The Hindu Business Line : Brand Kapil

The resurrection is complete. Two years after India's most celebrated cricket captain came under a cloud, he's back on centre-stage, this time endorsing a clutch of brands. Genuine, straight, desi. Catalyst takes a look at the qualities that make Kapil hot property.

Lord's, June 1983. Skipper Kapil Dev triumphantly holds aloft the World Cup cricket trophy.

November 1994. Kapil announces his retirement from cricket.

New Delhi, May 2000. Under a cloud of match-fixing allegations, Kapil weeps on television, watched by millions.

London, July 2002. Kapil is named the Wisden Indian Cricketer of the Century.

Chennai, October 2002. To the sound of drum rolls, Kapil rides on to a stage on a Kinetic Boss, a streak of sindoor on his forehead.

CRICKETER, commentator, brand endorser, Brand. In a land where film stars are gods and cricket is religion, Kapil Dev Nikhanj has always occupied a separate space. Perhaps it was his humble circumstances; perhaps it was his down-to-earth demeanour. Perhaps it was his skills as a bowler, his prowess as batsman, or his resilient spirit on the field that have endeared him to millions of Indians. These qualities were never in doubt, even in the thick of controversy two years ago.

Now, the clouds have passed, the Wisden award is his, and Kapil is riding the crest of a wave of popularity. It is not surprising, therefore, that brands as diverse as Sony Entertainment Television, Timex Watches and Kinetic Boss have signed him on in the last few months, as the cachet of Kapil the brand becomes clearer to marketers and consumers alike.

"Kapil has multi-dimensional facets to him: to start with, he is an all-rounder," explains B. Narayanaswamy, Executive Director, Indica Research, which has studied celebrity endorsers extensively. A marketer seeks instant, or very wide, recognition of the endorser, which is usually derived from success in a field, he says. As the captain of the only Indian team that won the World Cup, and the man who averted a near-miss in that tournament by his splendid innings against Zimbabwe, and now by his Wisden award, Kapil obviously qualifies on that score.

Kapil also scores on another parameter: "He is from mainstream India, not the English-speaking, Westernised or aristocratic edge," says Narayanaswamy. "He has a very natural, Indian, straight-guy mien to him, so a very large number of people identify with him."

In fact, the straight-guy image is so powerful that even during the controversy, the reaction was typically, "Kapil? No way." "Even when he was under a cloud, people didn't really believe all the stuff that was being bandied about," says Superna Chopra, Associate Vice-President, JWT, who has worked with Kapil on the Timex campaign. "People have a lot of good feeling about him, and now, he is even more endearing and loveable than before. It's like a second birth."

Also, eight years after he hung up his pads, there is a golden glow to the man and his career, observes a noted sports writer. "It's very comparable to Amitabh, who is so respected now, but had many critics in his prime," he says. "Now, we don't see the chinks, and the Wisden has brought him back into focus."

In addition, Kapil has that "edge" that is so sought after by marketers; a quality that the man on the street identifies with, or admires. It could be that he did something for the country, his integrity, his genius or his simplicity, says Narayanaswamy. Kapil certainly has the edge - loads of it.

It is these qualities that the brands all hope to tap. Sony Entertainment Television's (SET) Max came first, signing him on as brand ambassador for the ICC cricket tournaments for three years, even before he was awarded the Wisden. Max has the exclusive rights to live telecasts of ICC matches till 2007. "Internally, our decision to go with Kapil was unanimous," says Rajat Jain, Executive Vice-President and Business Head, Max. "We felt his persona - especially his mass appeal - and his following among cricket fans would be a tremendous boost to our viewership and distribution."

Kapil's role is not limited to that of a commentator; he is also in a position to advise on programming and marketing innovations, and has been "a very involved partner" in several of Max's on-air and off-air promos, Jain says. One such promo was gully cricket (street cricket), which was held in several Indian cities. "Everywhere, Kapil was as keen to reach out to the frenzied fans as they were to reach out to him," Jain says. "That's the kind of value Kapil brings to Max."

Shortly afterwards, Sachin Tendulkar was signed on by ESPN-Star Sports; some industry watchers believe it was a reaction to Max's use of Kapil. Max knows it has a good thing going; Kapil was given a show in mid-August, Kapil Dil Se, where he interviews celebrities in a candid, intimate fashion. "Everyone seems to be Kapil's fan, everyone loves the man," Jain says. "His fan following is just the biggest leveller in India."

