Pepsi aligns with impulsive youth, says ‘Oh Yes Abhi!’

Young India is impatient and wants to do things ‘right now’. This pulse of the nation is the new philosophy that Pepsi aims to bring alive through its new brand positioning, ‘Oh Yes Abhi’.
A film that launches the new positioning will go on air on 1 February. It features Ranbir Kapoor, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Priyanka Chopra, besides some protagonists of the ‘now’ generation. Priyanka is shown getting restless while waiting to perform on stage; Ranbir is stuck in a traffic jam, and can’t wait to eat Pani Puri (coupled with his Pepsi); Dhoni, the calm and composed sportsman, is shown doing an uncharacteristic victory jig several moments after hitting a winning six.

Commenting on the repositioning, Homi Battiwalla, senior director – marketing (colas, juices and hydration), PepsiCo India, said, “From the very beginning, we’ve stuck to the right kind of consumer proposition. We tell the consumer what they want to hear from our side. We always believe that change is good and hence repositioning is good. Pepsi always has a dynamic feature attached to it and all the taglines add to that dynamism by adding a freshness and newness to the brand.”

“Change is always good. Pepsi as a product never changes and never will. We do something new not because we have a new campaign launch but we feel that there is a requirement to change and that was exactly the starting point of this particular campaign. Our spends this year are significantly more than the past year as we have repositioned the brand,” he added.

On the new positioning, Battiwala explained that it was based on the insight that youth in India are excited and know what they want, and want it ‘now’. “Pepsi wanted to be a part of that impatience and change in some way as unlike technological brands Pepsi the basic drink remains the same. We can change our packaging, or maybe have some cosmetic improvements, but our basic taste remains the same,” he added.

For Pepsi, this marks the initiation of marketing initiatives for the year. The new campaign will witness a spread across radio, on-ground and outdoor, besides digital and social media. There is also a contest, where two people will be selected to attend the IPL auction. There are more campaigns featuring other celebrities planned too.

In a statement on the new campaign, Surjo Dutt, executive creative director, JWT India, said, “This film not only captures the stars in their impatient avatars, but also shows many moments from our everyday lives that exemplify the belief of ‘now’. Shot at different locations, whether in the middle of a cricket stadium or a crowded Mumbai street or in a small town, the ad film proves to be a true spectacle for consumers. Moreover, we’ve worked with Nirvana Films who’ve been successful in showcasing the product in a completely new and larger than life manner.”

Deepika Warrier, vice president, marketing-beverages, PepsiCo India, said, “Oh Yes Abhi! translates into - live for the present as tomorrow is too late, ‘now’ is the time to bring about a change; ‘now’ is the time to take action; if you wish to make it big, work on it ‘now’ and many such sentiments synonymous to the young generation today. Our latest campaign illustrates all this and much more in a quintessential irreverent Pepsi package.”

Credits:

Creative Agency: JWT India
JWT Planning: Bindu Sethi and Pinaki Bhattacharya
Executive Creative Director: Surjo Dutt                 
Executive Business Director: Saurabh Saksena
VP & Client Services Director: Kundan Joshee     
TVC Director: Prakash Varma                                    
Producer: Sneha Iype Varma
Music Director: Dhruv Ghanekar
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya                                              
Media Planning: Mindshare