How Leo Burnett Dubai and photographer Prashant Godbole reimagined NBA dunks in India

Basketball found its soul in India by leaping into everyday life. Led by creative directors Kapil Bhimekar and Divyan Kriplani of Leo Burnett Dubai, with celebrated photographer Prashant Godbole, The Great Indian Dunk won six D&AD Pencils – three Graphite and three Wood – by reimagining iconic NBA dunks through the spontaneous leaps of Indian kids.

In a cricket-obsessed nation, the campaign cracked open culture by turning ponds, rooftops, stairwells and even elephant tusks into launchpads for basketball’s poetry. Shot in striking black and white, the campaign broke from India’s saturated visual landscape, letting stripped-back imagery command attention on crowded walls and bus stops. Each poster worked without copy – pure, visceral images that celebrated movement, joy and potential. This wasn’t about logos or stats, but emotion: basketball as possibility, rooted in the rhythms of Indian youth.

Outdoor execution brought unique challenges, from street-level noise to readability, but the work’s clarity cut through with universal resonance. Press play to watch how by connecting a global sport to local spirit, the team didn’t just advertise – they gave India a glimpse of its own “next 23 in a billion”.