Sri Sri signs on Sindhu to endorse health drink

This is only the second endorsement in the baba-led space by a celebrity after wrestler Sushil Kumar featured in an ad last year for Patanjali Ghee.
Viveat Susan Pinto reports.

The primary factor driving the businesses led by spiritual gurus in India has been the gurus themselves. They are the face of the brand they promote.

Be it Ramdev pushing products from Patanjali Ayurved or Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh marketing products of the Dera Sacha Sauda, the babas have been savvy marketers.

One guru-led company is moving away from the beaten track -- Sri Sri Ayurveda, promoted by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living Foundation.

The company has brought on board badminton player P V Sindhu as brand ambassador for its Ojasvita range, kicking off the association with a new malt flavour in the market.

This is only the second endorsement in the baba-led space by a celebrity after wrestler Sushil Kumar featured in an ad last year for Patanjali Ghee.

But that was just one campaign intended to drive home the point of Patanjali Ghee's effectiveness through Sushir Kumar.

Sindhu's engagement with Ojasvita will be for two years and the Rio Olympic silver medallist is expected to do everything that a regular brand endorser does, says Tej Katpitia, chief marketing officer, Sri Sri Ayurveda.

This will include not only appearing in advertisements for the brand, but also promoting the product on the ground during special events and occasions.

While Katpitia did not indicate the size of the deal, brand experts peg it at Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 2 crore (Rs 15 million to Rs 20 million)n for two years.

Sindhu's asking price is estimated to be Rs 75 lakh to Rs 1 crore (Rs 7.5 million to Rs 10 million) per endorsement per year, putting the Ojastivita endorsement in that bracket, experts said.

This may, however, not be the end of the road for Sri Sri as far as celebrity endorsements go. In fact, it may only be the start.

"We are not ruling out the possibility of more endorsements in the future depending on our marketing and product plans. At this stage, however, this is the association that we have with Sindhu," says Katpitia.

"Ojasvita is a line of health food drinks from us and we wanted a face that could convey this effectively. Sindhu is an upcoming sportsperson and the fit we felt was perfect," adds Katpitia. "She will able to communicate how effective this product is to the masses."

IMAGE: P V Sindhu with coach Pullela Gopichand at the launch of Sri Sri Ayurveda's Ojasvita range of products in Mumbai, October 14, 2016.