Performance Marketing gets a new name – Shreyas Iyer

By S Sudarshan
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Not every day do you get to see a batter neutralize Bumrah’s threat. The way Shreyas Iyer negotiated the toe-crushing yorker from Jasprit Bumrah during the eliminator and gently guided it to the boundary signaled the resurgence of Shreyas, the batter.

The Punjab skipper has struck a fantastic bond with his teammates, and this has translated into results this season; his team-first approach, allowing others to take the lead, has had a positive impact on his batting.

Marketers today will be breathing a sigh of relief as Shreyas’ performance has reiterated a simple fact – it’s the performance that matters and nothing else.

How did it all happen?

At this year’s IPL auction, there were a lot of raised eyebrows when the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) released their winning captain. “What? How can a franchise release a winning captain?!” was the thought that ran through every ardent cricket fan’s mind.

When Punjab acquired him for a whopping ₹26.75 crores, many raised their eyebrows even higher. If KKR’s move to release him was a surprise, Punjab’s acquisition was a shocker. Pundits mocked the decision, with some even attributing it to the Punjab think tank’s lack of understanding of franchise cricket.

However, the gritty right-hander from Mumbai showed up when it mattered most. In marketing, trust is everything—and Shreyas repaid the trust the franchise placed in him with his rock-solid performance, both as a batter and as a skipper.

Iyer might not be trending in cricketing circles the way Kohli, Rohit, or Bumrah often do. But he is trending on ‘X’. He’s being praised in reels, featured in all kinds of memes (for positive reasons), and people genuinely root for him for all the right reasons.

Yes, Shreyas was bought for a whopping sum, but the kind of attention he is drawing now cannot be bought with money. It is earned; it is real; it’s built on pure performance - and that’s exactly why marketers and brands love him.

We live amidst a sea of influencers where attention is short-lived, and now people are seeing Shreyas Iyer as someone who is dependable, trustworthy, consistent, yet simple. And these traits are very much marketable.

What’s next for Iyer?

Yes, you won’t see him donning the India cap for a few months (courtesy of a baffling team selection that ensured he is not in the touring party for the England series). You will probably start seeing him in brand endorsements—likely in lifestyle, wellness, banking, etc.

Today’s marketers are not merely looking to buy reach or work with influencers. They are buying reputation - and Shreyas Iyer has built a solid one.

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Pics: Internet