When PepsiCo’s Sting foiled an industrialist’s assassination

Leo Burnett’s ‘Dart’ takes the Sting on a thriller journey of an ad.

In 133 seconds, PepsiCo India’s energy drink Sting plays an antidote to the poisonous plans of an industrialist’s enemies including his security detail. And yes, it also plays the role of an energy booster while at it.

Welcome to Sting Energy’s Dart, the quickest action thriller as claimed by the beverage itself, and now running live at PVR theatres.

Also Read: Teasing its supposed ad like an upcoming flick and helping couples make love all night long, PepsiCo’s Sting is going places

Telling us the story of greed and betrayal, an innocuous game of darts is turned on its head when one of the archers – after taking a sip of Sting – throws an energised dart miles away to hit the sniper who’s about to take out an industrialist in an assassination ploy to which his security detail is abetting.

Resplendent like the locations of clothing brand ads inside movie theatres, this ad is an interesting watch, especially when one considers its origins. Action in beverage ads is a trope the likes of PepsiCo’s Mountain Dew, and Coca-Cola India’s Thums Up have embraced, so colour us surprised.

And whilst the ad’s theme is surprising, what caught us aback was its promotions. Ankit Singh, Leo Burnett’s EVP of strategy and planning head, north, shared two photographs on LinkedIn of this thriller ad’s promotions, and it was like the movies itself.

One big poster on a cinema multiplex’s outer wall, and a standee inside a PVR theatre – an unusual method to promote a movie. Leo Burnett started servicing Sting after it nabbed the PepsiCo India creative account in 2022.

Vivek Kakkad directed this ad flick and The Pack is the production house behind it.

Only a few days ago, Sting had released an ad where it positioned itself as a drink that helps a couple go on all night long much to the annoyance of the uncle in the hotel room next to theirs.