The adidas Sachin Crossword worked because it was an entirely inclusive challenge that didn’t involve any physical/sporting prowess. Which meant, the challenge was open to all, irrespective of age, class, gender. The simplicity of the device appealed to the entire cross section of Sachin’s fans – a diverse group constituting over a billion people. Only those who knew Sachin the best were deemed deserving enough to own the bat. adidas as a brand was able to engage with thousands of people harnessing the sentimental value associated with their ambassador’s retirement from international cricket.

The activity garnered a lot of curiosity and excitement. Because everyone in India professes to be Tendulkar’s most loyal fan and this was an opportunity for them to see how much of that was true. Over 50,000 people took part in the challenge. Only 11,447 managed to crack it. Of them, the first 200 fans to submit their entries won the prized tri colour adidas bat. A memory they’d cherish forever. To the rest, it was a walk down memory lane.