This article contains information about Indian professional cricketer Virat Kohli’s brand endorsement deals.
TIDL, an American pain relief brand, in association with Indian consumer goods company Baidyanath Group, roped in Virat Kohli as a brand ambassador in June 2024.
In April 2024, Indian multinational paint company Asian Paints roped in Kohli as a brand ambassador.
As part of this association, Kohli promoted Asian Paints’ “Neo Bharat Latex Paint” products range.
In February 2017, Virat Kohli became the first Indian sportsperson to sign a ?110-crore endorsement deal with a single brand when he struck up a deal with Puma.
Kohli’s Puma deal includes a fixed payment and royalty that is affected by Puma’s overall business performance. Kohli promotes the “MEN ONE8” variant of Puma. The agreement is currently set to run until 2025.
Speaking about his Puma deal, Kohli was quoted by The Times of India, saying:
“It’s a privilege to be part of a great list of athletes that Puma has. Not just today’s icons like Usain Bolt but also the brand’s rich history with Pelé, Maradona, Thierry Henry and others.”
Virat has had a bat sponsorship agreement with MRF Tyres for years now. The two parties last renewed this deal in 2017 for another eight years. The deal, reportedly worth around ?100 crore, made Kohli the only Indian athlete to have two ?100-crore-plus endorsement deals.
Bunty Sajdeh, CEO of Kohli’s management agency, Cornerstone, said:
“We have renewed the bat sponsorship deal with MRF for eight years. MRF was keen on securing Kohli for a long term. Today, brands are seeing value in securing long-term deals. We also want to show loyalty and commitment to them. And Kohli has got a great rapport with MRF and the money is phenomenal.”
French eye-wear firm Essilor announced roping Kohli as a brand ambassador for the Indian market in August 2023.
As part of the deal, Essilor is to roll out a multi-media campaign featuring Virat Kohli, bringing to life the value proposition of Essilor’s brands.
In June 2023, Australian sports equipment brand Batwrap roped in Kohli as a brand ambassador. Under the terms of the deal, Batwrap launched the “Virat Kohli Electric Blue” collection.
With the goal of helping one get the best out of their old bats or customise a new bat, Batwrap’s products lets users personalise the appearance of their bat using cutting-edge lightweight materials.
The Indian division of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation roped in Kohli as a company brand influencer in April 2023.
Kohli works with HSBC India to promote its vision of “opening up a world of opportunity”.
Kohli was roped in as a brand ambassador by wearables technology brand Noise in December 2022. He, therefore, serves as the face of Noise’s smartwatch collection and headlines a host of campaigns.
New Delhi-based stationery firm Luxor roped in Kohli as a brand ambassador in March 2023.
The partnership aims to increase the appeal of the stationery brand, particularly among the youth demographic, and establish Luxor as a top-performing writing instrument brand in India.
Duroflex Private Limited, a mattress and sleep products maker, signed Kohli as a brand ambassador in May 2023.
Through this collaboration, Duroflex aims to further convey its ongoing commitment of informing consumers about the link between obtaining adequate sleep and leading a healthier, happier life.
Ahead of the 2023 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Star Sports roped in Kohli as a brand ambassador for its IPL ad campaign titled “Shor On, Game On”. The official TV broadcaster of the IPL, Star Sports’ promo featured Kohli with the slogan — “Har Ghar Banega Stadium”.
Indian beverages and hydration brand O’Cean Beverages roped in Kohli as a brand ambassador in December 2022.
As the face of the brand, Kohli headlines multiple ad campaigns for it, with the two parties working towards building a strong brand image as well as promoting O’Cean’s range of energising beverages and hydration drinks.
Smile and makeover brand Toothsi roped in Kohli and his wife, Anushka Sharma, as brand ambassadors in September 2022.
As faces of the brand, both Kohli and Sharma work towards building a stronger user-connect and promote Toothsi’s new-age teeth-straightening technology.
In September 2022, Kohli was roped in as a brand ambassador by Avas Living, a luxury residential community in Alibaug, Maharashtra.
Along with being the face of Avas, Kohli is believed to be working with the team on building a home in the Alibaug community.
Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma joined homegrown plant-based meat brand Blue Tribe as brand ambassadors and investors in February 2022.
In March 2022, Rage Coffee, a New Delhi-based FMCG brand known for manufacturing, marketing and distributing packaged coffee products, announced that Kohli had joined the brand not only as a brand ambassador, but as an investor as well.
In October 2021, Kohli signed a deal with Fire-Boltt, an Indian wearables brand, joining as a brand ambassador.
The deal sees the Team India batter feature in various advertising, marketing and endorsement campaigns that are rolled out by the brand.
