Bisleri Pop goes after Gen-Z with Ishan Khatter and Palak Tiwari

Indian packaged drinking water and carbonated soft drinks company Bisleri International has unveiled an "instammercial" on Instagram, #FlavourOfLove, for its new fizzy drink Bisleri POP, featuring actors Palak Tiwari and Ishaan Khatter as brand ambassadors.

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Tushar Malhotra, director of sales and marketing, Bisleri International, shares that the idea to introduce Khatter and Tiwari stemmed from the product itself—Bisleri Pop, which according to him is a refreshing, tangy, and sweet orange drink.

He says the brand wanted to bring the product to life through a campaign that captured the simplicity and charm of love, particularly in today’s fast-paced world where such love is often missing.

“The campaign is aimed at connecting with the younger audience. Khatter and Tiwari were the perfect fit because they bring along an innocence and youthfulness that resonate with the essence of our product and campaign. They both have a massive Gen-Z following. This approach, along with a peppy music track made by Rahul Pais and sung by Tejas and Tanya, made the ad entertaining and nostalgic for audiences,” says Malhotra.

Bisleri Pop is an addition to the company's current portfolio of carbonated drink offerings that include Bisleri Limonata, Bisleri Rev, and Bisleri Spyci Jeera.

Earlier, the brand has partnered with a number of celebrities to represent its product lineup, such as Deepika Padukone for Bisleri Water, Aditya Roy Kapur and Chunky Pandey for Limonata, and Dino Morea for Vedica.

These partnerships seem to reflect the brand’s strategy of targeting a wide range of consumer segments. Malhotra explains that each product has its own story, roots, and personality. The brand ambassadors are carefully selected to align with these narratives.

“For Bisleri water, we wanted to communicate the idea that hydration is cool, and Padukone, with her immense popularity and trustworthiness, was the perfect fit. Kapur, with his laid-back persona, was ideal for Limonata, a refreshing lime and mint drink. Similarly, Khatter and Tiwari bring youthful energy to Bisleri Pop, while Dino Morea embodies the sophistication needed for Vedica,” he says.

For Bisleri Pop, the brand will engage consumers through experiential marketing, such as college activations and associations with upcoming music concerts by Dua Lipa and Bryan Adams. Malhotra believes that this approach ensures multiple touchpoints for consumers to interact with the brand as it keeps its media mix balanced for this product.

Pricing and distribution strategy

Bisleri International is expanding the reach of its carbonated drink, and Bisleri Pop plans to leverage this network for nationwide availability. Malhotra shares that the brand’s direct reach extends to approximately 300,000 outlets across the country.

In addition to general trade, Bisleri Pop is also available on quick-commerce platforms.

Malhotra says that the brand offers a 160-ml stock keeping unit (SKU) priced at Rs 10, which makes it easy to generate trials. It is spread across general trade. At q-comm and modern trade channels, the product is available in two SKUs—200-ml and 600-ml. He also hinted that more SKUs are in development, offering consumers more variety in the near future.

“Our strategy focusses on affordability, especially with our smaller packs, which are not common among competitors. By offering a 160-ml pack at Rs 10, we allow consumers to try the product without a significant price barrier, which gives us a competitive advantage,” he notes.

According to Malhotra, the brand’s growth strategy revolves around three key areas: distinct product positioning, digital-first communication, and engaging prime brand ambassadors resonating with it.

He adds that Bisleri is also expanding its engagement through digital platforms, sports partnerships, and experiential activations to reach a broader audience. For the current festive season, digital marketing will play a central role in Bisleri's strategy.

“We’ve just launched the Bisleri Pop campaign as a digital-first initiative, and we’ll continue to engage consumers through partnerships with music and sports events, such as the Indian Super League (ISL). We are now integrating our products into music videos. One of the examples is a recent music video of actor Ayushmann Khurrana’s song Jachdi,” says Malhotra.

The brand will also have a presence at Navratri carnivals and Dandiya night festivals, offering experiential activations. Additionally, Bisleri has also several campaigns lined up for Diwali.