When the Australian cricketer and all-rounder, Ellyse Perry, hit the ball not just out of the park but shattered the window of the Tata Punch.ev which was parked outside the boundary as the award for ‘Player of the series’ in an RCB vs UP Warriors match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore during the Women’s Premier League, the internet went bonkers.
And while this was something unprecedented and the video of this instance was bound to go viral on social media with the meme fraternity capitalising on the moment with their creativity, what came as an out-of-the-park sixer was Tata.EV’s heartfelt gesture of bestowing Perry with an award and memento for her #PerryPowerfulPunch at the final match of WPL.
Known for its stellar ‘safety ratings’ in Bharat NCAP tests, when Perry’s powerful six literally broke the glass window of a Tata car into a hundred pieces, the audience did come out to be apprehensive of the brand, posing a threat to Tata.EV’s image in the minds of the consumer.
Being the title sponsor of both WPL and Indian Premier League and a witness to this iconic moment which every cricket enthusiast has been proud of doing at a miniscule level, by breaking the glass window of an acquaintance with a mere shot, Tata.EV realised that the bigger picture here lies not in the small blip but recognising the female cricketer for breaking the stereotypes clouding women’s cricket.
Speaking exclusively to Marketing Mind, Kartikeya Tiwari, National Creative Director, FCB Kinnect, stated that since Tata.EVs team comprises contemporary marketers who understand modern contemporary advertising well and align the brand’s marketing strategy with the brand’s values, it was only a matter of time that they responded responsibly whilst being adaptable.
“The situation caught us off guard and just like us, the brand team never thought that something like this could happen. But when the extraordinary did happen, we realized that by the time the client made it official, the meme world had already executed most of the fascinating ideas that initially came across our minds too,” he said.
Emphasising on how this moment was unique from the other happenings in the world of sports, where the country which follows cricket almost like a religion has celebrated Sachin’s sixes, Dhoni’s helicopter shot on the last ball of the World Cup final, etc., and have them etched in mass memory, he said that this was the first time a cricketer broke the glass window of a car placed on the boundary.
With that, he also pointed out that since the Indian women’s team hasn’t won the World Cup yet, moments like these become all the more necessary to celebrate for they inspire hundreds of other women in sports to overthrow the many stereotypes.
As per several media reports too, while brands had showcased a comparatively higher enthusiasm in the first season of the WPL, the advertisers’ interest in WPL 2024 was slightly subdued as women sports are still at a nascent stage in the country.
However, the viewership of WPL’s Season 1 itself, as per JioCinema, has been a startling 50 minutes of watch time per user per match which is the highest for the first season on any women’s sporting event across the globe.
Keeping pace with these, Tiwari mentioned that since there has always been talk about how women’s sports needed a nitro boost and idols, and now that it was about time for cricket, the team at the agency and the brand, both, wanted to avoid being reactive to the moment just for the sake of it.
“We wanted people to remember our brand which is all about ‘Move with Meaning’. This includes being aware of everything and doing things intentionally, rather than letting the world take the driving seat. So, we decided to create something that celebrates the purpose behind it all,” he said.
Having said that, he also enthused that this moment was much bigger than ‘a six broke the window of a car’ and was a metaphorical moment that will remain etched in one’s brain, regardless of age or gender, for it represented the fact that women are breaking glass ceilings with their contributions in contemporary times.
It was owing these factors that FCB Kinnect executed a moment marketing campaign like no other, when they made Tata.EV present a memento made from the same car glass that Perry shattered during the match and bestowed her with an award titled ‘PerryPowerfulPunch’, just 11 days after the incident took place during the finals of the WPL.
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As per Tiwari, the award and the memento made from the shattered pieces of the car’s window were a physical manifestation of how women have shattered barriers.
“And for the masses who witnessed it all, right from Perry breaking the glass window with her sixer, to Tata.EV’s heartfelt gesture, this moment will be a symbol that will constantly remind one of all the women who are not just aspiring to, but making their mark in their respective sport,” he opined.
Upon being questioned on how the agency goes about convincing the client for campaigns that require a quick turnaround like this one, he shared that since the client themselves have an agile approach to delivering quality work within tight deadlines, and are aware that FCB Kinnect’s specialisation lies in reactive and moment marketing, the idea was fairly welcomed.
“Since our ultimate goal is to ensure that we don’t miss any opportunities to connect with our clients’ audiences, we are comfortable advising them to keep things simple and seize the moment, rather than obsessing over creating something bigger than necessary. With #PerryPowerfulPunch, we not only created a positive sentiment for our brand, but also a real wave of support for the Women’s Premier League (WPL),” he added.
Adding to this, Tiwari also mentioned that from a business standpoint too, since women are a significant driver of the automobile category and studies show that women are more inclined to buy sustainable or environmentally conscious products or even influence the decision-making process of buying a car, marketing to women is not a waste of time and money but is essential for the growth of the brand.
Concludingly, he also mentioned that the phrase- ‘Magical things happen when one’s intentions and heart are in the right place’ stands true in the world of business and marketing, and that this moment marketing campaign felt like fate and destiny gifted Tata.EV something special for setting itself on the right path.
“This is an example of what I call- brand karma and I encourage brands to ensure their actions are long-term with the right intentions because running after excellence is good, but running after the right intentions for the audience can result in love for the brand, leading to sales growth and success for everyone,” he said.
