Mumbai: Gulf Oil Lubricants, a Hinduja Group Company, has on-boarded popular Indian women cricketing star and current vice-captain, Smriti Mandhana, as its new brand ambassador.

With this, Gulf Oil becomes the first company in the lubricant space to appoint a woman cricketer as an ambassador to represent the organization and its ethos. Smriti Mandhana will join the pantheon of famous cricketers and current brand ambassadors Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Hardik Pandya.

Gulf Oil recognises that the dynamics of the automotive segment have evolved with more women playing a pivotal role in the decision-making process of vehicular purchase and its further maintenance.

With the addition of Smriti Mandhana to its group of inspiring ambassadors, the organization has taken cognizance of the changing consumer demographics, determined to appeal and cater to the new developing customer landscape in the segment.

The new woman youth icon, Smriti, is the ideal brand ambassador as she embodies Gulf Oil's strong sporting heritage, and her commitment to outperform is in line with the organisation’s values. Through this association, Gulf Oil aims to celebrate women's power and inspire female audiences in the country while also honouring the achievements of Indian women cricketers.

Commenting on the decision to rope in a female brand ambassador, Gulf Oil Lubricants' managing director & CEO Ravi Chawla said, “In the recent past, we have witnessed a surging demand for our products from a new audience segment. As an organisation that is determined to lead with the evolving times, we seek to strengthen our brand recall among women vehicle owners in India. The remarkable Smriti Mandhana was a natural choice for us as she shares a lot of synergy in values with Gulf Oil. We have a long history of associating with top athletes in the country. Smriti undoubtedly enjoys a high level of popularity & credibility in the cricketing world at large. We believe this association will help us connect with consumers across the spectrum, male and female audiences alike, reinforcing our brand philosophy and enhancing our engagement with the sport of cricket.”

Gulf Oil Lubricants head of marketing Amit Gheji added, “Smriti is a natural choice to represent the brand considering her achievements and wide appeal with the cricketing audience of our nation. The popularity and viewership of women’s cricket in India are expanding and we can only see it growing from here. Together, we look forward to creating exciting campaigns that will help the brand get even closer to its consumers. We already have MS Dhoni and Hardik endorsing our brand and now with the addition of Smriti, we look forward to living our brand promise of ‘Together, we’re Unstoppable’.”