The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup season is a great time for not only sports fans but also ad enthusiasts. Cricket is the single-most revered sport in India, which evokes strong sentiments, especially if it's a match between formidable rivals like India vs Pakistan.
With billions tuning in for every match, it's a golden opportunity for brands to gain some visibility.
Weeks into the World Cup season, we've been treated to many ad campaigns, some memorable some not. In this roundup, we pick some of the best ones out of the lot we've seen so far.
Anchor
Anchor by Panasonic centred their World Cup campaign on the very Indian practice of watching cricket matches at the house of a designated neighbourhood "host." Despite being welcoming, hosts often have to bow down to the demands of their guests. The campaign focuses on the load that electrical appliances have to bear due to the sudden influx of guests in the house.
Dabur Dental Care
Dabur Red Paste brought back the iconic character Chaubeyji, who is confident that Team India will "chabao" (overpower) their rivals. The die-hard Indian cricket fan takes on all of India's rivals in the ad campaign by aggressively chewing their staple food items. Manoj Pahwa has reprised the role of Chaubeyji.
Disney+ Hotstar
No one was expecting the abduction of Kapil Dev on their 2023 bingo card, but yet, here we are. Disney+ Hotstar teamed up with integrated creative agency MANJHA for this eccentric ad, starring the cricketing great who graciously agreed to be gagged and tied in the name of art.
Behind-the-scenes footage of Dev getting "abducted" also added to the mystery around the ad film, with many believing something untoward happened to the cricketing legend. Cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir happened to be one. The ad highlighted Disney+ Hotstar's free streaming of World Cup matches.
Oreo
MS Dhoni and Oreo is a winning combination, quite like chocolate biscuits and vanilla cream. When the twain meet, an interesting campaign is in the offing. After the brilliant #BringBack2011 campaign in 2022, the two have reunited for "Oreo bola mat bol" centred on the concept of jinxes.
The ad received mixed feedback in terms of execution, but the unusual format of the commercial and the Indian concept of nazar as a hook have made the spot stand out.
Star Sports
Since 2015, Star Sports has been delighting cricket fans with "Mauka Mauka" ads, especially around India-Pakistan matches.
The Mauka Mauka ads have been centred on a Pakistani cricket fan's long-time desire to burst crackers after his nation's first victory over India in a World Cup match. The fan still holds out hope for the 8th encounter, but this time, from his afterlife.
Sadly for the Pak fan, Indian trounced its old rival again for the 8th time.
Vicks Cough Drops
Chants of "India! India!" from the stadium is a war cry that motivates the Indian players on the field. Throat lozenges brand Vicks urges the fans to cheer for the country with more conviction and fervour this World Cup. The brand has had a long-standing association with voice with its ads centred on the concept of "khich-khich." For this World Cup, Vicks teamed up with Yuvraj Singh for the #VicksKholIndiaBol cheer anthem that ties up with the brand's clear voice proposition.
Zomato
Food delivery platform Zomato has roped in Ranveer Singh and Chris Gayle for its World Cup campaign. The dynamic duo gets into a disagreement over the correct pronunciation of Zomato, only to be corrected by the delivery man who reminds them “Ab Zomaito–Zomahto nahi, India-India ka time hai!”
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