Cricket in India isn’t just a sport, it’s a full-blown religion. So when the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 came to us with a clear goal, to increase viewership, we knew we had to think beyond the boundaries.
At AnyMind Group, we built our strategy around one undeniable truth: Indian cricket fans hate missing out. They’re constantly refreshing scoreboards, dreading that they might miss the next match-winning six or a game-changing wicket.
Insight: Cricket + Gaming = Untapped Potential
We identified a powerful crossover, most cricket fans are also mobile gamers. That insight became the foundation of our campaign.
We created a rich media interstitial ad experience, merging two things Indian fans love:
- Live scores, to keep them in the moment
- Engaging video content, to bring them even closer to the action
This wasn’t just an ad, it was a real-time experience that felt native, relevant, and exciting.
Execution: Speaking Their Language (Literally)
We didn’t stop at just a smart format. We went hyper-local. The campaign was rolled out in 13 Indian languages, targeting passionate cricket hubs like Maharashtra, Gujarat, and West Bengal, while intentionally avoiding the already-saturated metro markets.
This regional-first approach made sure we connected with fans who feel cricket in their bones.
Results: Engagement That Bowled Us Over
- 2.94 million unique users reached
- 83.89% video completion rate – fans actually watched the content
- 335,167 clicks – direct engagement from users checking scores to watching matches live During the high-voltage India vs England match, the campaign peaked:
- 1.5 million+ users in just 2 days
- 4.30% CTR – nearly double the industry average
The X-Factor: Enhancing, Not Interrupting
What truly made this campaign stand out? We didn’t interrupt the fan experience, we enhanced it.
By offering live scores paired with seamless video content, we gave fans exactly what they wanted and more. With one click, they were taken from checking scores to watching the action unfold in real-time on JioHotstar.
Conclusion:
This campaign wasn’t just about numbers, it was about understanding India’s emotional connection to cricket.
By bridging culture with technology, and by recognizing the overlap between cricket fandom and mobile gaming, we alongside Mindshare created a campaign that respected the sport, thrilled the fans, and delivered measurable results.
In a country where cricket is identity, we didn’t just drive viewership, we won hearts.
