When Neeraj Chopra runs up to his mark at the Paris Olympics, an entire nation will hold its breath, whilst hoping and praying for his javelin to travel the farthest.
Curiously, it wasn’t always like this before.
What’s more, track and field sports did not even feature in household conversations. But after a historic gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and podium finishes in his last 26 competitive events since 2018, Neeraj Chopra has well and truly captured the imagination of the country.
But what makes him tick?
‘Zidd for more’
Chopra lives by and demonstrates a motto that he deeply cherishes – ‘Har Taiyaari Se Badkar Hai Ziddari.’
And his tenets of grit, resilience, determination and stubbornness are showcased in a brand-new campaign from Under Armour, appropriately called ‘Zidd For More.’
Created by shooting hours and hours of Chopra’s intense training sessions over several days, the campaign delves deep into the Olympic and World Champion’s ziddi mindset to never give up on his goal of bringing greater glory to the nation.
In more ways than one, the campaign mirrors the life of the javelin stalwart.
Born in a remote village in Haryana and devoid of any form of privilege, a young Chopra discovered the sport rather accidentally. And when a rather innocuous first throw traveled a fair distance, a whole new world revealed itself for the lad.
Thereafter, with the unyielding support of his family and under the watchful eye of coaches that recognized the talent, Chopra blossomed.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing.
Hurdles along the way
Despite winning gold in the 2016 South Asian Games and breaking the world junior record, Chopra missed the qualification deadline for the Rio Olympics games.
Another setback was around the corner when he suffered a groin injury during training in the summer of 2023. But with his trademark ‘Zidd’ shining through, Chopra wasn’t to be brushed aside. His performance placed him in second position with a best throw of 85.71m.
Interestingly, the campaign was created by shooting hours and hours of Chopra’s intense training sessions over several days. The film opens with the line ‘Har Taiyaari Se Badkar Hai Ziddari’, a personal belief that Chopra lives by and demonstrates – battling exhaustion, injuries, and loneliness in foreign lands while relentlessly going about his gruelling regimen.
Constantly defying the odds, Chopra continued to work on his game and improve.
Recognition would come back home in the form of an Arjuna award and a Subedar role in the Indian Army – a metaphoric pat on the back, as if to say, ‘stay the course.’
And Chopra did just that and more, whilst carving a niche for himself.
Such was his ‘Zidd’ that working alongside renowned coaches, biomechanics experts and physiotherapists, Chopra pressed on. And all of his tireless efforts would eventually come to fruition at Tokyo 2020, when a throw of 87.53 meters would forever cement his place in the highest echelons of Olympic history.
A campaign meant to inspire
According to Tushar Goculdas, Managing Director, Underdog Athletics, Exclusive India Distributor and Licensee for Under Armour, the campaign is meant to inspire athletes to work hard and relentlessly pursue their dreams.
“We are proud of our long partnership with Neeraj, one of India’s greatest athletes and an icon of today’s generation, who embodies the brand’s core values: grit, resilience, and determination. Through this campaign we endeavour to inspire all athletes and strengthen Under Armour’s position as India’s most loved athletic performance brand,” he said.
And Chopra duly recognizes the value of Under Armour’s support.
“It’s great to have Under Armour supporting me, not just with the high-performance gear that enhances my performance during my training and competition, but also in sharing my journey to inspire the next generation of Indian athletes. This campaign resonates deeply with me because it carries a message I firmly believe in: stay focused, work hard, and pursue your dreams relentlessly,” said the 26-year old.
Marketing potential of Olympic sports
For long, marketers have found it hard to get Indian fans to watch Olympic sports. Heroes were few and far between.
But Chopra has now filled that gap.
As the first Asian to win Olympic Gold and a World Championship title in the Men’s Javelin Throw event, Indian fans now have a genuine hero to look up to, one that emerged from amongst them.
This, according to Divyanshu Singh, Chief Operating Officer of JSW Sports, adds to the marketing potential of Olympic sports.
“We’re excited to see Under Armour’s #ZiddForMore campaign come to life with Neeraj, our marquee athlete and Under Armour’s first Brand Ambassador in India. Neeraj has significantly inspired the next generation of Indian athletes and contributed to the growth of athletics in India. His success has unlocked the marketing potential of Olympic sports in the country. At JSW Sports, we see our talent roster elevating Indian sports and sponsorships, and campaigns like this from Under Armour play a crucial role in achieving that,” said Singh.
A national call-to-action
Under Armour’s ‘Zidd For More’ campaign not only celebrates Chopra’s journey but also encourages the entire nation to participate by sharing their own stories of perseverance using the hashtag #ZiddForMore.
And this might just be the fillip that Indian fans needed ahead of Paris 2024.
“Even sport fans need to be hungry for achievements in Olympic sports,” says Arshi Yasin, Founder & CEO of The Bridge, India’s premier destination for Olympic sports news.
“As fans, we all should cheer for our athletes standing at the podium bringing laurels for the country. The spectators play an important role in elevating the popularity of the sport. So basically #ZiddForMore is not just an athlete’s campaign but every Indian’s campaign to cheer for Team India this Olympics”, concluded Yasin.
With the campaign showcasing the best of the country, Indian sport-lovers will undoubtedly be galvanized to partake in the joy of watching Olympics sports and cheering for their homegrown heroes.
And along the way, should the collective narrative of determination create a community of inspiration and motivate individuals to push beyond their limits and achieve their personal best, #ZiddForMore could well become a national call-to-action and a mantra for life, for this generation and the ones in the future.