Pepsi and friends target your cravings; ready for a sip?

Pepsi has intensified its efforts with the global "Better with Pepsi" campaign, suggesting that popular meals and fast food taste better when paired with Pepsi. In its latest advertisement, Pepsi is prominently featured alongside grills and barbecues, depicting a group of friends enjoying the summer sun while grilling burgers and chicken, all complemented by chilled Pepsi beverages. The message is unmistakable: Pepsi is the ultimate companion for meals.

Meanwhile, Fanta has been making waves with its "Fnack" campaign, featuring actor Kartik Aaryan and positioning Fanta as the perfect partner for snacks.

Coca-Cola’s Thums Up is also making a strong statement by aligning itself with the beloved Indian dish, Biryani, and promoting itself as the ideal complement to the dish. The brand even enlisted the help of Shah Rukh Khan to convey this message during the Pathaan frenzy last year.

The competition among beverage brands extends to quick-service restaurants (QSRs) as well. McDonald's and Coca-Cola have maintained a long-standing partnership, while Domino's has shifted from serving Coca-Cola with its pizzas to offering Pepsi instead.

Brand strategists are actively discussing the effectiveness of these campaigns in terms of enhancing brand awareness, driving sales, and promoting their products. Deepti Karthik, a fractional Chief Marketing Officer at SuperBottoms, underscores the significance of aligning beverages with prevailing food consumption trends.