With cricket fever gripping the whole nation following the team India?s victory in the Twenty20 World Cup, retail conglomerates have decided to join the celebration. S Kumars Nationwide Ltd (SKNL), a leading player in the Indian textile industry, is tapping the ensuing cricket series in India for airing their new ad campaigns. The company had associated with Neo Sports and Doordarshan channels for airing new campaigns for the upcoming India-Australia and India-Pakistan cricket series.
The company, which has Hindi film stars Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan as brand ambassadors for brands like Reid & Taylor and Belmonte respectively, had shot a new ad campaign featuring the superstars recently. The campaign with Amitabh has been aired on television since Thursday last week, while the one featuring Shahrukh was first aired on Saturday, when the first India-Aussies match was played. Last week, Kishore Biyani-owned Future group too had announced a three-year broadcast sponsorship contract with Neo Sports, a channel launched by Nimbus.
Tarun Joshi, CEO, BrandHouse Retail, a 100% subsidiary of SKNL, says, ?Amitabh and Shahrukh are great fashion icons.Since we have international brands, an ad campaign with the world renowned stars will help to establishing our brands globally.? He added that as of now, the company has no plans to appoint any sports personalities as brand ambassadors for SKNL. Apart from its association with cricket, SKNL is also sponsoring Indian Open Polo tournament and golf tournaments. SKNL is spending Rs 50 crore for ad campaigns every year.
The new campaign featuring Bachchan was shot by renowned director Prasoon Pandey, while the campaign with Shahrukh was directed by Red Chillies, Shahrukh?s own production house.
In early 2007, Shahrukh Khan was appointed brand ambassador for Belmonte. Apart from Shahrukh and Bachchan, S Kumars has other brand ambassadors from the tinsel town like Hrithik Roshan, who endorsed for Tamarind, and Sushmita Sen, who has been roped in for home textile brand, Carmichael House.
SKNL has been marketing international brands like Dunhill and Escada under BHRL. BHRL is set to launch yet another global brand, Stephens Brothers, by October.