The National Basketball Association (NBA) rolled out a brand campaign in India fronted by Hindi film actor and brand ambassador Ranveer Singh called ‘This Is Basketball’ which positions the sport and the league as a unifying cultural force.
The campaign’s hero spot, which dropped across TV and digital platforms from 25 August, showcases the diversity of the basketball community in India and is built around Singh’s passion and love for the game.
Joining Singh in the campaign are Shireen Limaye and Raspreet Sidhu – the current and former captains of the Indian women’s basketball team respectively – as well as former India men’s basketball team Lalrina Renthlei.
The national team players star alongside basketball fans from throughout the country and all of them share what basketball means to them, highlighting its values and impact on culture. From achieving your goals to finding a common ground with others on the court, #ThisIsBasketball brings to life the different facets of the sport which it claims are inspiring the next generation to play.
The creative positions the game of hoops as ‘a culture, a community and a calling…where every shot tells a story.<
The spearhead spot is the first in a series of films the NBA plans to roll out in India during the year which all showcase the diversity of the basketball community in the country and capture what the league states is the true essence of the sport – that the court is for everyone.
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This celebrity and fan fronted storytelling approaches aims to immerse the audience in the range of raw emotions that emerge on court – where every shot tells a story – and the vibrant culture that surrounds the wider basketball universe.
As the NBA’s brand ambassador for India, Bollywood star Singh has been key to building an engaged community of basketball lovers across the country: amplifying the visibility of the game and the league and inspiring people to watch and to play.
As the NBA’s campaign PR statement said: “Singh has been instrumental in building a highly engaged community of basketball enthusiasts. Through his support, he has amplified the visibility of the sport to help inspire individuals to play and watch the game of basketball. This video, which spotlights his influence in the community, is the first in a series which aims to highlight the momentum in basketball in India, underscoring the NBA’s dedication to empowering and supporting athletes across the country.”
This latest effort to spread the game in India follows on from previous iterations such as in 2019 when India was chosen to host the first ever global games and NBA India worked with Genesis BCW to try and make India fall in love with basketball through an integrated campaign called #NBAInMyBackyard which also focused the NBA’s role across art, culture and lifestyle, as well as sport.
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