Earlier this month, Star Sports partnered with WhatsApp to custom create a branded content series, The Inner Circle to celebrate the close-knit ‘inner circle’ of people that help sports stars flourish and grow, on and off the field. The series is part of WhatsApp’s current #MessagePrivately campaign and features prominent sports personalities like Shreyas Iyer, Mirabai Chanu, Sania Mirza, PR Sreejesh and Deepa Malik, sharing their stories through freewheeling conversations with host, Abish Mathew. The series will be aired on Star Sports’ channels and Star Sports’ YouTube with amplification on their social media, providing unseen glimpses into the inner circles of these celebrated sports icons.

Speaking about the insight behind this unique activation, Avinash Pant, Director Marketing, India says, “WhatsApp believes that all of us need to have an assurance of our own personal space and that privacy is an important component of our lives that helps support growth and brings people closer.  This is no different for public figures and celebrities. When we launched our campaign, of which this activation is a part, we showcased how we provide a private and secure environment to people allowing them to flourish both personally and professionally. When we looked at platforms to engage with, we considered sports in India going beyond cricket. The whole idea was to provide glimpses of the closeness these players share with the special people in their lives, who are also in a way their safe space. They are the people who provide our sports stars with a private and safe space to share their thoughts, aspirations, dreams and fears without any judgement.” 

The series gives glimpses into some of the most important people in the lives of these champions. For example, the first episode allows viewers to know more about the bond that Indian cricketer ShreyasIyer shares with his sister, Shresta that helps him thrive on the field and off it too. He also observes that the series brings out the very integral part WhatsApp plays in supporting these important relationships for India’s sports stars. It puts into perspective how it’s so natural for a person to reach out to the important people in their lives through the safe and private space that WhatsApp provides. The series also illustrates in a subtle way just how all WhatsApp messages, calls or video calls can be conducted with complete privacy and security.

This content partnership was executed by Mindshare, leaning on the insight that people in the spotlight, much like other human beings too need a safe place to speak their mind and share their dreams without fear of judgement. Explaining how this content series was a perfect initiative for the brand, Amin Lakhani, COO Mindshare, South Asia says, “If you think about it, whenever you need to confide in someone or talk to someone, your go-to platform is WhatsApp. You would probably message, call or video call the people in your inner circle when you want to talk about something private. The integration has been subtle and the conversations are the focus of each episode. These stars talk about how they ‘WhatsApp’ their close friend or relative, making the brand almost synonymous with communication.” Through this series, Lakhani notes how the agency brought out the very integral role that WhatsApp plays in the lives of these stars, much like it does in the lives of ordinary people. 

The very fact that the series provides a platform for these untold stories of celebrated sports stars has got viewers captivated, as Pant points out. “The digital ecosystem has responded very well to this. Very rarely have people seen what goes on behind the life of a sports star through the lens of their inner circle. The stories beautifully show how those in the inner circle are the catalysts and the driving force that keeps these athletes going. It’s also a wonderful reminder to viewers also that these stars are humans after all, and that’s what makes this series so relatable. From an audience lens, we’ve seen fantastic reactions and we have already crossed over 100,000 views for our first episode and the trajectory has been similar for the other episodes as well.” From a media lens, Star Sports was the ideal fit for this series, as Pant remarks, “When Mindshare recommended Star Sports, we agreed that they were the natural platform to bring these stories to life because Star Sports knew these athletes and their stories. Moreover Star, with its broadcast expertise, also enjoys tremendous respect from the audience as well.” He adds that the aim was not to choose athletes based on their popularity or to chase viral content but rather to tell stories of those who support their dreams and strike a chord with viewers while doing so.

An association with Star Sports also means that reach and resonance for the brand can be built up through the broadcaster’s cued-in audiences.While on social media, each of these personalities are also doing some sharing of the content, largely they will be amplifying the series through Star Sports’ social media. A good amount of responses can be seen, where people are actually moved by the relationships these stars share with their close friends and family in their inner circle.

Four episodes of the series have already been released and they may be viewed here. The final episode featuring hockey star, PR Sreejesh will be released this Friday.

• Shreyas Iyer with sister, Shrestha Iyer

• Mirabai Chanu and Coach Vijay

• Deepa Malik and daughter, Devika Malik

• Sania Mirza and sister, Anam Mirza

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising
India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)

For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook & Youtube