Brand ambassadors provide face value to a brand. They give recognition to the brand and help it penetrate the market further and gain new customers. They also help lend credibility and build trust amongst the masses.
Hence, when it comes to the industry being iGaming and the market being India, brand ambassadors play an important role.
Let’s take a look at some of the brands that have partnered up with famous individuals to further their cause in India:
Ambassador of Betway
Betway signed the flamboyant English batsman and T20 World Cup winner, Kevin Pietersen as their Global Cricket Ambassador in 2019. The initial deal was for a year, however, it was later extended till 2023.
The former English cricketer offers his insights and tips on the brand’s online sports blog. Apart from Pietersen, the leading bookmaker also has Andy Roddick, Robbie Keane, Katie Walsh, and Ross O’Sullivan on their list of ambassadors.
Ambassador of 1xBet
1xBet partnered up with the former West Indian and Chennai Super Kings all-rounder, Dwayne Bravo, as their first ambassador in India in September 2021. The deal was inked to provide Indian players with special promotions and unique offers. The cricketer has a special fan base in India thanks to the time he has spent playing in the Indian Premier League and his foot-tapping number – ‘Champion’.
After Bravo, 1xBet collaborated with his good friend and another West Indian great – Kieron Pollard in July 2022. Just like Bravo, Pollard too is a favourite amongst the masses in India thanks to his long association with the Indian Premier League winner, Mumbai Indians. 1xBet uses images of these players to promote their brand on social media.
Along with the two Caribbean cricketers, the brand also has Bollywood actress Neha Sharma as one of its ambassadors in India.
Ambassador of Fun88
Fun88 appointed one of the premier fast bowlers of South Africa, Dale Steyn as their brand ambassador in August 2023. The tenure of the deal is till 2025. Steyn, who is also known as Steyn Gun, has also enjoyed a long association with India – he started and ended his IPL stint with Royal Challengers Bangalore. He currently is the bowling coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Ever since his playing days, he has loved India immensely due to the country’s passion for cricket. Before Steyn, it was the former West Indian captain, Darren Sammy, who was the face of the brand from 2021 to 2023. The other sportsman who endorses the brand at present is the Spain and Real Madrid legend, Iker Casillas.
Ambassador of Crickex
Crickex roped in former India wicket-keeper batsman Robin Uthappa as their brand ambassador in July 2023. Uthappa, who was known for his hard-hitting batting has been a two-time IPL winner – once with Kolkata Knight Riders and once with Chennai Super Kings.
He is also seen yielding the mic for top media houses during various cricketing events. Crickex sees him as an apt choice to represent the brand amongst young and old alike. The brand also has tie-ups with St. Lucia Kings and Galle Titans.
Ambassador of Dafabet
Dafabet has some notable names on the list of its brand ambassadors, starting with the ‘Universe Boss’, Chris Gayle. One of the modern greats of West Indian cricket, Gayle has always been known for his flamboyance on and off the field. No matter what the format, he was known to score big and give his team a solid start once set. The brand aims to leverage its charisma to attract new users.
Another sportsperson with a flamboyant personality on the roster of Dafabet is the former New Zealand fast bowler Danny Morrison. With various kinds of deliveries up his sleeve, the Kiwi had made a name for himself as a force to reckon with in the shorter format. He even went on to take an ODI hat-trick against India. He is now a popular commentator, who is loved by one and all, thanks to his colourful personality.
Next up on the list is the former English all-rounder Ravi Bopara. Since his family hails from the Indian state of Punjab, Bopara has always had a special place for India in his heart. He has represented England in more than a hundred ODIs and scored more than 2500 runs along with picking 40 wickets. There was a time when he even flourished in the longer format scoring three consecutive Test centuries.
Ambassador of Parimatch
Parimatch signed the hard-hitting West Indian Nicholas Pooran as their brand ambassador as recently as August 2023. The announcement was made via an Instagram post – both on the brand as well as Pooran’s handles. Along with representing the West Indies, the left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman also plays for Lucknow SuperGiants in the Indian Premier League.
Pooran has a long association with India – he came into the limelight after scoring a sublime half-century (his first in international cricket) against the Men in Blue, way back in 2018. It’ll be interesting to see how this association pans out for the brand, who earlier had the South African speedster, Dale Steyn as their ambassador.
Along with this, brands sometimes also play it safe by signing up an ambassador with their surrogate platform or partnering up with some celebrity just to be the face of their campaign for a particular tournament like the IPL or World Cup.
All in all, it’s a win-win partnership as it helps brands earn some credibility, while these ambassadors get an opportunity to make some quick bucks merely by posing as the face of these platforms.
