Q] What was the creative thought process behind this campaign?
At PepsiCo and Sting, everything we do is part of our consumer-centric approach. Even with this campaign, the consumer was at the centre of our thought process. One of the biggest passion points of the Indian youth is cricket. Within that, one of the highest or peak energy moments, is a six. During the creative ideation process, we arrived at a brilliant insight: No matter what kind of six it is, we simply call it a six. But is every six the same? Not really. The energy behind every six is what differentiates one from the other.
We began our creative process with that insight, making energy the qualifier for different kinds of sixes. We married this with a key distinctive brand asset (DBA) of Sting—its sonic identity. Ever since its inception, Sting has been a distinct brand: the red-coloured drink and the unique bottle shape. From our very first campaign, we have been building the Sting energy mnemonic. Today, consumers have started mimicking it as well. So, we fused the two, bringing together the observation that no two sixes are the same and adding to it our sound mnemonic, which is gradually becoming a DBA for Sting. As you see in the campaign, our sonic identity becomes the qualifier that separates each six.
Q] In a cluttered cricket calendar, how are you assessing if this marketing strategy will actually cut through? What kind of ROI are you looking at?
When we think of campaigns or activations, we look at them from a long-term perspective. We need to do things that make us part of the culture, central to the everyday occasions where consumers participate with friends and family. This campaign is about being part of that culture. Cricket is synonymous with culture in India. Cricket was the entry point, and sixes were the moment we wanted to anchor on.
As we continue to build our sonic identity through this campaign, we are looking at specific behavioural indicators—the strength of association between sixers and Sting recall, sonic recognition, instinctive fan reactions, whether the sonic identity travels across platforms and regions, and the scalability of the Sting energy mnemonic. We want to leverage all of that. The next time you watch a cricket match and find yourself thinking: “Was it a Sting six?”—that would be a qualifier of success. We are confident that with the Sting energy DBA, the sound mnemonic, we will cut through and become part of everyday language. It’s long-term play. It’s about building brand love and embedding ourselves in culture.
Q] Does the excitement of a six realistically translate into purchase intent in the energy drinks category?
We are embedding Sting at the juncture where energy is most viscerally felt. The brand has consistently built its sound mnemonic, and with this campaign, it appears at the peak of excitement—the six. This strengthens mental availability. Purchase intent is influenced by various context-led factors as well: match viewing, social gatherings, quick commerce triggers. That’s where we are integrating our presence. Consumers are already choosing Sting in moments when they seek energy—match nights, social gatherings, gaming, and celebrations. We are inserting the brand into these passion-led environments. By that logic, we believe that it does translate into purchase intent.
Q] How does this sharpen Sting’s positioning in an already adrenaline-coded, cluttered cricket category?
Since inception, certain elements have made the brand distinct. When Sting launched, it was one of the first red-coloured energy drinks in the country. There was already a strong demand space for energy, but Sting’s distinct product, taste, and bottle shape made it the consumer’s choice for energy moments. Over time, we have built several DBAs. The sound mnemonic is a major one. We also have other distinctive elements, such as the way consumers drink it, the consumption ritual, the sound associated with it, and the mnemonic behind Sting energy. All of these have been leveraged in this campaign to further build brand distinction.
We are also building across passion points. You will see significant presence in F1. We became the sound of F1 starting last year. Now, we are taking that Sting sound to one of the country’s biggest passion points—cricket. This helps us stand out in a cluttered environment and strengthen our brand codes.
Q] Can you speak a little about your marketing mix? Which channels do you prefer—traditional or digital?
Staying true to our principle of consumer centricity, every campaign is designed around where the consumer is. Our mix is always optimised for maximum reach and engagement with our target group, which is the youth. This campaign is television-first because cricket delivers significant eyeballs on TV. We have key properties integrated within television. However, we are also engaging heavily on digital platforms. We will be present on YouTube and Instagram, with creator-led engagements and activations across digital-forward platforms.
Q] What is the outlook for the category and the company in terms of advertising and marketing in the coming months?
The energy drink segment will continue to grow, driven by youth consumption and impulse-led retail. We will continue to engage with our target audience. A lot more excitement is set to come your way.
We have a strategic global partnership with F1, which we will continue to leverage. We will also keep engaging with consumers around their passion points, like we are doing with this cricket campaign, with more to come.
PROFILE
Diksha Bajaj is the Category Head – Energy Portfolio at PepsiCo India, with over 11 years of FMCG experience building and scaling some of India’s most iconic brands. From transforming legacy powerhouses like Surf Excel, bringing new platforms to Lay’s, to driving growth for disruptive brands like Sting, Diksha has consistently combined sharp strategy with cultural intuition. She played a pivotal role in scaling Sting during its India journey, helped pioneer emerging categories such as glass and sparkling water, and refreshed Surf Excel’s iconic “Daag Achhe Hain” narrative through premium parenting insights—bridging emotional storytelling with commercial impact.
ABOUT THE BRAND
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo India generated nearly $92 billion in net revenue in 2024, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.
FACTS
PR AGENCY: Edelman India
Creative agency: Leo India
