From stumps to billboards, a look at MS Dhoni's advertising prowess

Cricket legend MS Dhoni has been a brand favourite with his endorsements soaring each year and the respect and admiration going even higher. What makes brand Dhoni so influential? We find out...

Captain Cool for India, Thala for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fans, and Mahi for all - Mahendra Singh Dhoni is a true leader both on and off the field. 

The cricket star who started as a young player is known for his cool-as-a-cucumber attitude.

The young boy from Ranchi, who has always had a diversified interest in different sports, with a penchant for wicket-keeping, entered the cricketing world due to this particular skill. But catching the ball isn't the only skill the batsman is known for, it’s the respect he has earned from his loyal fanbase and the ability to finish off a game in style through tough spots.

Perhaps, this reliability is why the cricketer has been stumping the advertising world with numerous brand deals.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by M S Dhoni (@mahi7781)

So what makes brand 'Dhoni' so powerful?

More than an endorser

On the field, Dhoni has made a name for himself as ‘Captain Cool’ because of his calm leadership, but it's the emotional connection with his fans that makes him more than just a brand endorser. 

His track record as a captain, leading India to win two ICC World Cups- T20 World Cup in 2007 and the ODI World Cup in 2011 besides the ICC Champions trophy in 2013, makes him a worthy component to represent brands.

“His success on the field, with two decades in the game has made him one of the most enduring brands in India,” says Lloyd Mathias, Angel Investor and former marketing head of HP Asia. 

Dhoni’s brand value stands at USD 80.3 mn as stated in Kroll’s celebrity brand valuation report 2022.

With brands like JioCinema, WinZo, Reebok, Colgate, Fire-Boltt, Oreo and more lining up on his roster, one would think the veteran sports person will be actively using social media's power. However, the cricketer prefers to keep a low profile on social media with a follower base of 43.6 million on Instagram, 8.6 million on Twitter, and 27 million on Facebook. 

Other than cricket, he could be known as a farmer, a bike lover and an animal lover. His Instagram is a reflection of what Dhoni loves doing in his free time. 

The page is full of his love for farming, he gives insight into his life with his daughter and wife and his love for sports and team members. He also tends to post a lot about his pre-match and post-match thoughts. 

It is this candour and humility that makes him look more approachable and humble to fans. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by M S Dhoni (@mahi7781)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by M S Dhoni (@mahi7781)

Facebook is where Dhoni is more active, purely shining light on the brands he endorses. 

Observing his social media presence, Sahil Chopra, Founder and CEO, iCubesWire notes, "Dhoni’s engagement rate is significantly higher on Instagram owing to a considerable number of likes, comments and shares. Though he endorses on Facebook, his engagement rate on Instagram is the highest."

Brand Evolution 

Despite being a sportsperson, a simple Google search will show that MS Dhoni’s first endorsement wasn’t for fitness or an athleisure brand. Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd. (KSDL)’s Mysore Sandal Soap roped him in months after he debuted for India in 2005. 

While he has since moved on to notable brands, each of his endorsements holds true to the human being that Dhoni is. The humble beginnings of a man from the city of Ranchi, making his way through the railways collecting tickets from passengers to becoming a coveted star in his own right has made him relatable and approachable to his fans.

Adding his acting chops and humour into the mix is an added advantage for brands. Brands like Snickers have shown him losing his ever-present ‘cool’ while Oreo’s advert with his daughter Ziva reflected their sweet relationship. 

So what exactly attracts brands to him?

“For brands, he stands for likeability, dependability and reliability – without the ups and downs that go with big celebrities, especially sportspersons," said Mathias.

As per TAM AdEx’s Celebrity endorsement report 2022, MS Dhoni had the highest number of brand endorsements under his belt. 

LV Krishnan, CEO, TAM Media Research notes that brands look for three key elements in an ambassador –

• a) A very strong appeal among their Target segment
• b) Personify strong values that the brand stands for in the consumer’s mind
• c) Ability to convincingly communicate the brand’s proposition to potential customers. 

“MS, with his natural way of handling success and failures graciously in his field of profession has managed to strike a chord with all segments of the population. His qualities of humbleness as a leader as well as a co-team player makes him amenable to embody any brand’s positioning in the marketplace. He brings across a sense of reliability, assurance and integrity, the qualities that any brand wants to portray to their set of consumers," said Krishnan. 

Also Read: AlcoBev Marketing: Vineet Sharma on raising Budweiser’s spirits through cultural immersion

Today, he is not just a leader on the field and an ambassador but an investor in multiple businesses like Cars24, Garuda Aerospace, Seven, Dhoni Entertainment, and sports franchises like hockey team Ranchi Rays, football team Chennaiyin FC, and more. 

Thala’s Reign Post-IPL

Another Indian Premier League (IPL) win for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) under the captain’s leadership has only brought more prestige to 'Brand Dhoni’.

iCubesWire’s analysis of social media trends during IPL 2023 showed that the sentiment expressed towards MS Dhoni is predominantly neutral, accounting for 53.8% of all sentiments. 

Sahil Chopra mentioned, “Alongside this, Dhoni also drew a substantial amount of positivity, with 38.2% of sentiments classified as positive. Dhoni is widely respected for his cricket accomplishments and his captain-cool image.”

This is a positive change considering he wasn't in the top five list for the first 55 matches during the season in TAM Sports’ celebrity endorsement report for IPL 2023.

LV Krishnan of TAM Media cites that IPL 16 saw a large churn in Categories and Brands that brought inventory in TV & Digital, compared to previous seasons. An influx of new advertisers walked into IPL broadcast and streaming to communicate about their brand’s proposition. 

Thala was seen endorsing three brands throughout the season - Indigo Paints, WinZo games taking a larger share. 

He has observed that the captain's charisma has not diminished and brands continue to propel him to hawk their values despite the decline in his overall share. "However, Dhoni's enigma is so huge that we might very well see a resurgence of his endorsements for brands in the coming season."    

His influence is immense and that can be seen in the moment marketing bandwagon brands jumped on as soon as CSK won IPL 2023.

While Dhoni keeps teasing about his retirement from the sport as each year passes, the legend is bound to inspire as a player, mentor and coach. 

Anand Mahindra even recommends that he enter politics since is 'an obvious future leader'. No matter the direction Mahi takes, Brand Dhoni will keep soaring and he will always finish off in style.