End of cola peace

Campa's aggression has intensified segment squabbles

- Christina Moniz

LAST WEEK, WHEN Pepsi took a swipe at Coca-Cola's half-time campaign with a cheeky frontpage ad while also bringing back its popular tagline 'yeh dil maange more', it took consumers back to the many clashes the two brands have seen particularly during the 1990s. Pepsi's campaign, conceptualised by Havas Creative, takes consumers on a nostalgic journey reminiscent of the iconic 1996 campaign that poked fun at Coca-Cola's official sponsorship of the ICC cricket World Cup that year. The campaign, featuring cricketing icons like Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammed Azharuddin, struck advertising gold with its clever 'nothing official about it' catchphrase.

"For those who remember, 'nothing official about it' wasn't just a campaign — it was a cultural moment. It showed that sometimes, not trying too hard is exactly the winning move," PepsiCo India said in a statement, indicating that its latest ad is a continuation of that legacy.

Reliance's aggressive ₹10 pricing for the recently revived Campa Cola and its new energy drinks is pushing legacy players to try harder, say experts. In certain markets such as Kolkata, Coca-Cola has dropped prices to ₹15 for the 250 ml pack to take on competition from Campa. Both Pepsi and Coca-Cola recently introduced 400 ml packs for ₹20, offering 150 ml free. Analysts note these aggressive price points may not be sustainable, considering this is a low margin business.