Tribute to Sachin Tendulkar: Coca-Cola to roll out 6.5 million 'Sachin' cans as part of 100th century celebrations

The world's largest beverages brand plans a grand tribute to Sachin Tendulkar who is one century short of becoming the first batsman to score 100 international centuries: launch some 6.5 million special Coca-Cola cans with pictures of the master batsman.

The move will help the cola giant make the most out of its Rs 12-15-crore endorsement deal with Tendulkar signed early this year, and make up for not leveraging the association during the Cricket World Cup that India won.

Coca-Cola is printing the cricketing legend's pictures along with statistics of his select 10 centuries on about 6.5 million cans of brand Coke to celebrate Tendulkar's hundredth international century which everyone expects in England, where India will play four tests and five one-day internationals starting July 21.

The cans will be rolled out in the market starting next fortnight. This is the first time a celebrity or a brand ambassador will figure on packs of any Coke beverage in India.

"We are making an exception for one of India's great legends," says Coca-Cola India VP (Marketing) Anupama Ahluwalia. In some European markets, Coca- Cola has, in the past, printed pictures of celebrities on its beverage packs. Tendulkar has handpicked nine of the 10 centuries that Coca-Cola cans will spot.

The tenth will be his hundredth century. Coca-Cola will release about eight lakh cans with the details of Tendulkar's 100th century whenever it comes. A mass media campaign is set to coincide with the cans rollout, created by ad agency McCann Erickson. Industry experts say the idea is big and has scale, but its strategic implementation would be a key for its success.

"A Sachin campaign could be a sure-shot winner, but how well the marketer leverages the campaign, makes a consumer connect, and takes it forward is the key," says Mahesh Chauhan, co-founder of advertising and marketing firm Salt Brand Solutions.

"But they (Coca- Cola) are probably a bit late in leveraging their association with Sachin, considering they signed him early in the year, though it must be part a planned strategy," he added, referring to the missed opportunity during India's successful world cup campaign.

Sachin, who is known to charge about a million dollars per year per deal, endorses close to 13-14 brands including sports footwear and apparel maker Adidas, luxury Swiss watch maker Audemars Piguet, insurance services firm Aviva Life Insurance, bank Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and appliances major Toshiba.


These brands too are looking to leverage their association with the cricketer once he cracks his 100th century.

Though firms do leverage associations with celebrities through packaging, this is the first time it is being done on a mass scale. PepsiCo, for example, had rolled out PET bottles with blue packaging with Indian team skipper MS Dhoni's body during the World Cup.

Tendulkar, Federer discuss cricket at Wimbledon

It takes lot to bowl over Sachin Tendulkar as bowlers around the world would confess but tennis ace Roger Federer managed to do it just by his knowledge of cricket when the two legends caught up during the Wimbledon.

Tendulkar, a self-confessed Federer fan, met the winner of 16 Grand Slams at the All England Club after the world number three beat David Nalbandian to advance to the fourth round of Wimbledon.

Tendulkar chatted for an hour with the Swiss and posed with him for the shutterbugs.

"Spent an hour with Roger Federer chatting on the balcony of Wimbledon Royal box. What a humble guy! And by the way he knows a lot about cricket!!" Tendulkar later tweeted.

The two reportedly also had dinner together after Federer's match.

Federer too talked about his meeting with Tendulkar on his facebook page.

"Today was a special day, played a good match and had the chance to catch up with the great indian cricket star Sachin Tendulkar"

World Cup dream began after 2007 exit: Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar has revealed that he started nurturing ambitions of winning the 2011 World Cup right after India's crushing first-round exit in the 2007 edition of the tournament. Talking to Mid-Day after India's victory in the World Cup final, Tendulkar said the prospect of lifting the Cup in front of his home crowd had motivated him through tough times.

"That [winning the World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium] was my dream after we lost in 2007," Tendulkar said. "I took up that challenge. I said, the next World Cup is in Mumbai and this is where I would want the trophy. It was a challenge and I started working towards that.

"After the 2007 World Cup when we got to know that the next one is in India and the final would be held in Mumbai. That is when I felt that this is the place where we have to lift the trophy."

Tendulkar admitted the 2007 exit, which came on the back of a patch of poor personal form was the toughest phase of his career. "Yeah, it was really tough," Tendulkar said. "My family and friends really supported me at that stage. It was probably the toughest phase of my career and I was really demoralised. Talking about the World Cup in India at that time was something which motivated me. The final in Mumbai, that was greater motivation because here is where I grew up playing cricket. I wanted to do something really, really special here in India and Mumbai."

