Vivo Completes 180 Comeback By Endorsing THE Icon Of Indian Sport

Ahead of the upcoming IPL season, Indian cricket star Virat Kohli has added Chinese smartphone Vivo to his already massive endorsement portfolio.

As a Vivo brand ambassador, the 32-year-old will spread awareness and promote the launch of the Chinese company’s upcoming products. The partnership includes all above the line (ATL) and below the line (BTL) activities, including Vivo’s upcoming TV, print, outdoor, social media campaigns and events.

The deal further cements Vivo’s commercial backing of cricket in India, as it also returns as the title sponsor of this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 tournament, which begins on 9th April.

However, the deal is a 180 degree turn for the brand in India, which had been pilloried by consumers and the government to the point where it was heavily rumoured to have been squeezed out of its IPL title sponsorship. That deal came back like Lazarus, and now they have pinned their badge on the icon of Indian cricket; no, on the icon of what should be classed as one of the country’s religions.

Nipun Marya, director of brand strategy for Vivo in India, said partnering “with someone as effervescent” as Kohli will help the company “connect with our younger consumers”.

Kohli, who also captains the Royal Challengers Bangalore IPL franchise, added his own words to the announcement, “As a sportsperson, I understand the importance of consistency and commitment in the game. Vivo, as a brand, has established itself as one of the leading players in the Indian smartphone market with its consistency towards delivering innovative technology.

“The way Vivo has brought joy to its customers’ lives through simplified technology, and advancements in mobile photography are game-winning. Associating with such a brand that understands and delivers to the audience is quite exciting.”

Presently Kohli is the 66th highest-paid athlete in the world, according to Forbes, which estimates that the ace batsman earned around US$24 million in 2020 from his endorsement deals which includes major international brands such as Audi, Colgate-Palmolive, Google, Puma and Uber.

But the brand in this deal is not the same as those aforementioned. It will be interesting to see if there is still simmering dissent for Vivo, and whether this association with the national team skipper will be more inflammatory than engaging.