If you thought the Hawkins crew in Stranger Things was an unlikely group of heroes, think again. The latest to step onto the field to bat against Vecna and his demogorgons is cricket legend Rohit Sharma, in a twist that has the internet buzzing.
The former India men’s captain embodies a host of fan favourite characters from the hit Netflix series, which returned Friday for Volume 2 of its fifth and final season and has already topped charts worldwide.
In the 2.5-minute advertisement, the Hitman is ready to face the evils of the Upside Down. “Vecna, your fielding is set, son,” Sharma says in Hindi.
Ripe with cultural references and a witty blend of cricket and the show, the ad quickly gained momentum and turned into meme gold.
Also read: Air India’s new domestic campaign feels hollow. ‘They’ve just glamourised their service’
A memorable ad
It starts simple, with a group of cricketers goofing around in their locker room, but the ‘hard talk from coach’ that follows Sharma’s entry is unlike anything anyone might ever witness. His speech is cool, funny, scary, and strict—a perfect fit for his on-field and off-field personality.
Sharma refers to his infamous “garden” dialogue, asking the group, “Are you strolling in a garden?” He reminds the team of the upcoming ‘finale’ and warns the players of the “opposition”, saying that it can turn their world ‘upside down’. Then comes the reveal: to fight Vecna, Sharma presents the team with a new kit courtesy of Steve (Harrington, not Smith), full of Hellfire Club goodies.
In the ad, Sharma embodies Steve’s charm and ability to babysit his much younger and unruly teammates, and like Eleven, has an ‘unnatural’ love for waffles. But the most iconic part of his play-acting is him doing the same stare as Will when he—spoiler alert—realises his powers in the final episode of Season 5 Volume 1.
Stranger Things-inspired marketing is at an all-time high. Forever in a race for relevance, brands are trying to cash in on the hype. By recruiting the former captain of the Indian men’s cricket team, Netflix has combined two pop culture phenomena into one memorable ad.
This isn’t the first instance of Stranger Things dominating the market. In the weeks before and after the release of the first volume of Season 5, several brands—KitKat, Amul, India Post, and even Delhi Police—put out advertisements inspired by the show.
The show has been a cultural sensation since its release in 2016. Nearly a decade later, the actors return to the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, to put an end to Henry/One/Vecna and finally close the gate. The show stars Millie Bobby Brown, Winona Ryder, David Harbour, and Sadie Sink, among others.
Brand: Netflix India
Agency: One Hand Clap
Views are personal.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)