After bagging a historic two medals at the ongoing Paris Olympics, Indian shooter Manu Bhaker has become a hot target of brands. Bhaker is not only the first woman shooter from India to win a medal at the Olympics, but also the first Indian woman to win two medals at an Olympics Games.
Neerav Tomar, CEO, IOS Sports & Entertainment, the firm that manages her commercials, told businessline that they have been flooded with enquiries from brands for endorsement deals with the 22-year-old markswoman. “Since the day she won the first medal, brand enquiries have been coming in and the momentum has just shot up with her second medal,” Tomar said.
From aerated drinks to cosmetics and from nutrition to education, brands in various categories are in conversations to associate with Bhaker. “We are in advanced conversations with several brands. We expect to close six-eight endorsement deals in the coming days,” he said.
Many brands are looking at long-duration deals of about one-two years, while some are only looking at short-term tie-ups of a few months. “We have designed different packages for brands in line with their marketing plans. We will pick and choose the categories that work out best and we are in the process of structuring these deals. We are aiming for a brand valuation of ₹1.5 crore per year,” Tomar added.
Stand-out athlete
Brand analysts believe Bhaker has emerged as a stand-out Indian athlete who will be a face of many brands in the days to come.
Angel investor and business strategist Lloyd Mathias said, “What Manu Bhaker has achieved is remarkable. Winning dual medals at such a young age is outstanding. She will go down in history as one of India’s greatest sportspersons. There are only a handful of non-cricket sportspersons who have emerged as sports stars and she is a great addition to that list. She has emerged as a contemporary role model for the youth of the country. I am sure we will see her becoming the face of many brands in the coming days.”
Analysts also pointed out that in recent times there is growing interest and viewership in non-cricket sports in the country. This has enabled athletes from other disciplines to negotiate more lucrative deals than before.