Early April saw Royal Challenge Sports Drink launch #ChallengeAccepted: a campaign that challenges gender-based stereotypes in cricket and shines a spotlight on the idea of sports equality that will lead to a better tomorrow on and off the field.
The Diageo owned brand’s initiative aims to generate support for the first-ever mixed gender T20 (which the brand is organising with female cricketers and the Royal Challengers Bangalore team) and drives viewers to find out further details online at http://www.rcchallengeaccepted.com
The campaign, developed in harness with Ddb Mudra Group, is spearheaded by a hero film fronted by Indian women’s cricket team stars Mithali Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur, Veda Krishnamurthy and men’s team skipper Virat Kohli.
The players come together to state that a day is coming where the world needs to become equal’ and the spot urges fans to accept the campaign challenge to break the barriers in their mind and to see men and women’s Cricket as one game and one team not divided by gender.
Teased socially on 26 March,
We're coming for you. Stay tuned! #ChallengeAccepted pic.twitter.com/13HHOB4aWp
— Royal Challenge #ChallengeAccepted (@RCGameforLife) March 26, 2019
the lead video debuted on 1 April and it was amplified across the brand’s various digital and social channels – including YouTube
and Twitter.
When it comes to cricket, it is believed that men and women don't play the same game.
That women lack the pace, intensity and power.
But we say – #ChallengeAccepted.
We’re changing the game with the first-ever mixed gender T20 match. Support us by voting below.— Royal Challenge #ChallengeAccepted (@RCGameforLife) April 2, 2019
The lead spot is supporting by additional social content carrying the #ChallengeAccepted hashtag.
Ready to discover the real players behind the mystery statistics?
It’s time to say #ChallengeAccepted to change our perceptions and the game. #StayTuned pic.twitter.com/cXeMF50lrW— Royal Challenge #ChallengeAccepted (@RCGameforLife) April 1, 2019
“Royal Challenge as a brand has always stood for forward thinking and boldness. It has stood for the spirit of challenging the ‘now’. So, when it came to this campaign, with the euphoria linked to the cricket season we wanted talk about what’s missing in all this excitement – Women Cricketers,” said DDB Mudra South creative head Vishnu Srivastav.
“We wanted to create a campaign that challenges the world to move towards a more progressive and inclusive space for women, in sports and life. And we’re just getting started.”
Amarpreet Anand, Executive Vice President & Portfolio Head, Diageo India, said: “With #ChallengeAccepted, the idea is to challenge stereotypes in life, because the bold are the ones who are fearless to do so. Our first point of view is to challenge gender stereotypes in cricket, where the game is being divided by gender & not skills & prowess. We believe that it’s a cause worthy of a conversation in culture & we are supporting the first mixed gender match with international cricketers. We are rolling out a full 360-degree activation plan supported by like-minded influencers & the RCB cricket team.”
“People say that women and men’s cricket is not equal because we are not able to face the same challenges on-field,” said India women’s team all rounder Harmanpreet Kaur at the campaign launch event.
“To all those fans, I want to say that neither does the idea of facing a ball at 150 kmph daunt me, nor do I worry about the size of the stadium while hitting a boundary. The start to making cricket one game will come from fans saying Challenge Accepted and breaking the barriers in their mind.”
“Be it men or women, cricket is one game and I want to urge the fans to break the boundaries that exist in their mind that divides the sport by gender,” added India men’s team skipper Virat Kohli.
“Equality in sports is ultimately a reflection of equality in life and if we want a better tomorrow then we need to say #ChallengeAccepted and start breaking down all stereotypes.”
Comment:
While women’s cricket has made progress in recent years, the playing field is still far from equal and may remain so until there is parity in opportunities, salaries, coverage and fan support.
The objective of this campaign is to challenge the belief that women and men’s cricket is not on par because of the perception that women are not as strong, as fast, or as fit as their male counterparts who rally bigger crowds and fanfare.
If we want a world tomorrow where girls start looking at professional cricket as a real career option then we need to begin to change the game now with this kind of ambitious, but much needed initiative .
There is plenty to admire about this initiative and much of the brand’s Kohli-fronted chllanger marketing heritage which ranges from November 2018’s ‘Royal Challenge Bold League’ spot
to March 2018’s ‘Play Bold Anthem’
and initial ‘Bold Challenge’,
as well as 2017’s ‘Bold Army Wants You’.
Links:
Royal Challenge Sports Drink
http://www.rcchallengeaccepted.com
https://www.liveinstyle.com/royal-challenge
https://www.youtube.com/user/royalchallenge1234
https://www.facebook.com/gameforlife
https://www.pinterest.com/rcgameforlife/
https://twitter.com/RCGameforLife
DDB Mudra Group
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