A look at the advertising journey of the Great Indian Fizz - Campa Cola

Social Samosa relives and digs into Campa Cola’s advertising recipe; from its rise and fall and its eventual comeback in the Indian market.

Before Pepsi and Thumps Up, India had its very own black drink - Campa Cola, which ruled the cola industry for over a decade and gave Bollywood some prominent stars.

In 1977, when Indian laws forced Western giant Coca-Cola to leave Indian soils, Delhi-based Pure Drinks Group grabbed this chance and introduced the nation to its very own Cola in the form of Campa Cola. Campa Cola was the OG (original) ‘The Great Indian Taste’ that struck the nationalist sentiment within the audience and created a cult following.

Soon after, the beverage category started blooming and more competition started emerging. Finally, Coca-Cola re-entered the scene, which eventually caused the downfall of Campa Cola and the brand lost its fizz in India. 

In 2022, Reliance brought back Campa Cola sparking nostalgia within the crowd and reminiscing the past, Social Samosa revisits Campa Cola’s advertising history that had hints of refreshing youth and more. 

Campa’s Advertising Journey

The 70s and 80s was a time when print ads, jingles and scenic shots worked the best with the audience. The yesteryear brands were also obsessed with giving their ads a western touch and just like today, were yearning to impress the youth. Campa Cola took all these elements and gave the Indian youth an ad that would make its mark. 

The Campa account was managed by Chaitra Advertising, currently known as Leo Burnett India. They gave the Indians a scene right out of the western ads/films. Campa’s first TVC gave a big break to Salman Khan and also starred then-actor Ayesha Shroff. 

The ad film’s tagline and song - ‘There is more to life with Campa Cola’ instantly hit a chord with the audience, and was ‘The’ song for the youth. 

At a time when the soft drink industry in India had lost its spark, Campa Cola’s refreshing ads brought back the fizz and reignited the want for Cola and other soft drinks in the country. 

Also Read: Expert Speak: The Do’s & Don’ts of rebranding…

As Campa started gaining popularity, the company branched out to other flavours like orange, lime and more. This hit a spot with the audience as well. Additionally, Campa Cola was also the major reason behind ‘Double Seven’ the only government-backed cold drink of the time, to exit the shelves of the Indian market. 

Apart from having a catchy song and visuals in the ad film, Campa Cola’s print advertisements were equally peppy, playful and in sync with the youth back then. It followed the brand’s then colour scheme which played on the usual, reds, yellows, blacks and whites and also had a bold and clear typography — a pattern seen in most aerated beverage brands in the past.

Exit and Re-entry

In the late 80s and 90s, Pespi had made a foothold in the market and eventually with revised laws, Coca-Cola made a comeback.

With the two foreign giants entering the country and having an aggressive advertising hold and distribution network, Campa Cola eventually lost its shine and by around 2010, the brand was totally off the shelves.

Comeback to the shelves

In 2022, with Reliance buying Campa Cola out and bringing it back to the Indian market in 2023, many conversations have started among the brand’s ex-fans and consumers. The brand has reappeared with a more youthful and Gen-Z look, donning colours like Purple, Red and more.

In a statement released to the press by Elephant, the agency responsible for Campa’s rebranding said that the rebranding echoes the brand’s bold & confident personality, where the use of deep purple is complemented by category-defining red in the Campa ‘swoosh.’

Talking to Social Samosa, Ashwini Deshpande, Director - Elephant Design said, "Every new brand has to be ready for e-commerce, retail and metaverse. Our first interaction with every brand is on our mobile screen, which gives us the liberty to be dynamic, vibrant and surprising. This is exactly what we want to achieve with Campa, given the brief was to break the status quo."

India saw its last leading cola brand been created almost 45 years ago. With Campa resurfacing, the brand aims at disrupting the category and attracting the youth who are usually targeted by the soft drink industry in terms of consumption.

“We set out to develop a contemporary brand for the confident young India. We believe branding is about helping consumers identify with the product and navigate better; whether through e-commerce or on retail shelves. Our work is always focused on people and guiding them towards the right choices,” explains Nidhi Isaac, Director – Brand & Design, Elephant Design in the press note.

Playing on the price point

The soft drinks market in India's revenue amounts to US$8.85 billion in 2023, and most of the market is dominated by big players like PepsiCo and The Coca-Cola Company who have a strong footing in the marketing arena.

Apart from a look that strikes a chord with the changing times, the nostalgic element for many, Reliance has yet again tweaked with the price point of the category. With its competitor's pricing being in a higher range, Campa Cola’s new line is being relaunched at Rs. 10 for 200 ml bottles, and 500 ml at Rs. 20.

Advertise to stand out

Although the brand is preparing to set a foothold in the market, its competitors have had a massive marketing game in place. To break the clutter and stand out, Reliance’s Campa Cola will have to go all out, starting from advertising to the distribution network.

Will the new, shiny and preppy look, bring back Campa Cola’s golden days of being India’s favourite drink and eventually overthrow the giants? Only time will tell.