Sourav

The Bengal Tiger has roared again, so the hunters are back on his trail.

As Sourav Ganguly’s bat sizzled yesterday, top brands were queuing up for the comeback man.

“He is the right man for us,” said a source in sports and fitness giant Nike. “He reflects the spirit of the company — the spirit of an achiever.”

Sourav’s brand managers at Percept D’Mark would not confirm, but the source said they would like Dada to “Just do it” for them in India.

The source added that an announcement on Sourav being the man behind Nike’s campaign theme is expected in the next few days. Unconfirmed reports said the deal is worth about Rs 2 crore.

While Africa was where Sourav was born again as a cricketer, his brand managers insist that advertiser interest never died after he was dumped as both captain and player.

“Sourav was worth about Rs 7 to 8 core before he went off and still continues to be so. There’s not a single brand that has shied away or withdrawn from him. Yes, some contracts have terminated in natural course,” said Vinita Bangard, vice-president, celebrity management and services, Percept D’Mark.

Sourav endorsed Hero Honda, Sahara, Pepsi, Tata Indicom, Lupin Pharma, ESPN, LG and Sona Chandi Chyawanprash when he was dropped from the one-day team 16 months ago. Apart from the last three, he still holds on to the others.

“The Sona Chandi contract got over in 2005 and they moved on to Bollywood stars as brand ambassadors rather than cricketers. Same was the case with LG. It was a corporate decision. It had nothing to do with Sourav’s brand value,” Bangard said.

As far as ESPN is concerned, Sourav is not a choice anymore as BCCI rules specify that only the captain and the vice-captain can endorse media companies.

Although Sourav’s image management agents say there was never a slump in Brand Ganguly, figures prove otherwise. In 2003, Sourav endorsed 11 brands.

For a period, he seemed to be losing all — from captaincy, his place in the team to advertisers. But the South Africa trip has changed all that.

“Sourav’s has been a journey that required patience, resilience and, most importantly, a mind that loves to win a challenge. Today, Sourav as a brand stands for determination, commitment, never-say-die attitude and belief in self. Obviously, all these traits should attract marketers who want to build long-term brands,” said Siddhartha Mukherjee, director, communications, TAM Media Research.

With a Rs 1-crore deal with consumer electronics giant TCL already in his kitty, Sourav is now on the verge of wrapping up contracts with an infrastructure company. A contract with a retail chain is also in the offing.

Then, of course, there is the reported Pepsi-Coke tussle over him.

Sourav endorsed Coke till around 2002. He later switched loyalties to rival Pepsi. The soft drink maker’s contract with Sourav ended in December. It has not been renewed yet and Sourav has reportedly asked for Rs 40 lakh for a contract till July 2007, which Pepsi thinks is too steep.

But contrary to reports, Pepsi’s loss may not be Coke’s gain yet. Pepsi is a global sponsor of the International Cricket Council and the anti-ambush marketing clause does not permit Coke to use a member of the playing team to advertise during the World Cup.