PepsiCo Ends Eleven Year Endorsement Deal With MS Dhoni

PepsiCo has just ended its eleven year endorsement with MS Dhoni, the captain of the Indian cricket team in limited overs matches. Analysts suggest that development reflects the brand’s strategy to focus on more youthful icons like test skipper Virat Kohli.

MS Dhoni’s History With PepsiCo

PepsiCo signed on MS Dhoni as a brand endorser in 2005. He was part of campaigns for several PepsiCo products including Pepsi and Lay’s chips. Major campaigns which he participated in were ‘Oh Yes Abhi’ and ‘Change The Game’.

According to reports, Dhoni asks for at least Rs.1.5 crore per day and Rs.8 crore per year to endorse a product.

Moving Towards The Youth

PepsiCo V-P for beverages Vipul Prakash confirmed Dhoni’s exit saying, “At PepsiCo, our focus in advertising and marketing is to make our products the hero and celebrate the hero. The idea will always play the most important role. If there’s a role for the celebrity that helps take forward the idea of celebrating our product, we’re more than happy to taking it further.

Experts have suggested that Kohli is now considered a better personality to take forward the idea of celebrating PepsiCo’s products as he represents the youth.

“Brands like Pepsi are vibrant and youthful,” said entertainment marketing company Percept’s joint managing director Shailendra Singh to the Economic Times. “While Dhoni has had his place in the sun, it’s the younger ones like Virat with whom advertisers with youthful brands are likely to resonate with now.”

Other personalities that represent PepsiCo, like Ranbir Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra also indicate its focus on the youth.