Tendulkar said MS Dhoni's winning hit in the final was the most unforgettable moment of the campaign. "The moment the winning runs were scored, I jumped," he said. "Viru [Virender Sehwag] who was next to me, jumped too. We were sitting in the dressing room and praying."

India's win included hard-fought victories against each of the former World Cup champions. Tendulkar scored two centuries in losing causes, but rated his chancy 85 against Pakistan as his most important contribution. Tendulkar recalled a couple of critical moments in that game, which India went on to win and extend their unbeaten record against Pakistan in World Cups.

"We set a 6-3 field against Pakistan at Mohali," Tendulkar said. "Their opening batsman, Mohammad Hafeez tried to play a sweep shot off Munaf Patel and got caught behind. I thought that was the turning point of the match.

"The catch Viru took off Shahid Afridi [was also crucial]. The match was very much alive then because Misbah-ul-Haq and Afridi were batting and we needed two-three big overs at that stage, so that was an important catch. An easy one, but important."

Sachin's unforgettable 2011 World Cup moments

Sachin Tendulkar talks about his finest memories of the 2011 World Cup where he finally fulfilled his lifetime dream of lifting the coveted trophy.

Unforgettable dressing room moment:
The moment the winning runs were scored, I jumped. Viru (Sehwag) who was next to me, jumped too. We were sitting in the dressing room and praying.

Unforgettable part of the celebrations:
When we got the trophy in our hands and the popping of champagne. Also, when the team lifted me with the tri-colour in my hand. That was the ultimate feeling.

Unforgettable innings that you played:
I was batting really well against South Africa, but in terms of importance, it's got to be the one against Pakistan.

Unforgettable innings from your teammates:
There were many! The one Viru played in the first game against Bangladesh, Yuvraj Singh played many, Suresh Raina, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli... all the guys chipped in.

Unforgettable bowling spell:
Zaheer Khan bowled some very important spells. In the semi-final, Ashish Nehra bowled well. Munaf got some important wickets too. Harbhajan Singh and R Ashwin bowled well too. Everyone has chipped in. That is why I call it a thorough team performance. Everyone did their job and somewhere they made an impact.

Unforgettable captaincy move:
We set a 6-3 field against Pakistan at Mohali. Their opening batsman, Mohammad Hafeez tried to play a sweep shot off Munaf Patel and got caught behind. I thought that was the turning point of the match.

Unforgettable catch:
The one Viru caught off Shahid Afridi. The match was very much alive then because Misbah & Afridi were batting and we needed two-three big overs at that stage, so that was an important catch. An easy one, but important.

Unforgettable tense moment:
There were many moments when we were really tense especially in the last three matches....we knew there would be no second chance. There were many moments like that.

Sachin didn't see the winning shot

Sachin didn't see the winning shot

Sachin Tendulkar didn't watch Mahendra Singh Dhoni's winning shot, a six over long on off Nuwan Kulasekara, that clinched India the World Cup final against Sri Lanka on Saturday night.

The batting maestro was inside the dressing room, his hands clasped, eyes shut and prayers on his lips. It was the deafening roar of the capacity crowd that shook him and made him realise that his life-long dream had been realised. "I was not listening to anything at that time. I was not watching too. I was just praying to God. I realised that we have won the Cup when the entire stadium went up in a cheer"

He played in five World Cups before without success. His dream was fulfilled on his home ground , the Wankhede Stadium. Then, in a matter of a few moments, he moved from being immersed in himself to being lost in the frenzy of celebration. "I am really speechless. I don't know what to say! It's a feeling which I can't explain in any language," he said.

"It is a different kind of feeling. I am on a high. I believe now I am living in a different planet. It feels as if I am flying high." As he hugged his teammates one by one, tears rolled down his cheeks.

Then, as he has done on every occasion of reaching a milestone, he remembered his late father. "Khushi ke aansu bhi hote hain. Yeah, if he were here, he would have been the happiest person. He is always in my mind," Tendulkar said.

True heroes
Tendulkar was touched when the group of NSG commandos tasked with protecting him requested to be photographed with him and his family. Tendulkar immediately went into the dressing room and returned with son Arjun. Father and son posed with the commandos for the picture. "They are the real heroes. They defend our nation," the premier batsman said. The members of the Indian team might disagree, though. For them, he was God, the reason they played and won the coveted title. "I am not at all a special person. It was a nice gesture by the teammates. If you are talking about special, our nation is special. The people of our nation are special. We won the World Cup for them," Tendulkar said.

Tendulkar praised man of the tournament, Yuvraj Singh: He has been absolutely wonderful," he said.