Talking about the brand, Virat Kohli was quoted saying:
“Fire-Boltt as a brand personifies energy, dynamism, and vibrancy, all of which has actually been a driving force in my sporting as well as a life journey. The fact that the company is at the helm of history being scripted in the Indian wearable space makes me proud as an advocate of Vocal for Local and Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
The insurance startup financed by Canada-based FairFax Group roped in Virat Kohli as their brand ambassador in March 2021. Earlier, Kohli and his wife, Anushka Sharma, had invested in this startup, which became a part of the Unicorn club in January 2021. With the association, the company wanted to circulate their message of ‘making insurance simple”.
In October 2024, Digit Life Insurance roped in Kohli as a brand ambassador for its “That’s It!” campaign.
vivo brought Kohli on board as a brand ambassador in 2021.
With the association, the smartphone brand aims to reach the millennials and technologically-driven consumers, with a 360-degree marketing approach used to leverage the company’s association with the Indian batter.
The association includes all ATL and BTL (above- and below-the-line) activities, including the company’s events as well as its TV, print, outdoor and social media campaigns.
In February 2021, Kohli renewed his contract with Herbalife Nutrition, a nutrition brand dealing in developing scientifically researched products that fuel optimum athletic performance and is also endorsed by other stars like Cristiano Ronaldo.
After extending his contract with Herbalife, Kohli said:
“I am extremely excited to continue my association with Herbalife Nutrition. The company has an incredible range of science-backed products and strongly syncs with my belief that a Healthy Active Lifestyle is a great foundation to overall wellbeing. I look forward to the impact we will make together to Build it Better.”
In November 2020, when the healthcare and sanitisation brands’ popularity rose, Vize Health and Hygiene roped in Virat Kohli as a brand ambassador.
Kohli was on-boarded at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic in an attempt to spread awareness about how important it was to practise proper hygiene, which helped in keeping away diseases.
Kohli was quoted saying:
“As sportspersons, we athletes are recipients of much love and hero-worship. But in these difficult times, it is the Covid warriors who are true heroes, putting their lives on the line. We are doing our part by helping the society fight through this unprecedented time, Vize is for the heroes who keep India unbeaten. I feel excited to be associated with Vize because it is my way of expressing solidarity with fellow Indians.”
An edtech company for professionals and higher-education aspirants, Great Learning appointed Virat Kohli as a brand ambassador in September 2020.
Kohli was brought in to drive the brand’s “Power Ahead” campaign, aimed at showcasing the value of lifelong learning and how high-quality learning at the right time can be an effective and powerful tool for professionals and students to flourish.
In February 2020, Chinese smartphone brand iQOO announced the appointment of Virat Kohli as a brand ambassador to reach out to the younger generation.
Gagan Arora, Director of Marketing at iQOO, was quoted saying the following regarding Kohli’s appointment as an iQOO brand ambassador:
“As a brand, we want to appeal to young, energetic people who are determined to respond to any challenge with aplomb. Virat is the most seamless fit for our brand’s personality, and we are pleased with him being the face of iQOO. We are hopeful that our focus on high performance, innovation, and differentiation in the premium segment is well communicated through the campaigns that we are going to drive with Virat.”
Popular supplements brand Wellman appointed Kohli as a brand ambassador in the first half of 2019.
Mobile esports platform Mobile Premier League (MPL) roped in Virat Kohli as a brand ambassador in March 2019.
The deal with Kohli was reportedly worth around ?12 crore and was one of the most expensive endorsement deals ever made by a startup.
India internationals Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant were named brand ambassadors of the Himalaya Drug Company in May 2019. The two were roped in to power the brand’s “Men Face Care” range.
Rajesh Krishnamurthy, Business Head, Consumer Products Division, The Himalaya Drug Company, was quoted saying:
“With male grooming emerging as one of the fastest growing sectors in India’s Personal Care segment, Himalaya MEN will play an important role in the new trend of looking good. The concept of ‘Looking Good And Loving It’ brings to life a unique amalgamation of style as well as the brand vision of ‘Wellness in Every Heart’. Being role models, both Virat and Rishabh were our first choice. They perfectly symbolise the brand’s promise to make every young man look good and feel confident.”
Air conditioning and commercial refrigeration major Blue Star roped in Kohli as a brand ambassador in October 2019.
The main factor behind the deal with Kohli was to increase the sales in the north Indian region; the company believed the people of the nation trusted Kohli, which would further help the brand drive up its sales.
In May 2019, Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma were made brand ambassadors of e-commerce fashion portal Myntra. The couple featured in a Myntra ad—created by the McCann Worldgroup advertising agency—that was part of the company’s “Go Myntra-la-la“ campaign.
Though Kohli was not an official ambassador of Google Duo, in March 2019, he did feature in an advertisement for the brand alongside Anushka Sharma.