Indeed, as a former cricketer, and as a current legend, he is recognised by a lot more people. Also, the cricket audience has been transformed - from just the middle and upper-middle classes about 20 years ago to a mass audience today - thanks to television, says the sports writer. "Cricket has become a street-level sport now, and that has worked in Kapil's favour, as he has a wider appeal than, say, Gavaskar."

It is this universal appeal that Timex has also sought to tap. Timex first worked with Wisden to make a special watch for the Cricketer of the Century. Afterwards, Timex, which has often used cricket and fashion in brand promos, signed on Kapil for a short-term contract for its "Explore your other side" ad campaign, and for its festival promo.

"Kapil has become `hot' once again, and his endurance, machismo, resilience, honesty, simplicity and ruggedness go well with the Timex brand proposition," says Kapil Kapoor, Managing Director, Timex Watches Ltd. "Besides, he has a reputation of being a world beater, with a kick-ass attitude."

In the Timex TV commercial, which went on air early this month, Kapil is seen wearing a cowboy hat, driving an open jeep and singing John Denver's Country Roads. Some villagers passing by are astonished by this glimpse into the other side of `Paaji'.

"Kapil has cut-through value: he has an earthy, son-of-the-soil image that cuts through socio-economic classes and appeals to all cross-sections of society," says Chopra of JWT, which handles the Timex account. Kapil himself sang the lines, she says, and while some people have commented that the off-tune rendering must have made Denver turn in his grave, it is this very quality that was expected of Kapil.

"He has always stood for simplicity and spontaneity, and for being comfortable with who he is and what he is," says Chopra. "That's what makes him so endearing and likeable."

These qualities were apparent even in the early days of Kapil's brand associations - think Palmolive shaving cream, and Boost. "Boost is the secret of my energy," he declared; there was none of the complicated plot and slick storyline that characterises the advertising for the malt beverage now endorsed by Sachin. His Palmolive "da jawaab nahin" is still remembered, and always with a smile. He even endorsed Rapidex, the English-learning course; another star may have cringed at making his language impediment public, not so Kapil.

Perhaps Kapil could not have pulled off singing Denver then, but it's also highly unlikely that he would endorse a brand like Rapidex today.

His endorsement list is nowhere as long as, say, Sachin's, and some marketers doubt if he can be associated with very upscale brands, but he is picking his deals carefully. "He is very versatile, he will extend his range, but he is very selective in what he endorses," confirms Indica's Narayanaswamy.

His endorsement deal for Kinetic Boss is evidence of this: Kapil's association with the brand entails more than just an ad campaign - as in the case of Timex - or something related to cricket, as in the case of Max. For its new four-stroke economy bike, Kinetic wanted a celebrity who was "honest and reliable," and represented aspiration to the target segment of the value-conscious rural and small-town buyer. The choice of Kapil over a film star or another cricketer was deliberate, and unanimous.

"Our positioning is Dum Hai, so we were looking for an icon who represented that spirit of ruggedness and solidity," says Sulajja F. Motwani, Joint Managing Director, Kinetic Engineering Ltd. "We did not want a celebrity from whom the masses would feel alienated, and we wanted owners of Boss to feel a surge of pride from the association with a hero."

Kapil has been "a true hero and an achiever," and, because his roots are middle-class and small town rather than big city, the masses consider him one of their own. "Plus, he really looks good on the bike!" Motwani says.

While Kinetic has used Kapil and actor Sunil Shetty in some earlier promos, this is the first celebrity endorsement contract for the Pune-based two-wheeler maker.

So there was a fair amount of deliberation on both sides before signing on the dotted line. "Kapil was testing the waters - Boss was a new product, and he was unsure of its impact on his image, and how the relationship would work," says Punit Chaudhry, General Manager (Sales & Marketing), Kinetic Engineering Ltd.

Kinetic conducted a dipstick study to gauge the effectiveness of using Kapil, and the results confirmed it was on the right track, Chaudhry says. There was no negative fall-out from the match-fixing allegations in the minds of the public, either. Kinetic sealed the deal with Kapil on August 28, just a few weeks after the historic award was presented. Kinetic kicked off a rash of road shows, and dealer and customer visits in various cities.

"We wanted someone who would not just give his face for an hour for a campaign, but give us much more time," says Chaudhry, who was Kapil's neighbour in Chandigarh when they were both young. "We wanted a working celebrity relationship."

Kapil, too, apparently sees the merit in doing more than merely modelling for a brand. For Max, for example, he was roped in to meet key distributors, advertisers and clients in several cities. "Kapil takes a keen interest in every brand activity, and is a very active and involved member in all that we do," confirms Max's Jain.

