Cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur to be brand ambassador for Center Fruit

New Delhi: To reach out to a wider audience, Perfetti Van Melle India has signed cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur as ambassador for its Center Fruit brand. The campaign, ‘Mood Ting Tong League’ also has digital influencer RJ Sukriti as a protagonist who is seen in a creative banter with the cricketer around gully cricket.

The brand said the campaign is a digital series and will look at mirroring India’s passion for sports, especially women’s cricket through the idea of gully cricket. Kaur, who recently captained Mumbai Indians to victory in the first Women’s Premier League is well positioned to champion this idea, the company said.

Taking the insight from how a tennis ball has traditionally been used while playing gully cricket in India, the campaign will feature the company’s tennis ball-shaped gum. This will be promoted on social media platforms like Instagram.

Gunjan Khetan, marketing director at Perfetti Van Melle India, said, “Cricket holds a special place in the heart of every Indian, and we believe it is crucial to also celebrate the immense talent and potential within women’s cricket. With the campaign, we are not only embracing India’s passion for cricket but also striving to shine a spotlight on women’s cricket.”

According to a recent report ‘Sporting Nation in the Making’ by GroupM, the sports industry’s total expenditure rose 49% to ₹14,209 crore last year from ₹9,500 crore in 2021. Of this, spending on sponsorships for on-ground, team and franchises, more than doubled to ₹5,907 crore, increasing its share in the overall pie by 12 basis points to 42%, from the earlier 30%.