Pepsi changes the game again; returns to cricket ahead of T20 World Cup

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli feature alongside Ranbir Kapoor in Pepsi's latest TVC, created for the T20 World Cup.

The film, created by JWT India, opens with a shot of the team bus breaking down on a busy street. Dhoni is shown opening a bottle of Pepsi outside the bus, when Kapoor appears out of nowhere and starts questioning him about some of the tactics he plans to use at the T20 World Cup.

After interacting with Dhoni, Kapoor goes on to chat up with Kohli and Raina. To each response given by the cricketers, Kapoor and the others on the street respond in an irreverent manner that irks Dhoni. So Dhoni asks Kapoor,  “Yaar yeh kya tameez hai?” to which Kapoor responds by saying, ‘Yeh T20 hai boss, na tameez se khela jaata hai' and then he’s joined by the fans who say, ‘Na tameez se dekha jaata hai’.

Homi Battiwalla, senior director, marketing (colas, juices and hydration), PepsiCo India, said, “Pepsi is strongly associated with cricket in India and we are delighted to be one of the global sponsors of ICC World Twenty20 2012 Sri Lanka – the biggest international cricket tournament this year. Our 'Change the Game' campaign last year celebrated everything unorthodox about the way the sport is played; this year, we take forward the same philosophy and extend it to the millions of cricket fans in our country. In true Pepsi style, the campaign is irreverent and the Indian cricket fans, led by Ranbir Kapoor show how they 'Change the Game' off-field”.

Surjo Dutt, executive creative director, JWT India, said, “Our latest commercial for Pepsi focuses on the excitement and thrill with which the sport is viewed by millions of its fans in India and celebrates their passion in a never seen before manner. Just the way the Twenty20 format has bent the traditional rules; Indian cricket fans have bent the rules to watch the sport in their own irreverent style. Ranbir and Dhoni for the first time together is the added bonus and if I may add… their chemistry is sizzling”

Along with the commercial, Pepsi has announced a Facebook contest through which fans can win passes to matches (seats at Pepsi dugouts). A smart phone application is also being planned. The tournament begins 18 September.

Credits:
Client: Pepsico India
Creative agency: JWT
Executive creative director: Surjo Dutt
Copywriters: Romit Nair, Megha Dutta, Chandni Kapur and Surjo Dutt
Executive business director: Saurabh Saksena
VP and client services director: Kundan Joshee
TVC director:  Shujaat Saudagar
Producer: Ashit Ghelani
Music Director: Clinton Cerejo
Media Planning: Mindshare