Pathao Names Mashrafe Bin Mortaza Brand Ambassador And The Pathao Brand

Pathao, the country’s largest digital platform, announced yesterday that the captain of Bangladesh’s ODI cricket team, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, will serve as its brand ambassador, said a press release.

The new partnership with Mashrafe Bin Mortaza comes amidst Pathao’s continued efforts in empowering communities, transforming the lives of millions and thus moving Bangladesh with their app-based solutions, said the statement.

Commenting on the announcement, Hussain M Elius, the CEO of Pathao, said, “We are thrilled to have Mashrafe as Pathao's brand ambassador. He has helped lift the image of Bangladesh among its international neighbors, time and again. His unconditional love for his country is evident in every step he takes and as a homegrown startup, we believe his perseverance will help us to significantly improve Bangladesh's digital landscape. He is an essential part in our quest of successfully Moving Bangladesh.’’

Commenting on his alliance with Pathao, Bangladesh Cricket Team’s captain in ODI format Mashrafe Bin Mortaza said, “I have seen Pathao take on the challenge of Moving Bangladesh and grow beyond the boundaries of our country. Being a Bangladeshi player, through unwavering determination, Pathao is allowing millions to save time and money, empowering communities to grow. I believe, together, it is possible for us to bowl out barriers that lie in the path towards a brighter future.”

Pathao is looking to increase digital penetration throughout the country and provide opportunities for thousands of riders, captains and cyclists in Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Narayanganj and Gazipur, states the release. With Mashrafe now on board, Pathao hopes to bring all their services to the masses so that they too can transform their lives.

Why it matters

• This was a long overdue move on the part of Pathao. After recent privacy mess-up, Pathao has been going through a crisis of trust and perception among conscious urban users. On-boarding Mashrafe can be considered as an attempt at fixing that perception challenge.
• This also proves the Pathao understands the damage the crisis caused to Pathao brand and it is actively trying to mend it.
• Although Mashrafe is a well-liked among Bangladeshi Cricket Fans, however, it is hard to tell how much this partnership will help Pathao to uplift its brand image and regain trust in the market.
• The effectiveness of brand ambassador model has always been there. A more important question would be, is Mashrafe the right brand association Pathao needs at this point in time.
• We have to wait to see whether this is yet another misstep on the part of Pathao or a more strategic one.
• Technology companies tend to pay more attention to the product. The strength of their products often helps in building a strong brand image in the market. Media companies across the board have also played role in favor of technology companies. However, it has changed over the past few years as tech giants come under greater scrutiny amid a growing user discontent against many technology companies. This reality is certainly going to affect Pathao and other tech brands in the country. And it calls for a greater attention to protecting brand image.