When adidas, a global sports brand, partnered with Real Kashmir FC, a rising football club from the strife-torn region of Kashmir in India, they didn't want to sell products. What they wanted was to prove to the world that as a global brand they stand true to their driving philosophy - "sports has the power to change lives".

“When you see Kashmir through the lens of football, you will see #TheRealKashmir.”

We turned the negative lens of hopelessness into a lens of optimism by telling the untold story of Real Kashmir FC. The 2-minute spot is based on the true story of an 80 year-old, blind man who has seen it all for the last 7 decades in the strife-torn region of Kashmir. He doesn’t see Kashmir negatively like the world does. He feels the positive change in Kashmir with the rise of football. Like he says in the end, "Football Isn’t Just a Game – It’s Our Very Hope’. Through him the world gets a new positive lens to see Kashmir. The lens of football.

The narrative is combined with a Kashmiri folk song that has inspired generations of Kashmiris over 200 years to make maximum impact.

While Kashmir has become a blind-spot for the world after 7 decades of conflict and a dormant civil war, adidas a brand that believes in the power of sports, makes it visible to world again, with a brand-new positive lens of football.

All this through the true story of a blind, 80 year-old Kashmiri football fan.

Date of Release: 31/10/2018

The long-format film campaign ran on all social mediums (Twitter/Instagram/Youtube/Facebook) and in conventional television format throughout the duration of the most premier football league in India, the I-League.

The overall campaign ran until the end of the league in March, 2019.

The Results:

42% RISE IN POSITIVE CONVERSATIONS about Kashmir on social platforms, beating negatives at a low 15%

The club was invited as a special guest to the global ‘FOOTBALL FOR PEACE’ event under the high patronage of HRH Prince Albert II of Monaco at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London

INR 20,000,000 Donated by the Indian State Government to the club as assistance post the campaign

The club’s story makes ESPN INDIA’S LIST OF TOP 10 inspiring sports stories

#1 TRENDING Topic on twitter India for the first 3 hours

67,837 UNPAID PR ARTICLES by 640 global news/media agencies

150,000+ SHARES - Most shared sports commercial of the year in India

400% INCREASE in fan following on club’s twitter, facebook & instagram

25M VIEWS across platforms

85M IMPRESSIONS GLOBALLY

$52M IN EARNED MEDIA