Flipkart, in partnership with Leo India, has launched a new campaign featuring Billy Bowden, reinterpreting umpire signals as triggers for shopping offers during live cricket matches.
The campaign connects commonly recognised umpire gestures, such as signals for a six or a wide, with specific product categories and deals on the platform. As part of the activation, viewers can capture an umpire signal during a live match, share it with Flipkart’s WhatsApp bot, and receive a corresponding offer if the gesture is correctly identified.
The initiative is designed to build on second-screen behaviour among cricket audiences, where viewers engage with multiple platforms while watching matches. It introduces an interactive layer to live sports viewing by linking on-field moments with digital commerce.
The campaign has been introduced through a film featuring Billy Bowden, known for his distinctive umpiring style. Set in a coaching institute, the film depicts Bowden training aspiring umpires, with each gesture mapped to a product or deal. The narrative positions the signals as cues that viewers can interpret to unlock offers.
“Cricket in India today is a second-screen experience, with fans constantly engaging in real time. Our insight was to make that attention actionable. This campaign explores new-age commerce by blending cricket, culture, and technology, turning Billy Bowden’s iconic signals into real-time shopping triggers that link live moments with instant intent,” said Pratik Shetty, Vice President, Growth and Marketing, Flipkart.
Speaking about the campaign, Sachin Kamble, Chief Creative Officer, Leo – South Asia, said, “We wanted to take something every cricket fan instinctively recognises – the umpire’s signal and turn it into an interactive trigger for our audience. By gamifying these iconic gestures, the idea transforms passive viewing into active participation. Suddenly, every moment in the match becomes an opportunity not just to watch, but to engage and unlock value.”
