Pepsi and friends are making a play for your munchies; ready to sip?

Pepsi has turned up the heat with its global Better with Pepsi campaign, proposing that popular meals or fast food taste better with Pepsi.

In its most recent advertisement, Pepsi positions itself next to grills and barbecues, showcasing a crew of friends soaking up the summer sun, grilling burgers and chicken, and topping it off with chilled Pepsi beverages. The message is clear: Pepsi is the ultimate meal companion.

Meanwhile, Fanta has been stirring things up with its Fnack campaign featuring actor Kartik Aaryan, positioning Fanta as the perfect partner for snacks.

Not to be outdone, Coca-Cola’s Thums Up aligns itself with the beloved Indian Biryani, calling itself the ideal complement to the dish. The brand even lured in Shah Rukh Khan to get the message across last year during the Pathaan frenzy.

The battle of the beverages extends to quick-service restaurants (QSRs) as well, with McDonald's and Coca-Cola maintaining a long-standing partnership, while Domino's has pivoted from serving Coca-Cola with its pizzas to Pepsi.

Brand strategists are buzzing about the effectiveness of these campaigns in terms of brand awareness, sales, and promotions. Deepti Karthik, fractional CMO, SuperBottoms, highlights the importance of aligning beverages with food consumption trends.

"Beverage brands are always tuned into what the country is eating. The goal is to shift people from drinking water with their meals to choosing a beverage. The go-to-market strategy revolves around drinking occasions," she explains.

Karthik elaborates, "For instance, when friends come over, they might grab a 2-litre 'party' pack. If it's just for quenching thirst, the 450ml bottle is the go-to. Volume-share growth isn't significant year-on-year; it's the value-share growth that counts, driven by pricing and new pack structures. So, being present alongside popular snacks like samosas is crucial. Beverage brands put in significant effort to associate themselves with moments where consumption happens."

She also underscores the strategic placement of brands implying that the associations are very calculated. "If you're eating out, you'll see branded refrigerators in restaurants. When ordering in, you'll see cold drinks recommended with specific meals, like Biryani and Coca-Cola."

Chandramouli Nilkantan, CEO of TRA Research, provides insights into the tactics of beverage brands in forming these partnerships. "Beverage brands often take their products to small eateries with hoardings featuring popular combos at discounted prices," he notes.

"Food is often an impulse purchase, influenced by visuals. Beverages don't have that same pull, so associating with food items helps drive impulse sales. The idea is to link your product with something emotionally evocative. Biryani is celebratory, samosas signify fun. Your product gains some of that emotional pull," he adds.

Sanjay Mehta, who is the co-founder and director on the board of Mirum India, a digital marketing agency, offers a broader perspective on these strategic campaigns. "The big trigger for consumption is alongside certain food items. These campaigns aim to make the beverage the default companion at these moments," he explains.

Mehta also weighs the pros and cons, saying, "The pros are that when people crave these foods, the beverage gets a free ride. The cons might be limiting stand-alone consumption or with other foods. These are usually one-off campaigns, not a shift in product positioning. 'Thanda matlab Coca-Cola' is a long-term positioning, whereas Thums Up and Pizza is a campaign idea. Once the subconscious connection is made, it can lead to significant sales growth."

Reflecting on history, Mehta recalls, "Thums Up originally built its brand through such associations - with a wide range of foods from pizzas to samosas."

So next time you bite into that juicy burger or flavourful Biryani, don’t be surprised if you find yourself reaching for a Pepsi, Fanta, or Thums Up. These beverage giants have meticulously crafted their campaigns to make sure they’re the default choice.