Campaigns · India · 2021
CRED: Indiranagar ka Gunda
CRED cast Rahul Dravid, India’s calmest cricketer, as a raging driver stuck in Bengaluru traffic.
By Maer Media editorial teamPublished 4 October 20263 min readCRED in-houseCampaigns · Influencer · Content & Social
- Brand
- CRED
- Market
- India
- Year
- 2021
- Category
- Campaigns
- Agency or team
- CRED in-house
- Channels
- TV during the IPL, digital
The context
CRED, a credit-card payments app, needed mass awareness during the IPL without sounding like a typical fintech ad.
A famously calm figure acting furious is surprising.
The move
The in-house team cast famous, mild-mannered celebrities against type. Dravid shouting “I’m the Indiranagar ka gunda!” became an instant meme.
How it was executed
- Cast Rahul Dravid against type.
- Set the scene in Bengaluru traffic.
- Released during the IPL.
CRED cast Rahul Dravid, India’s calmest cricketer, as a raging driver stuck in Bengaluru traffic.
What happened Reported facts
The ad became one of the most talked-about of the 2021 IPL and set a tone for CRED’s celebrity-against-type campaigns.
Why it worked Maer’s analysis
Surprise made it memorable and easy to meme.
What to take from it Maer’s analysis
- 01Surprise is a strategy.
- 02Cast against type to make a famous face new again.
- 03Big sporting moments reward ideas that are easy to repeat.
Indian brands can cast against type, with a clear link back to the product.
Where Maer applies this
The same thinking runs through these brand templates:
Sources: CRED; press coverage (2021). Figures are as publicly reported; Maer Media was not involved in this work and is not affiliated with CRED.
The Maer Media editorial team studies how brands are built, from positioning and packaging to launches and growth. Figures in each case study come from the public sources listed above; the analysis and the India notes are our own. More about Maer
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