Unapologetic and nasty: The psychology of sports promos

Indian cricket broadcasters face backlash for a poorly received "Cupcake" promo, highlighting the risks of negative marketing amid high-stakes matches.

Mumbai: The battle cries Indian cricket broadcasters use to market team contests have a recurring theme of revenge, pride and anger. But when these promos fall flat, the resulting roasting is just as brutal. Star, in its various avatars across mergers and rebrands, has consistently beamed live cricket to Indian homes. They have also consistently taken the flak.

Images of Steve Smith and Dave Warner in tears were replayed to promote Australia’s first return Test to Cape Town after the infamous 2018 match. (Getty Images)

Take the Cupcake promo ahead of the India-South Africa Super 8 tie in the ongoing T20 World Cup. This time, it wasn’t