Mumbai Games was a unique concept pioneered by Sportzconsult. It encouraged Mumbaikars to step out of their homes and rediscover the joy of playing sports. The governing council included respected sports personalities such as Gopi Chand, Viren Rasquinha, and Anjali Bhagwat. The initiative functioned under the aegis of the Maharashtra Olympic Association.
For Mumbai Games, Sportzconsult chose Scarecrow M&C Saatchi because of their creative thinking, love for sports, and passionate young team. While Scarecrow handled the creative duties, website design, and social media for Mumbai Games, Wavemaker managed the media planning and buying.
The company believed sport was not only about fitness, but about fun and enjoying the “swaad” of life. Mumbai Games was created to help the city rediscover that spirit.
Scarecrow believed that sport had become too serious and intense. Mumbai Games aimed to present a different perspective. The one focused on fun, community, and celebration.
The first-ever event of its kind, Mumbai Games featured eight contingents representing different localities, including South Mumbai, Thane, and Navi Mumbai. Each contingent was owned by a franchisee. Participants competed in 16 sports that were conducted across six weekends at multiple venues in the city.
Players were divided into different groups based on age and skill level. Winners earned points for their contingents, leading to an Olympic-style ranking system among the localities. The event mobilised a large number of amateur and professional sportspersons from across Mumbai. Registrations were organised by pin codes, ensuring strong local participation and community pride.
The integrated campaign used outdoor advertising, digital media, video content, activations, social media, and innovative print formats to build excitement across the city.
The larger vision was ambitious. After Mumbai, the concept was planned to expand to other cities in India and eventually to international markets.