MS Dhoni at 44: A power-packed year in brandland

New Delhi: As MS Dhoni celebrates his 44th birthday in 2025, with his nickname “Captain Cool” entering trademark territory, Dhoni is not just endorsing brands, he’s becoming one. Here’s a quick look at his brand blitz between July 2024 and 2025:

Dettol

Dhoni joined hands with Dettol for a summer campaign. The focus was on personal hygiene and staying cool during the hot months. The campaign used Dhoni’s calm image to promote daily cleanliness. The message was simple: stay fresh, stay protected with Dhoni delivering the line in his usual calm and composed way.

eMotorad

eMotorad featured Dhoni in two different campaigns. The first one, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, showed a more rugged and active side of Dhoni. The second campaign took him international, where he appeared on a digital billboard at Times Square in New York.

Cleartrip

Dhoni became the new face of Cleartrip in a travel-focused campaign. The ad encouraged people to book and plan their trips with confidence. Cleartrip used Dhoni’s calm and reliable image to make users feel safe about travel decisions, also featuring CarryMinati. The message was simple: plan smart, travel better.

Mastercard

In this campaign, Dhoni promoted safe and smart digital payments. Dhoni in a series of six commercials highlighting the benefits of using cards, such as security, chargebacks and purchase protection for cardholders.

Garnier (with Sakshi Dhoni)

In this ad, Dhoni appeared with his wife Sakshi. They promoted Garnier’s Black Naturals hair colour with a fun idea called the “Dhoni Review System.” The concept played on Dhoni’s cricket background, where he used to review umpire decisions. Here, he was reviewing grey hair. The ad mixed a light moment with a personal touch, showing a real couple using a grooming product.

Star Sports

Dhoni worked with Star Sports on two campaigns. One promoted the India vs Pakistan match with high-energy visuals and hype-building. The other showed him training in snowy conditions to highlight preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy. These campaigns focused on building excitement before big games.

Lay’s

Lay’s featured Dhoni in two major ads. In one, he appeared alongside global football star Lionel Messi in a campaign called “No Lay’s, No Game.” Later in the year, another ad with actor Ranbir Kapoor showed the two stars jokingly refusing to share their Lay’s packets. Both ads used humour and star power to promote the snack brand.

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Eurogrip Tyres

Eurogrip continued its partnership with Dhoni by launching a new ad. The campaign idea “Enjoy Every Turn” focuses on showing how every turn is full of possibilities and should be taken with confidence. In the ad film, everyone asks “What’s next for Dhoni?” meanwhile Dhoni takes viewers through a journey, where he is seen enjoying all the turns life and the roads throw at him.

Men of Platinum

Dhoni was part of a campaign for Men of Platinum that focused on values like inner strength and calm leadership. The campaign film, launched in Hindi, Tamil, and English, takes viewers on a journey through Dhoni’s most defining moments, both on and off the field. The #GreatnessLiesWithin is a tribute to Dhoni’s calm leadership, grit, and perseverance.

Emcure Pharmaceuticals

Dhoni led the "Cure and Beyond" campaign for Emcure, a healthcare company. The ad focused on staying healthy and being responsible about well-being. Dhoni encouraged people to take regular care of their bodies, not just wait until something goes wrong.

SingleID

In this campaign, Dhoni promoted a digital shopping service that helps users get discounts and free offers. The ad focused on how to shop smarter without much effort. Dhoni’s job was to explain the benefits in a simple way.

Gulf Oil (with Hardik Pandya & Smriti Mandhana)

This ad brought together Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, and Smriti Mandhana in a fast-paced, high-energy campaign. They represented different styles of cricket but worked as a team in the ad. The campaign was built around performance and team effort. Gulf Oil used this group of players to show strength, speed, and teamwork.

Kopiko

Kopiko’s ad featured Dhoni in a light and fun setup. He helped a friend solve a love problem using the brand’s coffee candy as a creative idea. Dhoni played the calm thinker, helping people make better choices.

Fire-Boltt (with MC Stan)

Dhoni appeared in a campaign #GaleTohMil with rapper MC Stan for Fire-Boltt smartwatches. In the ad,Dhoni faces an awkward moment when approached by Stan. Tension mounts as Dhoni grapples with recalling Stan's name and songs, resulting in a humorous yet relatable situation that takes an unexpected turn. The ad film aimed to highlight the features of Fire-Boltt's Wristphone.

Captain Cool Becomes Official

In a move that underlines his brand foresight, Dhoni recently pushed to trademark “Captain Cool”, the name fans gave him, now officially on its way to become his own IP. The filing marks a significant step in athlete-led branding, joining a global league of personalities protecting their identity.