Media Society And

Government Assignment

Case 1: Dhoni brand ambassador for

Mars Wrigley Confectionery’s
Snickers

Mars International India Pvt. Ltd is the Indian arm of

American chocolate maker Mars Inc. The brand is loved

across the world for its cool quotient and there is no one

who personifies this better than M.S Dhoni . Ever since

its launch in the Indian market, Snickers has

successfully built upon the philosophy of how you’re not

you when you are hungry, With the association of M.S.

Dhoni.
Under Star Theory we discussed about Genuine Help ,
Celebrity Power , effective celebrity endorsers, which help us
to understand this case very well. Mars International India Pvt. Selected
Dhoni because his credibility ensures genuine help in terms of circulation of
the meaning to larger no. of people connecting through his fanbase and
trustworthiness.He is a brand ambassador of other brands like TVS, Redbus,
Colgate which give him power over other celebrities. These factors Made
Mars International India Pvt. Selective over choosing M.S Dhoni.

The American Brand is trying its best to cement its position in the Indian

Market. Due to its quality Chocolate Bar and Good Reputation , It seem

important for them to look for a credible partner with whom they could

connect their product. The brand is loved across the world for its cool quotient

and there is no one who personifies this better than Dhoni. Dhoni, apart from

being an ace athlete, has a brand value of $26.9 million, is ranked 12th in

terms of celebrity brand value, according to a Duff & Phelps Celebrity Brand

Valuation Report 2018. Snickers is an impulse purchase brand category

where the storyline of campaigns supersedes the choice of brand

ambassador. Dhoni, is a perfect fit because Snickers is about staying healthy

while snacking. As a brand, it wants to be seen as popular and cool which

aligns with the image of Dhoni, who is one of the top players in the country

and well respected among the youth. Both the parties received wide
participation of viewers due the fine connection between the product and

the chosen communicator. Due to its new inception in this country it helped

them to tap in the minds of people connected with both the parties. Dhoni

proved his credibility as a endorser and managed to get attention of other

other brands looking for a way to enter into Indian market.

CASE 2: Dream11 Selected MS Dhoni as

its new brand ambassador

Dream11 is a fantasy platform based in Indiahat allows users to play fantasy

cricket, hockey, football, kabaddi and basketball. In April 2019, Dream11
became the first Indian gaming company to enter the unicorn club. Cricketer
& Ex-Indian Captain M.S Dhoni is the brand ambassador of Dream11 and
launched the “Dimaag se Dhoni” media campaign during the 2018 Indian
Premier League. Dhoni is immense popular amongst sports fans, coupled
with his leadership qualities and sharp cricketing acumen, makes him the
perfect match for the brand.He embodies all the characteristics that our
users need while picking their Dream11 team. It is believed that this
association will help the company exponentially grow their current user base
of 2 crore Indian sports fans.

The model shows direct and indirect effects of credibility, Product fit, , it may
have a positive effect on attitude towards the ad and in turn influences
attitude towards the brand, affecting purchase intention. Source Credibility
strongly influence this effectiveness, with trustworthiness being a main
driver.
Trustworthiness and Expertise are two main components in this theory. The
company selected Dhoni because it gives millions of sports fans an opportunity
to be the decision maker, create their own team and experience the game
first-hand. The Dream11 platform perfectly defines the importance of choosing
the right players and building a team as per the playing conditions. The fact that
every Dream11 user actually aspires to employ the same kind of thinking prowess
that has made MS Dhoni such a master of the game (cricket) truly makes him a
unique fit for the Dream11 brand. A cricketing legend who has led India to two
World Cup victories, MS Dhoni is widely considered one of the greatest minds
in the sport. His tactical approach to each match and strategic planning
includes an in-depth, data-driven research, 360° understanding of the game,
analysis of competitive strengths and weaknesses and the ability to apply his
skills to perfection - qualities that are needed by every sports fan to play on
Dream11. The fantasy sports brand ‘Dream 11’ is one of the most loved
platforms among cricket fans, and the excitement among fans only grew with
the news of former Indian skipper MS Dhoni joining the brand.

Brands no more see Dhoni just as a celebrity to endorse their products. They
are valuing him as a reliable connect between the product and the consumer.
With 10 endorsement deals in nine months, the vintage Dhoni remains most
consistent performer in the brand market.Some of the biggest sports leagues
in the world such as the CPL, ISL and the NBA are using fantasy sports as their
primary tool of fan engagement through Dream11. Even the IPL and EPL have
their own fantasy sports offering, with the whole industry focused on providing
a holistic user experience through highly engaging sports product offerings.
REFERENCE:
1. Laghate, Gaurav (2018-03-23). "How fantasy sports is becoming a
multi-billion dollar business globally". The Economic Times.
Retrieved 2018-04-24

2. "Startup Street: How Dream11 Is Cashing In On India's Growing

Love For Fantasy Sports". BloombergQuint. Retrieved 2018-11-22

3. Prashant Singh (11 April 2009). "India Today article on

endorsements". Indiatoday.intoday.in. Retrieved 20
December2010.

4. "Will Dhoni be next big catch for sponsors?". The Hindu. India. 7
April 2005. Retrieved 11 May 2007

5. Richard Varey (September 11, 2002). Marketing Communication:

A Critical Introduction. Routledge. pp. 141–. ISBN 978-1-134-
58159-7.

6. "Celebrity Endorsement Vs Influencer marketing". 2017-03-30.

7. Spry, A.; Pappu, R.; Cornwell, T. B. (2011). "Celebrity

endorsement, brand credibility and brand equity". European
Journal of Marketing. 45 (6): 882–
909. doi:10.1108/03090561111119958.

Submitted By:
Daksh Gogia
Shesh Narain Tewari