KRAFTON India’s BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA (BGMI) used April Fools’ Day to educate players about the risks of buying in-game currency (UC) from unauthorised sources.
In partnership with Maitri, BGMI launched a scam awareness campaign featuring a fake offer of free UC. To make the deception convincing, the campaign included George Thokkumootil, a character from the Malayalam sitcom Akkara Kazhchakal. The initiative aimed to highlight how fraudulent ads trick players into scams.
Through this campaign, BGMI reinforced its message about safe in-game purchases and warned players against falling for misleading UC deals.
The mockumentary-style video warns players about the risks of buying UC from unauthorised sources. It features a salesman offering UC top-ups, elite passes, exclusive skins, and premium vehicles in exchange for money and account details. The video highlights how such scams operate and the risk of losing accounts by purchasing from unofficial sources.
The video was shot in the US with the original Akkara Kazhchakal team and edited in Kerala by Maitri Advertising. The campaign used familiar characters and humor to highlight the risks of buying UC from unauthorised sources.
“Akkara Kazhchakal, a beloved Malayalam sitcom from the late 2000s, humorously portrayed the struggles of a Malayali family in the US. Originally airing on TV and YouTube, its popularity soared on Instagram and TikTok through nostalgic clips, memes, and fan edits. The show’s iconic dialogues and scenes, especially those featuring George Thekkumootil, an insurance agent, continue to resonate in pop culture, making it the perfect nostalgic touch for BGMI’s anti-scam prank.” - Francis Thomas, group creative director, Maitri Advertising.
The campaign also featured a dedicated landing page, reinforcing the importance of making purchases only through official channels. A fully functional website was created. The site mimicked real scam websites, luring players with the promise of free UC. Upon entering their BGMI ID, they were immediately informed that the entire setup was a scam designed to warn them against falling for actual fraudsters.
The campaign received over 3.6 million views, 182,000 likes, 265,000 shares, 4,200 comments, and 135,000 website clicks within hours. The video gained traction among Malayalees for the reunion of familiar characters and engaged non-Malayalees with its execution. The campaign effectively spread awareness about the risks of buying UC from unauthorised sources.
"April Fools' has always been a great time to unveil inside jokes, and the community gets in on it. This year, we thought we should use the occasion for a little bit of education as well, so that our fans don't click on untrustworthy sources to buy in-game currency. Looking at the 2L shares already, I'd say it's been widely accepted and shared. We will look to create some more surprises for our fans as we go along!"said Srinjoy Das, associate director of marketing at Krafton.
Campaign Credits:
Client: Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI)
Agency: Maitri Advertising Pvt. Ltd
Managing Director: Raju Menon
Chief Operating Officer: Jayakumar N
Director Ideation: Venugopal R Nair
Creative Directors: Francis Thomas & Vincent Vadakkan
Chief Media Officer & Key Accounts Head: Sumit G
Director, Digital and Overseas Business: Sumit Raj
Head (Digital & Creatives): Ajay Sathyan
Writer & Art Director: Muhammed Farhan
Senior Editor: Anil Jacob
Editor: Sharath Chandran
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