Indian shuttlers are smashing it on international courts and building the sport's value like never before. But most brands want to invest in events and short-term partnerships
Today, badminton has become a household name, feel experts. Image: ShutterstockÂ
In August 2021, when ace shuttler PV Sindhu won her second Olympic medal, brands flocked to congratulate her for the historic moment. However, Baseline Ventures, the sports marketing agency that manages all commercial deals for Sindhu, didn’t think it was a great idea. The agency sent legal notices to around 20 brands on her behalf, seeking damages worth Rs 5 crore from each for unauthorised use of her name and pictures for marketing purposes.
In March this year, when Lakshya Sen stood second at the 2022 edition of the All England Open Badminton Championship, Baseline Ventures got calls from a few brands seeking permission to use Sen’s name and photographs for moment marketing campaigns. The agency declined and sent brands the commercials if they wanted to use pictures and the shuttler’s name. They weren't left with many takers.Â
Ramakrishnan R, co-founder of Baseline Ventures tells Storyboard18, “It’s not fair for brands to ride on the success of a sportsperson just for moment marketing campaigns. Honestly, they are using it to only grab attention for themselves.”
With Kidambi Srikanth, Lakshya Sen, doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, recently bringing home India’s first-ever Thomas Cup, Ramakrishnan believes while the spirit of the nation is positive towards the sport and the players, it will still be a hard sell to marketers.
“It is no rocket science why a brand supports a sportsperson post a successful event. When you pitch a non-cricketer to marketers, they want to know the eyeballs the player will bring in. They evaluate the factors with a micro lens. In my opinion, the comparison with cricket is unfair. Cricket will always be a popular sport because there is strong economics behind it. Having said that, every sport is unique and will bring value to brands,” explains Ramakrishnan.