MediBuddy’s #PowerUpGuys Campaign Rewrites Masculinity Through Gaming and Self-Care

On November 19, 2025, MediBuddy, India’s largest digital healthcare company headquartered in Mumbai, launched a bold new campaign that didn’t just talk about men’s health—it gamified it. The #PowerUpGuys initiative, rolled out across YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter, used retro gaming aesthetics to flip the script on what it means to be strong. For too long, Indian men have been conditioned to ignore pain, delay check-ups, and swallow their struggles. MediBuddy didn’t preach. It played.

Why Gaming? Because It Works

The campaign’s 57-second film, produced entirely in-house, feels like a throwback to early 2000s mobile games—pixelated avatars, chiptune sound effects, and the unmistakable urgency of a health quest. One character shouts, “अर्जुन भाई माइक ऑन कर. वी विल गेट 50 पॉइंट्स ऑन द स्पॉट.” Another sighs, “ब्रो. मत कर यार. ही इज़ स्किपिंग ऑल द हेल्थ क्वेस्ट यार.” Collecting a medical kit? That’s +100 points. Scheduling a blood pressure check? Unlock a bonus life. It’s not subtle. But it doesn’t need to be.

Manu Sankar Das, Head of Brand Marketing at MediBuddy, put it bluntly: “Men often put their health on the backburner, prioritising work or responsibilities over their wellbeing.” The data backs him up. According to National Health Survey reports, only 32% of Indian men visit a doctor annually, compared to 58% of women. Nearly 60% wait until symptoms become unbearable before seeking help. Depression goes untreated. Hypertension goes ignored. Heart disease goes undiagnosed—until it’s too late.

Breaking the ‘Strong Man’ Myth

What made #PowerUpGuys stand out wasn’t just its format—it was its message. In a culture where emotional restraint is mistaken for strength, MediBuddy flipped the script. “Self-care isn’t weakness,” Das added. “It’s the ultimate power-up.”

The campaign didn’t just target physical health. It nudged men toward emotional honesty. The video’s final line—“मिशन कंप्लीट यू वन गुड हेल्प दिस इंटरनेशनल मेंस डे पावर अप गाइस विडी बडी.”—wasn’t just a call to action. It was an invitation to be human.

And it worked. Within 72 hours, the YouTube video hit 2.3 million views. The hashtag #PowerUpGuys trended in seven Indian cities. Comments flooded in: “My dad watched this and booked his annual check-up,” wrote one user. Another said, “I cried watching this. I haven’t talked to my therapist in 18 months.”

A Bigger Movement

MediBuddy wasn’t alone. On International Men’s Day 2025, brands across India rolled out campaigns reimagining masculinity. Elver launched #ChanceToConnect, encouraging men to text a friend instead of bottling up emotions. METRO Shoes celebrated everyday heroes—fathers who wake up early, sons who carry groceries, uncles who listen without fixing. Harfun ran “We’ve Got Your Back”, featuring real stories of men recovering from burnout.

But MediBuddy’s approach was different. It didn’t ask men to be better. It let them level up.

The Ripple Effect

Health experts say this shift matters. “When you frame prevention as a game,” says Dr. Arjun Mehta, a psychiatrist at Apollo Hospitals in Delhi, “you bypass the shame barrier. Men don’t respond to guilt. They respond to progress bars, points, and unlockables.”

Since the campaign launched, MediBuddy’s app saw a 47% spike in preventive health bookings—mammograms for partners, diabetes screenings, mental health consultations. The company reports a 63% increase in men using its teleconsultation service for non-emergency issues. That’s not marketing. That’s medicine.

What’s Next?

MediBuddy plans to expand #PowerUpGuys into a year-round initiative, adding leaderboards, community challenges, and real-world rewards like free health screenings. They’re also testing a version for fathers and sons, where completing health quests together unlocks family wellness badges.

Meanwhile, other brands are watching. Could this be the future of public health campaigns? Not through fear. Not through guilt. But through fun, nostalgia, and the simple, powerful idea that taking care of yourself isn’t selfish—it’s the highest score you can get.