Mysore Sandal Soap has a new brand ambassador: It’s Mahendra Singh Dhoni. And it is a bit of a scandal.
First, let’s give the PR devils their due.
Yes, it is a happy coincidence that a brand whose initials are MS has found its mascot whose initials are also MS.
Yes, it is a coup for a small company to have bagged the next big thing in Indian cricket, for a cheap price.
Yes, Dhoni’s is a nationally recognized face, flowing hair and all, that may become even more famous in the years to come.
But…
But, pardon us for sounding so parochial, but was it impossible for Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL) to find a Kannadiga, if not a true-blue Mysorean, to tout and shout the virtues of a decidedly Kannadiga product?
It’s never very comfortable to raise such questions, but churumuri is, if nothing else, the contrarian in these matters.
What is it that a Dhoni will bring to Mysore Sandal that Javagal Srinath cannot?
What is it that a Dhoni will bring to Mysore Sandal that Anil Kumble or Rahul Dravid canot?
Mysore Sandal recently had the privilege of being awarded Geographic Indication (GI). It means the product commands proprietary authority by virtue of its location.
In other words, nobody else can make a sandal soap and pass it off as Mysore Sandal, as they tried to with neem and basmati rice a few years ago.
The simple point we wish to make is this: a GI brand needed a brand ambassador with some GI.
A brand ambassador who has the gandha of the product and its region.
M.S. Dhoni of Jharkhand may yet become as famous a brand as M.S. of Redmond, but he will still not stand, never stand for the Mysore part of M.S..
Because, that is the nature of the beast called celebrity endorsement.
Today, Dhoni endorses Mysore Sandal. Tomorrow, if the price is right, he will endorse Cinthol or Camay. There is no emotional attachment with the product. There is even less empathy for the geography in which it is produced.
It’s a straightforward commercial deal.
Yes, a few young people with long hair may be motivated to try Mysore Sandal, but what after that?
As it is, celebrity endorsements have been reduced to a bit of a farce by the lazy whizkids of marketing who cannot think beyond Amitabh Bachchan (or Shah Rukh Khan or Sachin Tendulkar).
Believe it or not, Bachchan now “endorses” apartments, banks, batteries, cars, chocolates, chyawanprash, hair oils, jewellery, laxatives, paints, pens, resorts, soaps, soft drinks, suitings. And he is ready to endore any product if somebody is strong (or foolish) enough to dangle a cheque before him.
(Indeed, Mr Bachchan had been lined up to do the English commentary for the T.S. Nagabharana’s sound and light show at the Mysore palace. Fortunately, it has been kept on the backburner for the moment.)
Such celebrity endorsements make the agency’s job easier. It makes the already-rich celebrities richer. And it blows a small hole in the pocket of the client.
But does it really help the product?
If a celebrity like Dhoni, whose sole intention is to make the most of a short career, does not convey geographical indication for a product like Mysore Sandal, what use is such advertising or endorsement?
If Dhoni endorses a dozen other products, as he is doing already, what kind of brand-recognition will he bring to an emblematic product like Mysore Sandal?
This does no mean that a product should only be endorsed by those who hail from the region in which it is produced. Far from it. There needs to be a real and alive link especially in the case of generic products.
If only a certain kind of celebrity are going to endorse products across the length and breath of India because they are nationally recognisable, and appeal to men and women, rich and poor, what an intellectually bankrupt country must we be?
And what morons must we be to fall for it?
Sadly, KSDL has done no favours to Mysore or Mysore Sandal by this boring, predictable move.
Dhoni doesn’t wash. You can quote us on this.
Speaking of Dhoni and brand ambassadors, did anyone notice something odd during this ongoing one-day series? No matter which player won the Man of the Match award and the TVS motorbike given along with it, it was always our long-haired wicket-keeper in the driver’s seat with the poor prize winner sitting behind him. I am sure it is just a coincidence that Dhoni happens to be the brand ambassador of TVS.
Mohan
It’s in keeping with the facticious cosmopolitan attitude of the Kannadigas – welcome the outsiders with red carpet.
Nice to see patriotic kannadigas here.Dravid with his national appeal would have been a better choice.
What is amazing is in the land of Madhva who preached individuality and considered preservation of individuality the most important thing , and stated that the greatest of crime is giving up one’s individuality , people are so fasicnated by other people’s culture and hold outsiders in such high esteem.
It’s all about the latest and the best. I’m sure people do that everywhere in the world. Sure, Dravid would have been a good choice.. but what if KSDL could not afford him?? I’m sure there’s a lot more involved in this than just the fact that they plainly picked up Dhoni for this ad.. Do you know the background?? Dhoni is good and a latest sensation in cricket.. and our soap, the best in fragrance and quality..so, why not??
Hi:
I think the reason Dravid doesn’t want someone like Dhoni bat regularly at #3 is because, he is interested in keeping this spot ‘open’ for himself. If someone like Dhoni was to pay regularly at this position and succeed it would become somewhat ’embarrassing’ to displace him later. Whereas, if he keeps this spot rotating… he can slip in [such as in case of Tendulkar’s arrival] at any time.
I get the impression that Dravid hugely prefers this batting position. Kaif had succeeded greatly in Zimbabwe when playing regularly at #3 position. And, I count Kaif’s displacement from this position as one of the reasons for his recent poor run of form.
I hope Dhoni doesn’t get reduced to a 15-20 runs an inning kind of batsman by having to play at 6,7 position where he often has only tail for company and often when team is in dire situation.
He frequently comes where he needs to either score quickly without settling down or just concentrate on defending because team had lost 5 wickets quickly. This is the situation he has been coming to bat most of the times since returning from a very successful Pakistan tour where he performed exemplary up the order. Playing in this situation doesn’t give any real room to build kind of inning that he has shown himself to be capable of.
I find this a strategy worthy of criticism in spite of Indian team’s successes against trucated England side. This strategy can certainly prove quite costly against teams like Australia and South Africa and in the world cup.
Now [still 6 months away from the world cup] is time and now is the opportunity [playing against a team like WI or a truncated England side in India] to give someone like Dhoni an opportunity to play 4-5 inning to settle into this vital position.
Playing at this position gives him ample to room to settle and deliver and to build big total. He has shown good form, good temperament, ability to settle, ability to score quickly and ability to hit high scores. And, team will gain a lot if he establishes himself at this position.
~Arvind
PS: It will be interesting to plot Dhoni’s average when playing as opener and at #3, #4 position. It is likely to be in excess of 50 with strike rate of 100 plus. I wonder if he doesn’t feel frustrated and deprived of opportunity by having to play at 6-7 position in spite of giving excellent performance on top. Most “humans” are likely to feel frustrated in this situation and I hope this “likely” frustration doesn’t cause Dhoni to lose his excellent positive mental attitude and eventually his batting form.
I would say..Javagal and Kumbles are perfect fit for brand ambassadors of Mysore Sandal and karnataka… They earned their respect from eveyr one with their matured behaviour.. They deserve it.
Dhoni stays nearer to Lalu than us!