Cristiano Ronaldo‘s now-famous Coca-Cola snub at Euro 2020 was not only a social media sensation, but it also had far-reaching financial consequences, with the brand’s stock prices plummeting by 1.6 percent. The loss amounted to USD 4 billion, ranging from USD 242 billion to USD 238 billion. But did you know that Indian captain Virat Kohli, who, like Ronaldo, is one of the most well-known faces in the commercial endorsement market, refused to promote a soft drink company in 2017?
“Things that I’ve endorsed in the past, I won’t take names, but something that I feel that I don’t connect to anymore… I won’t urge others to consume it just because I’m getting money out of it.” “When I started my fitness turnaround, it was more of a lifestyle thing initially. If something goes away from that, I would not want to be a part of that or be promoting that,” Virat had said in an interview with CNN-IBN in 2017.
“I want to give something to people that I use, myself. One of the reasons, I decided not to sign Pepsi is that I have undergone a lifestyle change. And, I am not using that product anymore,” he mentioned.
Kohli was a PepsiCo endorser for nearly six years until deciding to withdraw the company from his list of sponsors. Kohli, like Ronaldo, was concerned about the rising health risks associated with fizzy beverages.
According to Duff & Phelps’ new study titled “Embracing the New Normal,” Virat Kohli topped the charts as India’s most valuable celebrity for the fourth time in a row in 2020, with a brand worth of USD 237.7 million.
Kohli, who manages more than 30 companies, continues to be a darling with businesses of all sizes. The Indian cricket team captain has a massive social media following of 165 million across Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, making him the top-ranked athlete in social media popularity.
