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Ambar Singh Roy

KOLKATA, Feb. 17

THAT'S the power of SMS (short messaging service). And it could well work to the detriment of companies whose products are endorsed by members of the Indian cricket team. The maximum impact could be felt in the city, home to India's beleaguered skipper Sourav Ganguly and where cricket has always ruled the roost. It is hardly surprising that, at this juncture, some of the companies Business Line spoke to were wary of roping in cricketers as their brand ambassadors in the future.

Following the team's dismal performance in the match against Australia last Saturday, most cellphone users here - and elsewhere in the country - received a terse message which read: "We make one promise as Indians today. Not to buy any product which has Indian cricketers as models. Please pass this on to at least five friends."

Says Mr Rupinder Singh, an avid cricket lover who was in London to watch the 1999 World Cup final and one who was planning a trip to South Africa this time as well: "I agree with the sentiment underlying the message. Clearly, the focus of our cricketers has changed from concentrating on the game to making money. One important reason behind our victory in the 1983 World Cup Cricket was that the Indian team always moved together, lived together and even attended parties together. Today's cricketers spend their free time shooting for commercials or pursuing other material interests." Adds Mr Gautam Chakraborty, a financial consultant: "Our cricketers have ceased to concentrate on the game. Instead, their pursuits have commercial intent. The Board of Control for Cricket in India should be strict and impose penalties on the cricketers for non-performance."

A spokesperson of LG Electronics India Ltd said the SMS doing the rounds would not affect sales of LG products in India. "We are not worried as we do not have any cricketer as our brand ambassador. We are only sponsoring the World Cup. In any case, a customer, for example, will buy a television for the right reasons and not because it has been endorsed by a celebrity cricketer."

Samsung India Electronics Ltd has decided to continue with the `Team Samsung' campaign. Says the Samsung India spokesperson, Ms Ruchika Batra: "We view this as a reaction to the disappointing performance of the Indian cricket team in the match against Australia. There are no changes in our advertisement schedule. We cannot change our business decisions before reviewing the long-term impact, if any, of such a development on the company."

Mr Narendra Pagaria, an electronics, FMCG and white goods dealer, says televisions were selling like "hot cakes" till late on Friday last. "Between Friday and Monday afternoon, television sales have gone down by 70 per cent," he said. Sources in private television channels here confirmed that Pepsi - which is endorsed by several members of the Indian team including Captain Ganguly - has reduced its exposure in the electronic media.

While companies whose products are endorsed by cricketers seek to downplay the likely impact of the SMS on their prospective customers, a senior official of a company whose brand ambassador till a few months ago was Ganguly, had this to say: "We cannot ignore the sentiments of the people of the country. However, as a nation we are a very forgiving people. If the team performs well in the next few matches, the scenario will change."

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