While Manu Bhaker etches her name in history by becoming the first athlete from independent India to win two medals in a single Olympic Games, a stark reality lingers—despite a population of about 1.5 billion, India’s Olympic medal tally stands at just 38. Since the year 1900, India has won just 10 gold medals in the Olympics. For context, Michael Phelps has earned 23 gold medals in his sport alone.
However, this has not dampened the advertisers’ enthusiasm to harness the frenzy and cash in on the trend. Brands have been partnering with athletes to leverage their newfound prominence and boost their brand image.
Brands such as Samsung India and Noise have teamed up with Neeraj Chopra, the star javelin thrower who won Gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Speaking about the NoiseFit Javelin Limited edition watch collection, launched as an ode to Neeraj Chopra, Utsav Malhotra, COO, Noise said, “In the first two days of the launch, we managed to sell out the product.”
“This is like memorabilia for people to own because it’s a watch that carries Neeraj’s signature and a number that is unique to you.” he added.
Brands are honouring India’s Olympic medallists in their own unique ways. For example, Goldi Solar, a solar PV module manufacturing company, is solarizing the homes of winners from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Sharing his excitement, Dhruv Dholakiya, Director, Goldi Solar said, “Manu Baker’s hero status, Lakshya Sen’s impressive debut, Vinesh Phogat’s resilience & grit, and the hockey team’s victory have captivated the nation’s imagination and hope beyond cricket. In response, we have honoured these athletes by gifting them solar panels, celebrating their achievements while reinforcing our commitment to sustainable energy solutions.”
Chintan Shah, Director - Content Management, Sportz Interactive, shared his views on the matter. He said, “The seeds of what you see this year were sown at the Tokyo 2020 Games. India’s performance with seven medals was its best in recent Olympic history. We observed a similar trend in both broadcast and digital viewership - the broadcast viewership at Tokyo 2020 increased threefold, and on digital platforms we saw a significant uptick in engagement, page views, unique users, and video view numbers on the official Olympics.com and OlympicKhel pages that we manage.”
Following Tokyo 2020, the momentum continued. With strong performances at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, Team India raised the expectations of the viewers that it would surpass its Tokyo medal tally. This has fuelled discussions on social media, particularly on OlympicKhel, the IOC’s official India-focused handle for the Olympic Games, Shah explained.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA), the governing body for the Olympic Movement and Commonwealth Games in India, has secured partnerships with approximately 12 Indian brands for the Paris Olympics.
“What generally works for advertisers is linking their brand to the compelling stories of athletes, capitalising on the vast viewership, and aligning with the Olympic values of excellence, dedication, and teamwork,” explained S. Abbas Akhtar, Executive Director (PR & Brand), BPCL. “These elements enable brands to resonate deeply with the audience, creating a lasting and impactful presence.” he added.
Leading the charge as principal sponsors for Team India are Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Reliance Foundation, Adani, and Aditya Birla Capital.
Yes Bank is the designated Banking Partner, while Dream Set Go and Herbalife have signed on as the official Travel and Nutrition Partners, respectively. The roster of associate partners includes EBCO, Borosil, AMUL, and INOX Leisure.
“With the evolving consumer mindset, it has become more important to resonate with the younger generation. Sports associations like the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games have provided us with the opportunity to connect and communicate our brand values to our audience for the last 12 years.” said Jayen Mehta, Managing Director, GCMMF.
JSW Inspire has served as the official Sportswear Partner, with PUMA providing the Sports Footwear. TASVA, by Aditya Birla, played the role of the official Ceremonial Dress Partner of the Indian contingent at the Games.
On the global stage, the IOA has also aligned with 14 worldwide sponsors, including prominent names like Coca-Cola, Airbnb, P&G, Panasonic, and Samsung.
But is this excitement merely a seasonal phenomenon? In a country where cricket dominates and cricketers hold unparalleled brand value; there is a significant concern that this interest may fade once the Olympic season concludes.
However there have been exceptions like Neeraj Chopra and PV Sindhu who have been able to hold on to their image beyond the Olympics.
“When we signed Neeraj, it was two years ago. It’s not a journey that started with him today.” said Utsav Malhotra. “But in terms of leveraging from a moment marketing perspective, it wasn’t the intention in the first place. He was signed as a celebrity partner, who has been with us for the past two years, even though there wasn’t much televised activity,” he added.
Chintan Shah commented, “With what we have seen in the past four years, there is an inherent shift in the popularity of Indian athletes beyond cricket.”
Although India has created new heroes who have inspired a billion Indians - Manu Bhaker, Vinesh Phogat, Lakshya Sen, PR Sreejesh and more - it might be difficult to beat the popularity of cricket. Abhishek Gupta, Chief Marketing Officer, Edelweiss Life Insurance remarked, “It is no secret that India is a cricket-loving nation, and non-cricket sporting events as well as athletes typically enjoy a short attention span here. Male cricketers invite a disproportionately high brand value, aligned with the general public interest in their game.”
Talking about the data to put things into perspective, Gupta added, that the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 was watched by 518 million viewers in India, with 300 million tuning in for the final. In contrast, the Tokyo Olympics 2021 had a peak viewership of around 69 million in India on opening day. “This is why most non-cricket athletes experience a spurt in their brand values while they are performing at global events, and it eventually drops.” he said.
Mr Ganesh Kamath, Founder, Earthraga, feels Olympic athletes in India face challenges in maintaining a brand image beyond the Games due to limited media coverage and sponsorship opportunities compared to cricketers. “While Neeraj Chopra has achieved notable long-term fame, most Olympic athletes struggle to sustain visibility due to fluctuating performance and less media focus.” he said.
Earthraga, a direct-to-consumer brand focused on natural and organic skincare, announced Antim Panghal as its brand ambassador during the Paris Olympics
Kamath further explained that leveraging Olympic success to strengthen their personal brand, and engaging with fans through social media and appearances, ensures enduring recognition.
Sujatha V Kumar, Marketing Head, Visa India and South Asia, shared her thoughts on the matter, saying, “While cricket enjoys tremendous popularity in India, athletes from many other sports are building a strong foundation for a diverse sporting culture in our country. The stellar success of athletes like champions Neeraj Chopra and PV Sindhu – both two-time Olympic medallists who have set a benchmark for others – has forged deep and lasting emotional bonds with Indian audiences.”
Lauding the achievements of Indian athletes at the Olympic Games, Ashish Khazanchi, Managing Partner at Enormous said, “whether it’s in advertising, content creation, or reality sports shows, there’s a strong market for these athletes, and brands will definitely be interested. Vinesh, without a doubt, will be part of many such projects, and Neeraj Chopra will remain a perennial favourite, especially after achieving his second-best personal record. Besides them, Manu Bhaker, in particular, will resonate with many, given that she’s a woman excelling in sports, which will inspire others to support her journey.”
Surpassing cricket in popularity is a daunting challenge, but it’s vital for media, brands, and the Indian public to genuinely recognise and celebrate the dedication of athletes who bring pride to the nation. While stars like Neeraj Chopra and PV Sindhu gained widespread acclaim only after their Olympic triumphs, the media should also highlight and honour their journey to success, not just the final victory.
