0

Advertising

Asia Cup promo turns into PR nightmare for Sony Sports

The campaign titled ‘Rag Rag Mein Bharat,’ intended to evoke national pride through carefully orchestrated imagery and patriotic appeal, aired across mediums including social media platforms

author-image
BestMediaInfo Bureau
New Update
asia
Listen to this article
0.75x1x1.5x
00:00/ 00:00

New Delhi: In the run-up to the Asia Cup 2025, slated to begin on September 9 in the United Arab Emirates, the official broadcaster of the tournament, Sony, shared an emotive promotional campaign featuring former India opener Virender Sehwag. The promo did not sit right with netizens and has ignited a furious backlash among fans online, particularly over its focus on the high-octane match between India and Pakistan, scheduled for September 14, 2025.

The campaign, titled ‘Rag Rag Mein Bharat’, intended to evoke national pride through carefully orchestrated imagery and patriotic appeal, aired across mediums including social media platforms. The tagline, “140 crore dhadkanein ek saath dhadkegi apni #TeamIndia ke liye,” was widely shared on Sony’s platforms.

However, what was billed as a unifying celebration quickly became a flashpoint.

The popular narrative propagated on social media argued that, coming on the heels of heightened Indo-Pak tensions following the Pahalgam attack and the subsequent Operation Sindoor, the hype around the India vs Pakistan match with patriotic fanfare looked insensitive, as if the channel were prioritising entertainment and money over national concerns.

The campaign film centres on a small-town home, where people from different walks of life gather to watch the final ball of an India vs Pakistan match. The narrative follows Tabrez Miyaan, whose silent prayers reflect the emotional investment of millions of fans. As Surya hits a match-winning six, celebrations erupt; the beats of the dhol and the unfurling of the tricolour symbolise national unity.

Watch the promo here:

Garnering more than 5.4 lakh views and upwards of 1,600 comments, the post quickly went viral for all the wrong reasons.

Echoes of boycotting the Asia Cup engulfed the post. Some users even redirected the fire towards the platform, urging others to “boycott SonyLIV.”

Take a look:

One user came up with a full-fledged digital banner.

Another alleged that broadcasting the match is directly making Operation Sindoor, an
irrelevant event.

Another wrote, “You are going to lose money in this series. People are going to boycott
this big time,” labelling it as a “bad decision” on Sony’s part. Take a look:

While the backlash is still taking shape, it doesn’t seem to remain confined to social platforms. With the reputational damage that the promo has brewed, it could easily translate into commercial consequences, comprising lower viewership, stunted ad revenues, and reduced brand confidence.

Sony Sports Network, which was relying heavily on the Asia Cup, especially the premium viewership of the India vs Pakistan match, may find itself caught in the crossfire of optics and activism. As per reports, the ad slots for the premium matches like the one under fire, is expected to rake in Rs 14-16 lakh for 10 seconds.

In essence, what began as a cricket-centric marketing campaign has devolved into a sociopolitical flashpoint. Whether viewer passion for cricket will eclipse their outrage remains an open question, one that may be answered once the first ball is bowled on September 14.

Ad revenue social media Virender Sehwag ad backlash campaign Sony Sports crisis PR Sony Asia Cup
Advertisment