Sony Pictures Sports Network brought the prestigious UEFA Champions League to Indian audiences starting September 17, 2019, airing the matches live on SONY TEN 2 channels. Featuring the best football players from top European clubs, the tournament attracted fans from across the country.
To build anticipation, Sony Sports partnered with Scarecrow to launch a light-hearted and relatable campaign titled #SonaManaHai, aimed at capturing the excitement of Indian football fans while humorously addressing the regret of missing matches due to their late-night timings.
As the most prestigious club competition in the world, the UEFA Champions League was packed with electrifying rivalries such as Messi vs Ronaldo and Ramos vs Salah, along with emotional returns of football legends to their former grounds.
The campaign rolled out in English, Hindi, Malayalam, and Bengali, ensuring regional connect and maximum outreach. It featured a film centred around the character Raj Kumar Rastogi (played by digital sensation Gopal Dutt), who was shamed in his dream by various members of society for sleeping through a Champions League match. He woke up in panic, realising the one rule that matters during the season: Sona Mana Hai.
To enhance engagement, Sony Sport featured expert panels comprising ex-footballers Ashley Westwood, Mark Seagraves, and Terry Phelan for in-depth pre, mid-match, and post-match analysis.
Scarecrow’s campaign helped reinforce the idea that UEFA Champions League matches were not to be missed. Not even for sleep. The campaign cleverly spoke to die-hard fans struggling to stay awake and fringe viewers who feared missing out on global football’s biggest moments.