Pad up, there's a brand new deal street in town
collaboration deals have been signed by various cricketers amid rising viewership numbers for the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) over the last two-three weeks, executives said. A similar number of pacts are in the process of being finalised, they said.
Chennai Super Kings star player MS Dhoni has been signed by nutrition startup Explosive Whey, in which he'll also be investing, French carmaker Citroen and Emcure Pharmaceuticals. Appliances maker Philips has collaborated with Virat Kohli for a limited-edition, co-designed beard trimmer. Wearables brand boAt has signed Yashasvi Jaiswal. Shikhar Dhawan has been signed by eyewear start-up QUE as investor and ambassador.
Dhoni said the partnership with supplements maker Explosive Whey was «a natural fit» for him. French car maker Citroen, a Stellantis Group brand, is learnt to have signed him for a two-year, ₹7-crore deal. The deal, according to executives, is aimed at improving brand awareness and market share since it's a relatively new entrant.
'₹3-5cr a Year for Top Names'
Kohli, who has 63 million followers on X, posted: «Presenting my first collaboration where I co-designed the limited-edition Philips beard trimmer.»
Deals are being signed by established cricketers and newer entrants with brands looking to leverage the tournament for visibility as well as cutting through the clutter.
«For the bigger names like Virat, these new deals would spill over with the upcoming ICC (World Cup) tournament, which starts next month in the US,» said Sandeep Goyal,
