UNI

Kolkata, Nov 13: Teenage Indian tennis icon Sania Mirza is one of the hottest selling brands even after a meagre 30-day endorsement contract in year.

Globosports that manages Sania’s career and profile are extremely happy with this client who gives rich returns in brand value any day.

Globosports vice-president Anirban Das blah told UNI that Sania is one of the top of the charts brands for their company.

"If we accept two, you must realise we have rejected at least four or five, Tata tea did not decide to leave us. They couldn’t afford us. Sania was a bigger brand than their advertising budget. So we parted ways," he added.

Regarding Malabar Gold, Anirban said the company ended the contract a year ago. Every brand moves on with their image. Now they were looking to focus on a different type of campaign and so they went for a new brand value. It had nothing to do with Sania or her popularity.

Malabar replaced Sania with Hema Malini after her contract ended a year ago. Tata tea’s contract with Sania Mirza would end in February-March, he said.

The company was yet to decide whether it would use her for an extension of promotions, TATA Tea Executive Director (Marketing) Sangeeta Talwar said.

"It would be based on market feedback. You must understand that the top celebrities are not within the reach of every brand. A brand must have its status, sensitivity and stand to match that of celebrities of the top bracket like Saif Ali Khan, Abhishek Bachchan or Sania Mirza," he said.

The brand and its endorser should be a perfect fit, Anirban said. "We can’t sacrifice Sania’s tennis in any way for the advertisements, as it’s her game that is her selling point." he added.

"But in spite of her meagre 30-day endorsement in a year, brands line up. We have had to say no to a lifestyle brand, a mobile handset company among other clients. That is after they know that Sania will be endorsing at a maximum of five to six days a year," he said.

"Sania is a sensation for her game and her popularity does not need brand props. Kids feel inspired by her and she has a lot of tennis left in her to back it up," he added.

Blah said Coca Cola, which signed a contract with her for Sprite last year, has not only shown interest to renew it, but could extend it to its other brands.

Of course it’s the company’s prerogative and also depends on the mutual relationship, he added.

"Sania had very strong defenders too. Hyundai has retained her as the brand ambassador of their Getz and has recently shot a new commercial with us," said a company spokesman.

Tata Indicom is also loyal to Sania. Abdul Khan (vice-president branding and marketing) said, "when we signed her she was 100 something. Sania has a very strong connect with the Indian youth. She has taken Indian women to the next level in sports."

Tata Indicom has just renewed her contract, Anirban said adding that if she had given up on Tata Tea and Malabar Gold, she had two bigger names in Deutsche Bank and Air India.

Her current portfolio also includes brands like HPCL, Lotto, Tata Indicom, Sprite, GVK Industries and Hyundai, he said.

Sania began the year at career high ranking of 37 and has slid 30 places since. But a change in her coaching team and her own fitness level having reached a better mark, she is sure to bounce back, he said.

Rated among the top tennis players in the women’s circuit who on her day could beat anyone, Sania continues to be a runaway hit among advertisers as her craze only swells with time.