From endorsing the Indian Premier League to roping in expensive brand ambassadors, cement producers are banking on extensive coverage and celebrities to build top-of -mind recall.
After UltraTech Cement becoming the main sponsor for Rajasthan Royals and India Cement, franchisee of Chennai IPL team both grabbing the opportunity to build their brand internationally, it?s now Jaiprakash Associates which has roped in Sachin Tendulkar to be the brand ambassador of Jaypee Cement. The company has also adopted a new tagline ? ?Andar se solid?.
According to the reports, Sachin is the second-most expensive brand endorser among cricketers after Dhoni and is known to usually charge around Rs 4 crore per endorsement per year.
Ace cricketer, Mahindra Singh Dhoni, is the brand ambassador of multinational cement major Lafarge?s brand called Concreto.
Ramakrishna Maganti, regional VP – marketing, East & South West Asia, Lafarge, said, ?Lafarge signed up Mahendra Singh Dhoni in 2008 as we saw a very strong fit between our brand Concreto and Dhoni. The endorsement has been very successful for Lafarge, which is reflecting on all brand parameters. Lafarge will continue its approach to build high brand equity. Brand is a key value driver for Lafarge.?
Declining to reveal any numbers on the amount paid to the brand ambassadors or on sales increase because of this, the companies see this as a nation building exercise along with brand building.
Compared to young and famous cricketers, JK Lakshmi Cement on the other hand had roped in Bollywood actor Om Puri as the face of its brand and Binani Cements Ltd started with signing Amitabh Bachchan as its brand ambassador in 2007, which seemed to have increased the company?s sales in the rural markets.