Turning celebrity endorsement into a long-term business asset
Creating a new consumer brand is one challenge. Earning attention and credibility in one of the world’s most competitive beverage markets is another.
As O’CEAN entered the Indian market, CO/PLUS looked beyond the traditional launch model of buying media and celebrity endorsements. Instead, we explored how co-ownership partnerships could generate strong visibility while reducing reliance on paid media.
This led to a collaboration with Virat Kohli, one of India’s most recognised sports personalities and former captain of the national cricket team. Rather than acting solely as a conventional brand ambassador, he also became an investor in O’CEAN. By giving him an ownership stake, the partnership went beyond a traditional endorsement and created a long-term communication platform rather than a time-limited campaign.
The model was reinforced through Narang Group’s collaboration with The Times of India, which also became an investor in the brand. By offering ownership stakes to both partners, O’CEAN gained two built-in media channels: one through Virat Kohli’s own platforms and one through one of India’s largest media outlets. This reduced the need for continuous paid media investment while giving both partners a direct commercial interest in the brand’s success.
Today, O’CEAN reaches more than 80 million consumers. Virat Kohli continues to serve as both ambassador and investor, introducing the brand to his audience of more than 273 million Instagram followers, alongside millions more across Facebook and X.
The result is a partnership model that turns reach into a long-term commercial asset, creating sustained brand visibility beyond traditional paid media.
