5 instances when MS Dhoni's endorsements got him in trouble

MS Dhoni has so many endorsements to his name, it would take him quite a while to recall and recite the name of each one. That is if he could recall them all. Dhoni enjoys rock-star levels of popularity in India. His image is highly sought after, so much so that even he has occasion to be surprised when he sees a product endorsed by him. The surprise comes when the endorsement is without his knowledge.When marketers are so bent on using your image, and when you are open to exploring the opportunities available, it is inevitable that you'll have to deal with your share of controversy. Here is a look at 5 instances when MS Dhoni's endorsements caused controversy and got him in trouble

#1 Mc Dowells spoofing Harbhajan Singh

Dhoni was at the center of controversy

When alcohol is involved, things usually go south soon. In case of this endorsement, one has to wonder if the team behind creating the concept was slightly inebriated at the time.

Harbhajan Singh starred in a Royal Stag ad which was lampooned by McDowell. The spoof started out just like the original, before a Harbhajan lookalike gets slapped.

Dhoni then turns off the TV showing the spoof, and says "If you want to do something in life, forget large and do something different."

Vijay Mallya came to the defense of the ad saying "It was not meant to attack Harbhajan Singh personally. It was just a spoof between two brands. There are several TV programmes that spoof our politicians. What will happen if all of them start sending legal notices?"

 

Harbhajan's mother demanded 1400 pounds from UB Group which sells McDowells, alleging that the ad is an insult to her son, her family and to the Sikh community. She called it anti-national as well.

When an endorsement of yours causes a teammate's mother to speak out against you, that is a pretty clear sign that a major gaffe has been committed.