Bisleri's pop culture pivot: the brand reimagines itself for gen Z

More often than not, when you ask for packaged drinking water in India, you ask for Bisleri. The brand long synonymous with drinking water in the country, is now shifting its positioning from a trusted everyday essential to an energetic lifestyle statement. Bisleri's FY24 profit reportedly rose 82.8% to Rs 317 crore, earning a total revenue of Rs 2,689.69 crores. 

The recent relaunch of Bisleri’s 'Drink It Up' campaign in a '2.0' avatar, featuring its global brand ambassador, Deepika Padukone, is another step in this evolution. The campaign was conceptualised by Zero Fifty Media Works, Bisleri's in-house creative team and director Uzer Khan. GroupM managed the celebrity and music partnerships.

This new digital campaign will be promoted across Meta, YouTube, OTT Platforms, and Out-of-Home media.

In a recent interview, Tushar Malhotra, director of sales and marketing, Bisleri International, explained the thought behind this creative reboot, stating, "Bisleri is a brand which is synonymous with the packet drinking water in India, we’ve been the hydration experts in the country for the last half a century or so. So this is basically a celebration of hydration."

Making water cooler

The biggest challenge for Bisleri is moving beyond the fundamental selling point of “purity and quality”, which, as Malhotra noted, "are table stakes today." The vision for 'Drink It Up 2.0' is to be disruptive: "What we're trying to do is we’re trying to disrupt the category by elevating water from just a functional benefit to an expression of lifestyle."

The reboot of the Drink It Up 2.0 campaign is focused on maintaining cultural relevance, especially with younger consumers. "The attempt is to maintain our relevancy, to use pop culture and strengthen our Gen Z connect, talk to a new generation and also we're expanding globally. So we wanted those premium and global cues also."

The new ad is designed to be "more energetic, grander, more majestic" than the first Drink It Up campaign, featuring a relatable international soundtrack to appeal to the Gen Z cohort. The creative direction has clearly shifted. When asked about the change, the spokesperson confirmed, "This is a lot more Gen Z focused. This is very relevant to today's pop culture and trends. And we are also modernising and pre-implementing the brand as we are looking into global expansion."

Digital-first for a digitally native audience

The new campaign's creative choices, including the use of a trending international rap song, were a conscious decision to make the ad travel effortlessly across digital channels. "It's meant to go viral," the representative stated, underscoring the brand's pivot towards digital amplification.

For a target demographic that is "absolutely digitally native," Bisleri’s media mix has been adjusted. While traditional TV ads "remain the holy grail as far as mass Bharat or mass India is concerned," the approach for Gen Z is different: "If you're looking to target them digitally, native communication works a lot better."

Malhotra, however, maintains that Bisleris still practices an "integrated brand" approach, balancing its expansive physical presence, with thousands of dealer boards and trucks that are "literally moving billboards", along with a high degree of digital amplification, particularly around its many event partnerships.

Creating a hydration ecosystem

Bisleri’s marketing is designed to be a multi-pronged strategy that integrates pop culture, sports, sustainability, and technology.

Pop culture & entertainment: This includes the high-profile campaign with Deepika Padukone and limited edition movie-themed packs, with over 50 done so far, featuring global IPs like Mission Impossible and regional blockbusters like Jailor and PS1.

Sports: The 'Drink It Up' message extends into a very functional, high-octane take on water through sports marketing. Bisleri is described as "India's and the Middle East's largest sports marketing players," with over 60 associations spanning IPL, ISL, Dubai Marathon, Mubadala Tennis, and the Women’s Tennis Association.

Sustainability: "Sustainability is at the heart of the brand," the spokesperson stressed, noting that Bisleri is a "water positive and a plastic neutral organisation." Initiatives like Bottles for Change (plastic recycling education) and Naai Umeed (rainwater harvesting) deeply resonate with modern, conscious consumers.

Technology: The brand has its own delivery app, Bisleri@Doorstep, which caters to the millennial and Gen Z desire for "everything at the tap of a button."

Premium hydration as a concept in India

Beyond the iconic blue bottle, Bisleri is catering to evolving consumer demands for premium alternatives for everyday essentials. While the core product remains dominant, they are seeing "acceleration happening" in their premium offering that is Vedika Himalayan Spring Water, which is alkaline and rich in antioxidants and minerals. This indicates a growing segment of consumers who are asking for "more copper, more minerals, something a little more exotic."

The focus on health consciousness aligns with broader trends in India's youth. The representative noted that studies indicate when Gen Z are asked what they do to keep healthy, "they said, we run and we have water." This is reflected in the market: "The bottled water industry is also growing, in strong double digits in India."

According to Malhotra, Bisleri is not just selling water; it is building a "cultural force." By leveraging high-impact visual storytelling, pop-culture integration, and a completely 360-degree experiential marketing program, the brand is aiming to redefine what it means to be a category leader, proving that even a commodity can become a lifestyle.