Business
Ten brands making diapers & juices welcome Virat Kohli’s baby, hoping to get him to endorse their products!
BY S VENKAT NARAYAN
Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, January 16:
Last Monday afternoon, Indian cricket team’s Captain Virat Kohli announced on Twitter that he and his Bollywood actress-wife Anushka Sharma had been blessed with a baby girl.
Moments thereafter, at least 10 consumer companies producing diapers and juices made a dash to be associated with India’s highest paid celebrity, who is possibly the richest cricketer on the planet. His current brand value is $237.5 million, or INR 1,734 million.
Proctoer & Gamble’s Pampers, Tropicana fruit-juice-maker, Pepsi, food delivery platform Zomato, deliversy services company Dunzo, and Liberty Shoes were among those who released advertisements across social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to celebrate the occasion.
Kohli does not endorse any products made by these companies. They are said to be considering signing him on.
A senior executive aware of the development said: Kohli’s management firm has been getting feelers from brands with child-centric products for endorsements even before the birth of the baby.”
While brands he endorses are naturally leveraging the birth of the baby, at least eight to ten other brands want to sign him now, he added.
“Here’s to new roles and a new innings,” P&G’s Pampers said on its social media handles with a short video congratulating the new parents.
“GoodnessComesHome, #ItsAGirl,” PepsiCo’s Tropicana posted on its Instagram handle, with visuals of the “goodness of fruits.”
Dunzo posted a picture of a stork carrying a bundled baby captioned “Just Delivered” on its Instagram and Twitter handles.
Liberty Shoes posted a diagram of baby feet cradled by a pair of hands captioned “Beginning of the Much Awaited Innings” with the Virushka hashtag. (Virushka is a name coined by the media here for Virat (Kohli) and Anushka (Sharma).
Pepsi, which Kohli endorsed until 2017, made a direct reference to its Swag tagline in its social media message “A Swagstar is Born” blended with its logo.
A PepsiCo India spokesman said in an email: Leveraging topicality via fixed and fluid moments is very important to consumers. Moment-marketing fulfils these requirements and helps brands to further create impactful connect and engagement with consumers.”
Prasoon Joshi, chief executive officer of McCann Worldgroup India and chairman Asia-Pacific at McCann, said: For brands, associating with big moments of celebration such as this is aimed to create positive rub-offs on themselves.”
Kohli is India’s most expensive celebrity as far as endorsements go. He charges INR 50 million to INR55 million for a day’s work—much more than what MS Dhoni, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan charge in India, and more than what football icon Lionel Messi, golf superstar Rory McIlroy and Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry abroad.
The 32-year-old’s 17 endorsement deals include Puma, Audi, Manyavar ethnic clothing, Blue Star airconditioning, Himalaya personal care, e-commerce fashion portal Myntra, e-sports platform Mobile Premier League, edtech company Great Learning, Wrogn clothing line, Uber, Boost Energy, MuveAcoustics, and MRF Tyres.
The Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka (AHK Sri Lanka) proudly facilitated the first-ever Sri Lankan delegation’s participation at Drupa 2024, the world’s largest trade fair for the printing industry and technology. Held after an eight-year hiatus, Drupa 2024 was a landmark event, marking significant advancements and opportunities in the global printing industry.
AHK Sri Lanka played a pivotal role in organising and supporting the delegation, which comprised 17 members from the Sri Lanka Association for Printers (SLAP), representing eight companies from the commercial, newspaper, stationery printing, and packaging industries. This pioneering effort by AHK Sri Lanka not only showcased the diverse capabilities of Sri Lanka’s printing sector but also facilitated vital bilateral discussions with key stakeholders from the German printing industry.
Business
Unveiling Ayugiri: Browns Hotels & Resorts sets the stage for a new era in luxury Ayurveda Wellness
In a captivating reimagining of luxury wellness tourism, Browns Hotels & Resorts proudly unveiled the exquisite Ayugiri Ayurveda Wellness Resort Sigiriya. This momentous occasion, celebrated amidst a vibrant and serene grand opening on the 6th of June, heralds a new chapter in the Ayurveda wellness tourism landscape in Sri Lanka. Nestled amidst 54 acres of unspoiled natural splendour, Ayugiri features 22 exclusive suites and stands out as the only luxury Ayurveda wellness resort in the country offering plunge pools in every room, rendering it truly one-of-a-kind.
The grand opening of Ayugiri Ayurveda Wellness Resort was an enchanting event, where guests were captivated by the melodies of flutists and violinists resonating through Sigiriya’s lush landscapes. As traditional drummers and dancers infused the air with vibrant energy, Browns Hotels & Resorts’ CEO, Eksath Wijeratne, Kotaro Katsuki, Acting Ambassador for the Embassy of Japan and General Manager, Buwaneka Bandara, unveiled the resort’s new logo, marking a significant moment witnessed by distinguished guests from the French Embassy, Ayurveda and wellness enthusiasts along with officials from the Sigiriya area, LOLC Holdings and Browns Group.
“Our strategic expansion into wellness tourism with Ayugiri Ayurveda Wellness Resort Sigiriya symbolises a significant milestone for Browns Hotels & Resorts. Wellness tourism has consistently outperformed the overall tourism industry for over a decade, reflecting a growing global interest in travel that goes beyond leisure to offer rejuvenation and holistic well-being. By integrating the timeless wisdom of Ayurveda with modern luxury, we aim to set a new standard in luxury wellness tourism in Sri Lanka. Whether your goal is prevention, healing, or a deeper connection to inner harmony, Ayugiri offers a sanctuary for holistic well-being” stated Eksath Wijeratne.
Ayugiri encapsulates the essence of life, inspired by the lotus flower held by the graceful queens of the infamous Sigiriya frescoes. Just as the lotus emerges from the murky depths, untainted and serene,
Ayugiri invites guests on a journey of purity and rejuvenation, harmonised with a balance of mind, body and spirit, the essence of nature, echoes of culture and the wisdom of ancient Ayurvedic healing.
HNB General Insurance, one of Sri Lanka’s leading general insurance providers, has been honored as the Best General Bancassurance Provider in Sri Lanka 2024 by the prestigious Global Banking and Finance Review – UK.
The esteemed accolade underscores HNB General Insurance’s unwavering commitment to excellence and its outstanding performance in the field of bancassurance. Through dedication and hard work, the HNB General Insurance team has continuously endeavored to deliver innovative insurance solutions, cultivate strong relationships with banking partners, and provide unparalleled service to customers nationwide. This recognition is a testament to the team’s dedication and relentless pursuit of excellence in the bancassurance business.
“We are honored to receive this prestigious award, which reflects our team’s tireless efforts and dedication to delivering value-added insurance solutions and exceptional service through our bancassurance partnerships,” said Sithumina Jayasundara, CEO of HNB General Insurance. “This recognition reaffirms our position as a trusted insurance provider in Sri Lanka and motivates us to continue striving for excellence in serving our customers and communities.”
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