Youth mein confidence hai boss! Pepsi's new ad with Virat

And while there are enough pressure packed moments, their confidence is what makes them stand out and succeed. Iconic youth brand Pepsi celebrates this irreverent uber-coolness of India’s youth in its upcoming ad campaign featuring dynamic cricketer and brand ambassador Virat Kohli.

Virat, who personifies the confidence of the Indian youth, revels in a pressure packed moment as he faces Jacques Kallis in the new TVC. The new campaign drives home the brand philosophy of ‘Live for Now’ and celebrates the never-say-die attitude of the Indian youth with the refrain ‘Yehi hai moment, Live it Abhi’.

Ruchira Jaitly, Senior Director Marketing – Social Beverages, PepsiCo India says, “Pepsi as a brand has always spoken to Indian youth and their aspirations, and youth today thrive under pressure,  as they want to make every moment count! Indian millennials are always-on, and approach their packed lives with the utmost confidence, living every moment to the fullest. They absolutely love to wink in the face of pressure and use it instead to their advantage. It is this confident and audacious spirit that Pepsi celebrates with its new TVC.”

The pressure that Virat faces in the TVC is not only from fearsome fast bowlers (in this instance played by legendary bowler Jacques Kallis), but also the expectations of fervent fans. In the TVC, Virat looks out at packed cricket stadium from the window of his dressing room, watching the mood outside ascend to fever pitch. Vijay Raaz, playing a journalist, confronts Virat about the intensity of pressure he is facing, and hints sarcastically at his recent form. “So…feeling the pressure?” he says asks in a smug voice. Virat’s response leaves Vijay Raaz puzzled. Click the link above to find out what happens next!

On the launch of this Pepsi campaign, Virat Kohli says “Pepsi is an awesome brand to work with. It is always great to experience how Pepsi addresses real life scenarios in a fun and irreverent way. This TVC truly defines the pressure and excitement a cricketer faces before stepping out on the field, and the way in which we can wink in the face of this pressure and really seize the moment!”.

This is the first Pepsi campaign released after the integration of PO1 creative team at JWT. Anuja Chauhan, advertising maestro and popular author, has written this TVC in the capacity of her new role as JWT Creative Consultant for PepsiCo. JWT has been Pepsi’s longest standing creative partner in India and Anuja Chauhan has been responsible for some of Pepsi’s most iconic campaigns in the past, such as ‘Yeh Dil Maange More’ and ‘Oye Bubbly’.

Anuja Chauhan, JWT Creative Consultant for PepsiCo says “Beyond the glamour and the big stars, at the core of both Pepsi the brand and Pepsi the product, lies bubbliness, fizz and irrepressibility. It's a product that comes alive under pressure, and so it inspires you to do the same - to stay chilled, audacious and optimistic, no matter what life throws at you.”

“At the heart of the idea is an insight that is very reflective of Indian youth who face a lot of pressure in everyday life, big or small, but grab every moment with an unbottled and irrepressible spirit. This idea resonated strongly with consumers and resulted in the campaign with a contrarian thought of #PressureisGood. The script and execution stays true to the Pepsi way of connecting deep, with a wink,” says Babita Baruah, SVP and Executive Business Director, JWT Delhi.