhary – regarded by many as the biggest Sachin fan to record a special cheer for this campaign.

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Gayatri Yadav, EVP-Marketing & Communications, Star India, said, “We are honoured that Sachin’s farewell series will be played on our network. Sachin has made innumerable records during his memorable career; it’s time that his fans make this record as a grand tribute.”

     

    The campaign will run across the Star entertainment and sports network of channels. There will be huge focus on the digital media as well to aggregate all fans for the campaign. The campaign invites fans to dial a number and cheer for Sachin. Star India will donate its share of proceeds from the incoming call revenues to an NGO for sports development amongst youth.

     

    As for the top guns of Star Sports, well to read them, go through some of the pink papers or biz channels instead. Or some of us who carry the communiqués with the hope that they will condescend to speak to us.