Mastercard Launches New Campaign with MS Dhoni to Boost Card Payment Confidence

Mastercard has launched a new campaign titled ‘Payments Ka Powerplay’, featuring former Indian cricket team captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, to advocate for increased usage of card payments. The campaign aims to reassure cardholders about the security and benefits of using cards through engaging cricket analogies. It will be running from October 1 to October 15 across various platforms.

Speaking on the campaign, Gautam Aggarwal, Division President, South Asia at Mastercard, stated, “The ‘Payments Ka Powerplay’ campaign is among Mastercard’s interventions towards making commerce safer in India by nudging cardholders towards more secure and smarter usage of cards.” He further emphasized the use of cricket analogies to make financial transactions more relatable, given the widespread love for cricket in India.

The commercials in the campaign highlight several facets of card usage, such as security, chargebacks, and purchase protection. One analogy compares the four-centimeter contactless transaction range to the width of a cricket bat, aiming to demystify concerns around contactless payment safety. Another analogy likens card control settings to cricket fielding strategies, providing insights into managing daily usage, online payments, and international transaction limits.

A key element of the campaign is the humorous comparison of chargebacks to the Decision Review System (DRS) in cricket, designed to clarify the process to the average consumer. The campaign also introduces ‘Score Kya Hai’, an initiative encouraging contactless payments during the festive season by offering rewards, with the highest contactless transactor winning a chance to play cricket with Dhoni.

Mastercard’s campaign aligns with the upcoming festive period, traditionally marked by increased consumer spending. According to Mastercard Economics Institute, pre-festival transactions last year soared by over 200% compared to regular days. This surge was notably pronounced in Tier-2 cities like Indore, Udaipur, and Lucknow, reflecting growing affluence and digital adoption.

The advertisements will be disseminated through television, digital channels, and outdoor media, leveraging content integrations with top TV shows, YouTube, and OTT platforms, aiming to reach a broad audience base during the festivities.