Pakistani squash athlete Noreen Shams criticised the new Sprite advertisement featuring the Coke Studio famed Momina Mustehsan kicking a football, saying that brands should endorse real life athletes.
She said that it would have been a better idea to cast football star Asmara Kiani in the advert.
“They do not need your money but at least they deserve to be supported when it comes to representation of our country. They cannot even afford shoes or rackets. They play for the country without any greed,” she wrote in a Facebook post.
Pakistani footballer Sana Mahmud commented below, “I think there is a huge disconnect between mainstream media and Pakistani athletes.”
Similar debates have ranged in India. Until a Nike ad featuring Bollywood Diva Deepika Padukone and 12 Indian athletes hit the screens.
The ad was hailed as a perfect example of how ads can include celebrities and athletes to endorse brands.
