Pepsi plans contests to promote Youngistaan

Pepsi has come out guns blazing in an attempt to cash in on the Youngistaan positioning of its brand, which it unleashed with its TV ad campaign starring Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone

The company aims to unleash the Youngistaan spirit through a 360 degree campaign. It has come out with exciting contests and activities to engage youngsters across print, television, radio, Internet and on-ground.

The sequel to the first Youngistaan TVC is already on air, minus Khan. It is set in a college canteen, with the theme, ‘Chaho to sab kuch hai aasaan (If you really want something, it’s not difficult)’.

Pepsi plans contests to promote Youngistaan

Kapoor is being teased by a group of friends for his escapade with Padukone’s on-screen brother, Khan, in the preceding TVC. Kapoor replies with a speech, saying the concept of Youngistaan can be made to come true, and if you really want something, you can find your way to achieving it. He’s drinking from a bottle of Pepsi all the while. The young people around him are impressed, but then he turns to Padukone and says, “Just as I wanted your Pepsi, and I made this speech so that you wouldn’t notice me drinking it.” But Padukone has the last word; she points to a huge man sitting at the next table and says, “That wasn’t my Pepsi, it was his!” Kapoor looks visibly rattled.

The TVC has been directed by Imtiaz ‘Jab We Met’ Ali.

The other Youngistaan attraction on TV is Pepsi’s tieup with MTV for What’s Up – the Voice of Youngistaan News Bulletin. The news capsule features youngsters and their concerns about happenings around them. The news bulletin is aired on the channel at regular intervals through the day.

Pizza Hut has been roped in for the on-ground activities. Visitors to the 62 outlets of Pizza Hut can use Youngistaan Cards to avail of discounts on select products. Youngsters can send an exciting SMS on how they define Youngistaan; the name and message of winners will be displayed on the TV screens at Pizza Hut. Similarly, youngsters can express their take on what Youngistaan means to them by visiting the Youngistaan website on their mobiles.

FM listeners can make their presence felt in the Youngistaan campaign by tuning in to Red FM’s popular show, Chavani Athani, which is running a full 10 minute slot in which listeners can call in and describe what Youngistaan means to them. The best slogans will be made into ads and run on the radio channel for the day.

Several newspapers are carrying a column called Youngistaan ka Daily Dose, in which they try to capture the spirit of Youngistaan through catchy phrases full of attitude.

Sandeep Singh Arora, executive vice-president, marketing, cola, Pepsico India, explains the idea behind the 360 degree campaign, “For today’s generation, Youngistaan is almost a currency. They are all for fearlessly speaking their mind and displaying a bindaas attitude. They are go-getters, irreverent, cheeky and so they are the true ambassadors of Pepsi.”

Arora adds, “All the promotional activities built around the Youngistaan campaign strive to achieve active youth engagement by providing differentiated communication. The ultimate aim is to connect with the youth, building on the expression of “Yeh hai Youngistaan meri jaan”.

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