In September 2018, Hero MotoCorp signed an endorsement deal with Virat Kohli for its “Xtreme 200R” variant. Kohli was roped in to drive the start of the retail sales of the “Xtreme 200R”, which had a lunch price of ?89,900.
According to Hero MotoCorp Chairman, MD and CEO, Pawan Munjal, Kohli exhibited characteristics similar to the brand and rightfully represented the “Fear Nothing” attitude of the youth.
In August 2018, Virat Kohli became an official brand ambassador for Sun Pharma’s muscle recovery brand Volini. The organisation launched its new variant, “Volini Max”, powered by a 360-degree marketing campaign involving the Indian batter.
Virat was quoted saying:
“Athletes are required to push through pain on a regular basis, and Volini has been my trusted pain relief partner for decades.”
Wrogn was co-created by Virat Kohli and founded by Universal Sportsbiz (USPL) in 2014. The brand’s name is pronounced the same as “wrong” but is deliberately spelled incorrectly.
In January 2017, Kohli, along with Hong Kong-based consumer electronics company Zeeva, launched MuveAcoustics. The deal saw the brand doing multiple digital media campaigns with Kohli.
Powered by Kohli’s management agency, Cornerstone, the partnership had a vision to promote MuveAcoustics’ product catalogue, featuring audio solutions targeted to satisfy the consumers of the new era and their requirements.
Kohli parted ways with the brand in 2018.
Soon after getting married, Kohli was seen in a TVC promoting Too Yumm, which is a brand of Guiltfree Industries Limited. Stating that the product was a healthy snack, the company announced Kohli as its health ambassador.
With the endorsement deal, Too Yumm Snacks — a product of The RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group — aimed to boost up its sales to a whopping ?500 crore.
Speaking about the deal, Goenka was quoted saying:
“The contract with Kohli is for two years and currently limited to this brand (Too Yumm), but we may explore a future relationship with him for other FMCG categories as and when we enter them.”
Swiss watch brand Tissot was added to Virat Kohli’s brand endorsements list in February 2016. The brand used both print and electronic media to advertise itself with Kohli.
The partnership between the two came to an end in 2019, after Kohli was spotted wearing another brand.
Kohli signed a ?5-crore endorsement deal with Audi in 2015. The brand even gifted him a Q7 in 2017.
Kohli has had an exceptional relationship with Audi India and has been driving its vehicles since 2012. In 2021, he extended his association with the brand, stating:
“Whether it’s behind the steering wheel or on the pitch with a bat in the hand, performance, consistency and technique are what define perfection. I have been an Audi fan even before I was formally associated with the brand. Audi cars reflect elegance and sportiness, which resonate perfectly with my personality. I am extremely delighted to continue my association with Audi India and be a part of the brand family. It is safe to say that my relationship with Audi India is more of a Test match than just a T20.”
In 2016, Manyavar made Virat a brand ambassador of its men’s ethnic clothing range. Kohli then went on to feature in all the print and electronic media campaigns of the brand for the next two years, kicking off with the label’s Diwali campaign titled “Aadha-Aadha“, which showcased that the essence of marriage is sharing everything.
Virat Kohli has been endorsing Royal Challenge Whisky since 2017. There were controversies regarding Kohli promoting an alcohol brand, but the Delhi-born star cleared the air later in a conference, stating that he promoted the brand’s energy drink and not the alcohol.
Kohli said, “It [alcohol company] is a brand I am associated with but I am not promoting alcohol. I am promoting an energy drink.“
In March 2018, Uber announced the appointment of Virat Kohli as a brand ambassador. The association saw the Indian batter become the face of the brand, and he was involved in a series of marketing and customer experience initiatives launched by Uber India.
Amit Jain, President, Uber India & SA, was quoted saying:
“We are extremely delighted to sign on Virat Kohli to bat as brand ambassador for Uber India. His commitment to India on and off the field is commendable – from bagging world titles for the country to advocating positive change, he is invested in making a difference to the community at large. In Virat, we’ve found a partner who reflects the drive we share with everyday India, while embodying our commitment to serving the country. Today, we are the most-preferred ride-hailing service in this market and we will continue to invest and innovate in ways that will benefit our driver partners and riders.”
In June 2018, Remit2India, an online money transfer portal that focuses on the Indian market, roped in Virat Kohli as its face of advertising.
Kohli, who has been a part of the marketing campaigns and customer service initiatives of the brand since then, said the following regarding being associated with the brand:
“It is an honour to be the face of the iconic brand Remit2India which has over half a million customers globally. I look forward to reinforcing Remit2India’s growing appeal among the Indian diaspora as a brand that reflects an Indian sense of pride and achievement, patriotism and a spirit of belonging.”
