The season 10 campaign of the Pro Kabaddi League featuring Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff and Kannada actor Sudeep created quite a buzz. Independent creative agency Rediffusion accused Star Sports of the concept of the ad being based on one of the 10 concepts they had pitched to them.
However, Star Sports denied it vehemently.
Via email to Storyboard18, Star Sports mentioned, “Star Sports denies all assertions made by the ad agency, Rediffusion. Pro Kabaddi League Season 10 (PKL) ad featuring Tiger Shroff is a concept developed by the ad agency Wunderman Thompson (WT) on Star Sports’ instructions. Star Sports reached out to multiple ad (creative) agencies, to potentially assist with different facets of its overall integrated marketing plan for PKL. While the scope of WT was to create the campaign for PKL including TVC, the scope of Rediffusion was to come up with digital ideas to amplify the campaign on social media platforms.”
The statement further read, “On August 22, 2023, Rediffusion was approached by Star Sports for digital ideas specifically for the amplification of the PKL campaign on social media platforms. Rediffusion for the first time shared its concept note with Star Sports on September 1, 2023, and Star Sports provided its feedback on September 5, 2023, by which time (August 28), the concept developed by WT which included various looks for the celebrities, potential music, and concept, that culminated into the final campaign promo had already been finalised.”
Star Sports also highlighted that they had documents for all of the above and the claim by Rediffusion to the contrary stood incorrect. “Despite communicating the above to Rediffusion on multiple occasions, it has persisted in making frivolous and unsubstantiated allegations against Star Sports,” concluded the broadcasting giant.