In kabaddi, to score a point, you need to cross a white line drawn on the ground. Star Sports, in collaboration with its agency, leveraged this aspect of the game and launched the #CrossTheLine campaign, which showcased how women had already broken the glass ceiling in industries ranging from science to defence. It was now time for them to take the lead in contact sports. #CrossTheLine focused on telling the story of kabaddi via the women who were at the heart of it, those that had already broken the mould and challenged the status quo.

Star Sports launched the campaign on its channel and social media platforms, with an emotional film about women who have broken the glass ceiling, inspiring women to take the lead in contact sports.

Star Sports and its PR agency traveled to six Indian cities with the three women kabaddi athletes. Their interviews were picked up across print, online and broadcast media, which helped amplify messages about kabaddi and how the players successfully broke barriers. The PR team also used new-age news portals (Scoopwhoop, The Better India) to reach millennials and dispel the myths about women’s kabaddi. Local-language publications penetrated a massive audience less connected to digital media. Influencers and celebrities were invited to the matches and encouraged to share content with their fans asking them to watch and support the players.

The campaign was executed between June 27 – August 10, 2016 nationally, with matches across seven Indian cities.

Media Outputs:

•Delivered over 290 Women’s Kabaddi Challenge stories across print, online and television media reaching more than 125 million people in one month. The stories focused on the rise of the women’s edition of the sport (The Times of India, The New Indian Express, The Hindu), the recognition leading women kabaddi players were getting due to the Women’s Kabaddi Challenge (Deccan Herald, Deccan Chronicle, The Financial Express) and how these players were breaking long-held stereotypes about women’s participation in sports (The Economic Times, Mint, Mid-Day).

•The digital amplification around the #CrossTheLine campaign resulted in a massive 93.2 million impressions on online platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and native content generators with a 58% share of voice being captured from women enthusiasts. The conversations ranged from kabaddi being the next bastion that women are going to conquer to calls for increased support for the women’s edition of the sport.

•Achieved an AVE (Advertising Value Equivalent) of USD 10 million through earned media.

Target Audience Outcome:

•Successfully created awareness for women’s kabaddi as a possible career option for young girls.

“When I saw you play kabaddi, I told my mother that even girls can play games like boys, and be on TV!” – Young girl to Abhilasha Mhatre (Captain and kabaddi player)

Business Outcome:

•Over 90.4 million viewers tuned in for the inaugural season of the Women’s Kabaddi Challenge, surpassing the viewership figures of the UEFA Euro Cup 2016.

•Stadiums reached 85% capacity for each of the Women’s Kabaddi Challenge matches.