For Kinetic, he has visited showrooms, homes of customers, and even had dinner or high tea with Boss owners in some cities. The present contract is for three years, and his association may be extended to other Kinetic products, as well. "Even he does not want a one-off relationship; he is very upbeat and wants to work with us," says Chaudhry.

In fact, Kapil has frequently said that he would like a stake in the company, and be involved in a bigger capacity. Chaudhry says it is premature to comment on that, but is keen to explore options. "He likes challenges, and has lots of marketing-related and promo ideas." This trait was apparent even when Kapil just a young boy, he claims. And, Kapil also brings a personal quality to his dealings, Chaudhry says. "He doesn't insist on sticking by the contract - if he sees that that there is something he can do beyond the contract, he will do it."

The human side of this cricket icon was clearly on display on May 10, 2000, when Kapil broke down while being interviewed by Karan Thapar for BBC's Hard Talk India, during the height of the match-fixing investigation. Coming on the heels of accusations by Manoj Prabhakar, there was intense media coverage and heated debate on the airwaves.

Kapil was answering questions on the allegations when he broke down, taking even Thapar, who is often accused of being abrasive, by surprise. "I had to restrain my natural instinct to comfort him because I had a job to do," says Thapar. "I had to steel myself to continue." Many people have regarded that incident as a turning point for Kapil, professionally and personally, and it reinforced the view that here was a man who was only too human.

"He clearly has an emotional dimension, and even the controversy seems to have steeled him and burnished - rather than tarnished - his image," says Indica's Narayanaswamy.

Cleared of allegations of wrongdoing, recognised as India's greatest cricketer, sought after by brands and still adored by millions, Kapil is on a good wicket.

It is anyone's guess how long he will stay. New records are made, new heroes are crowned and new deals are made every day. But for the present moment, the space that Paaji occupies is not crowded. "There are not many sporting legends up there with him," notes the sports writer. "At least until Sachin hangs up his pads, there is no one else."

Celebrands

IN July, Indica Research published the results of a survey of various celebrity endorsers.

Using such parameters as visibility, honesty, trustworthiness and the ability to generate attention, the study was of about a dozen celebrities; Kapil was not among them. Sachin Tendulkar and Shah Rukh Khan scored highest for top-of-mind recall; Amitabh came next.

If Kapil were tested for these parameters, he would score high, too, says B. Narayanaswamy, Executive Director, Indica Research. While he is not as visible as Sachin or Shah Rukh, his appeal is still strong.

And while he may not be able to swing deals worth Rs 100 crore, as Sachin's business managers aim to, he is still a credible endorser. "The only thing going against him is his age - he's almost 45-years-old," says Narayanaswamy.

Dev dil se

A long time ago, in a small village in North India, a boy was born. He gave the country a new religion. He was no prophet, but he was worshipped by all. He worked miracles with his hands. Wherever he went, crowds flocked. He was the messiah for millions. Millions sang his praises. The religion - cricket. The Man - Kapil Dev."

Interspersed with shots of young boys practising cricket, young women hankering to see him, families glued to their TV sets, and crowds reaching out to touch him, the promotional film for Kinetic Boss is an apt eulogy for the man the world has recognised as the greatest Indian cricketer.

The man himself is modest about what he brings to the brands that are lining up for his endorsement. "I think I bring awareness of the brand to people," he told Catalyst.

For himself, Kapil says he is keen to get more involved in the business side of the companies whose brands he endorses. "Modelling for a brand or being a brand ambassador is good enough, but I would like to have more of a stake, be involved in equity," he says. "When you stop playing, you have to look at other options. And this is a different ball game all together."

Kapil wants to be involved in activities that will benefit the common man at the end of the day, he says, and he has a sense of what people want. In the case of Kinetic, for example, he says he would like to help increase its turnover.

At the same time, Kapil says he will also be very selective; he cannot associate with a company that closes down in six months, he says. "It is our duty, when we become brand ambassadors, to make sure that the company is sustained and has a strong backbone," he says. "It is very important for me to look at the future of the company."

As for products, Kapil is particular that any product he endorses must benefit the common man. Besides the products that he currently endorses, he would like to be associated with banks, financial institutions and insurance companies, as these are beneficial to the common man, he says.

Anything he will not endorse? "I will not work with liquor or tobacco companies," he says firmly. "No matter how much money they put on the table, I wouldn't be associated with them because I care for our youngsters."

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