Kohli became a brand ambassador of Philips trimmers in June 2018. The announcement of this deal was timed with the launch of Philips’ “Trimmers BT 3000 Series” range.
Dipti Jagdev Shah, Senior Marketing Director & Business Head, Philips Personal Care, said:
“Philips BT 3000 Trimmers are a promise of high-quality trimming experience. With up to 20 style settings, superior lift, and cut technology we will enable men across ages to rock their individuality and style. To associate with Virat Kohli is a natural choice — his beard is the most loved aspect of this stylish youth icon and Virat personifies our brand philosophy of the modern man flawlessly. He embodies the inner confidence to stand up for what feels right to him. ‘Do what feels right’ is Philips’ powerful call to action to encourage Indian Men to follow their instinct and do what feels right.”
Virat Kohli became a brand ambassador of Valvoline in October 2016. With the association, Kohli was seen endorsing Valvoline’s engine oils and lubricants range. The cricketer was also quoted saying:
“Pioneers appeal to me and Valvoline is clearly one in the engine oil category. Valvoline has been unstoppable during its 150 year history, with an impressive track record of innovations, it is a legendary brand that continues to be a winner today and one I am indeed extremely proud to be associated with.”
Virat Kohli has been associated with this brand of healthy milk supplement since 2012. Boost has done many digital campaigns with the cricketer, who is immensely passionate about his health and fitness.
In 2016, Shyam Steel, one of the leading manufacturers of premium quality TMT Bars and involved in India’s leading infrastructure projects across both private and government sectors, partnered with Kohli.
Two years later, towards the end of 2018, Kohli again featured in an ad film for the brand, only this time he had Anushka Sharma by his side. The two celebrities featured in the campaign as “MR. & MRS FLEXI-STRONG”.
Also read: Virat Kohli headlines new Shyam Steel TVC
Towards the end of 2018, Power Products Limited brand Amaze Inverters and Batteries on-boarded Kohli as a brand ambassador.
In June 2021, Kohli extended his association with the brand for another three years in a deal that would see him feature in all print and electronic media advertisements for the brand.
Talking about the deal, Kohli said:
“I have a great association with Amaze and will continue to be with the brand. Amaze has been growing tremendously across different geographies of India and I take pride to say that they have been living up to their promise of providing high-performance power backup products.”
Virat Kohli became a brand ambassador of American Tourister in 2016 and was seen featuring in the brand’s advertising campaigns launched in India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka from 2017 onwards.
Jai Krishnan, American Tourister South Asia’s Chief Operating Officer, was quoted saying:
“We are thrilled to have Virat Kohli on board as American Tourister’s first Indian brand ambassador. Virat is a global youth icon and is the poster boy for all those who thrive on this ability to be ready for anything that life throws at them, be it opportunities or challenges.”
In 2018, American Tourister released a TVC featuring Cristiano Ronaldo and Virat Kohli. The two icons’ association in the campaign, showcasing the “Curio” range by the luggage brand, was moulded in a 360-degree marketing campaign consisting of television, print, outdoor and digital activations.
In 2012, Kohli became a brand ambassador of Vicks India, a brand that has focused on powerful pain relief for more than 100 years.
Colgate’s “Super Flexi” toothbrush got included in Virat Kohli’s brand endorsements list in 2016. The brand aired a TVC of the product that spoke about a flexible neck, striking a similarity to Kohli’s flexible batting strokes, thus building a strong brand connect.
Eric Jumbert, VP-Marketing, Colgate-Palmolive India, said:
“Virat Kohli is one of the top cricketers in the world and is known for his winning, flexible cricketing strokes. Hence he struck us as a perfect match to be Colgate Super Flexi’s new brand ambassador.”
The global wellness brand specialising in percussion, dynamic air compression, vibration, thermal technology, mind technology and contrast therapy announced Virat Kohli as a brand ambassador and athlete investor in September 2021.
With this deal, Kohli joined an elite list of Hyperice athlete investors including the likes of Erling Haaland, Naomi Osaka, Patrick Mahomes, Ja Morant and Rickie Fowler.
Virat Kohli is also an ambassador of “UPI Chalega” which is a marketing campaign for the Unified Payments Interface system through which you can link your bank account to a mobile application and make transactions safely.
Muthoot FinCorp, the flagship entity of Muthoot Pappachan Group, also popularly known as Muthoot Blue, launched the “Mera Gold Loan, Mera Interest” campaign with Kohli in April 2022.
Kohli appeared in three avatars in the three television commercials (TVC) along with other players of his IPL side, the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Virat Kohli’s past brand endorsements list also includes other brands such as Pepsi, Lux, MX TakaTak, Munch, Fastrack, Cinthol, Celkon Mobiles, Adidas, Toyota and Clear Anti Dandruff Shampoo.
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