Tata Motors ropes in Lionel Messi as global brand ambassador

Homegrown carmaker Tata Motors today announced that it has signed-up football player Lionel Messi as its brand ambassador to promote and endorse its passenger vehicles globally. Messi is a four-time FIFA world player of the year and presently the captain of the Argentina national football team.

This is the first time ever that the carmaker’s passenger vehicle business will be undertaking an overall brand association campaign with a brand ambassador, the company said in a statement.

Tata Motor's contract with Messi is for two years, a company spokesperson told Autocar India, adding that the same can be extended in the future. However, the deal amount has not been revealed.

To get things going, Tata Motors will first roll-out the association campaign, #madeofgreat, starring Lionel Messi on 3rd November. Tata Motors said that the campaign would reflect its philosophy of providing innovations in the passenger vehicles segment along with exciting new technologies.

“We are very excited to have Lionel Messi on board. He is talent galore and an icon for today’s youth. This is the first campaign in the series and many more will unfold as we move on in this long-term association. We hope our customers like this new campaign and we look forward to their continued support,” Mayank Pareek, president, Passenger Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors, said in a statement.

As the company looks to expand its footprint across the globe, Messi’s unique ability to appeal globally makes him an ideal person to represent the brand internationally, he added.

While the degree of impact of this marketing campaign is something to look out for, the huge global popularity of the footballer will certainly boost Tata Motor’s reputation in many countries.

NISHANT PAREKH