Brand wars: SRK, Ranbir worth more than $100 mn but Virat Kohli kicks Salman's ass

Bollywood’s King Khan Shah Rukh may still be the biggest celebrity in India but did you know that cricketers MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli are worth more than the other two Bollywood favourites- Salman and Aamir? That’s accordingto a valuation by US consultancy firm American Appraisal whichhas released a report on India’s most valued celebrity brands.

SRK is India’s most valuable celebrity brand, estimated at $165 million

SRK is worth a whopping $164 million while Ranbir Kapoor’s worth is pegged at $129 million, based on their reputation, credibility and ability to generate income from endorsements, as well as the adjusted average annual endorsement revenue they earned after deducting relevant costs including taxes.

Dhoni and Virat bigger than Salman and Aamir but less than half of SRK’s worth

But here’s the shocking bit:Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has not only taken over Virat Kohli in terms of brand value but as also pipped Big Boss celebrity Salman Khan in terms of endorsements and brand worth. In 2013, Virat Kohli had overtaken Dhoni after signing a Rs.10 crore deal with German sports goods giant,Adidas.

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Deepika most preferred brand endorser in country but only 3 women appear on top 10 celebrity brand list

“While Ranbir can stake claim at being the most expensive celebrity endorser in Indiatoday, charging an average fee upwards of Rs 13 crore to Rs 14 crore per endorsement, Deepika is the most preferred brand endorser in the country,” the report highlighted.

But despite Deepika being the most preferred by advertisers, only three women appeared on thetop 10 list of the American Appraisal report. While Padukone is worth $44.4 million,slightly higher than Hrithik Roshan ( $43.2 million), Katrina Kaif is worth $33.5 million ( half of what Dhoni is worth), while Kareena Kapoor is worth $33.2 million.

The average endorsement fee for a one-year contract for female A-listers is only at about Rs 5.5 crore, which is almost half of their male counterparts’ Rs 10.5-crore average annual fee. Top cricketers on an average get approximately Rs 8 crore as endorsement fee, the American Appraisal report said.

This reinforces the fact that the entertainment industry is clearly dominated by men and that Indian advertisers are favourably inclined towards male celebrities.

Just take a look at these interesting facts from the report:

1. On an average, male celebrities command at least 90 percent higher endorsement fee over their female A-list peers

2. Within the top 10 celebrity brand values, the value of female celebrity brands accounts for just 16%.

3.There are no female sports celebrities in the top 15 brands in the country

4. The average age of an A-List Male film star in the top 10 male celebrities of thecountry is 44, compared to 31 for their female peers.

5. There are no female celebrities over the age of 35 who find a place in the brand rankings while Movie stars
like Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Salman Khan are pushing 50, but continue to remain amongst the most
sought after celebrities for brand endorsement.

“With Priyanka Chopra signing on an Rs 11 crore endorsement deal recently we can only hope that this will change in the future,” says Kapil Bellubi Vice President American Appraisal India.

Here’s a snapshot of the 15 most valuable celebrity brands

[caption id=“attachment_107052” align=“aligncenter” width=“600”]  Source: American Appraisal[/caption]

The analysis further showed that the top 15 celebrities generated over Rs 1100 crore in endorsement fees in 2013-14 alone and at least 50-70 percent of their annual income is generated through brand endorsements!

And while alcohol and tobacco brands provide the best compensation, A-Listers tend to steer clear of promoting
these brands mainly on account of the potential for negative publicity. But in some instances, celebrities are able to garner astronomical fees for such endorsements, case in point being Shah Rukh Khan’s recent
endorsement of a Pan Masala brand for a reported Rs 20 crore!

The most valuable brand for celebrities is Coke or Pepsi because it means they will be able to reach the
the remotest part of the country. Also youth-centric iconic brands like Levis, Guess and luxury brands like Rado, Tissot or Louis Vuitton command immense brand presence and celebrities are normally happy to be associated as brand ambassadors for even a fraction of their normal fees.