When it comes to hiring a celebrity spokesperson, Apollo Tyres Ltd. believes cricket is the way to go. The India-based company signed Sachin Tendulkar, one of the greatest cricketing players in the world, as its brand ambassador for a period of five years.
This is the first time the company has associated with a celebrity as the face of its brand. Apollo also sponsors the top English Premier League football (soccer in the U.S.) brand, Manchester United.
Apollo says the association with Tendulkar and Manchester United is in line with its brand strategy: to reach out and engage with its target audience globally. The association with Tendulkar will help the company leverage his fan following and popularity as a sports celebrity to drive home the company’s own message of making every journey a safe and inspiring one.
"Building the Apollo brand to its true potential is key to our growth," says Neeraj Kanwar, vice chairman and managing director. "By securing Sachin Tendulkar’s association with our brand, we have embarked on an exciting journey together."
Tendulkar is an Indian sports icon who even in retirement is known globally. He is also a car enthusiast, which gels well for Apollo Tyres.
In addition to being the global tire partner of Manchester United, Apollo also has a presence in the German Bundesliga football league with its association with Borussia Monchengladbach. In India, it has a presence in the Indian Super League (ISL) as the principal sponsor of Chennaiyin FC, and in the I-League, with its title sponsorship of Minerva Punjab FC.
