After Thums Up, Coca-Cola's Sprite enters the billion-dollar brand club in India

Sprite is the second Coca-Cola-owned brand after Thums Up to become a billion dollar brand in India

By  Storyboard18Oct 28, 2022 8:49 AM
After Thums Up, Coca-Cola's Sprite enters the billion-dollar brand club in India
Sprite has become a billion dollar brand in annual sales in India, driven by the success of locally-adapted, occasion-based global marketing

The Coca-Cola Company’s lemon drink Sprite has become a billion dollar brand in annual sales in India, the beverage maker said in its global earnings report this week.

“Sprite has grown to become a billion dollar brand in India driven by the success of a locally-adapted, occasion-based global marketing campaign," the company said.

Sprite, over the years, has managed to establish itself as a youth brand. Its advertising is edgy, quirky, and often involves over-the-top urban conversations in its storytelling and narrative.

For the summer of 2022, Coca-Cola India unveiled a new campaign ‘Thand Rakh’ for Sprite. It is designed to appeal to teens and young adults who tend to give in to irking situations, as they go about encountering challenges and exploring the world.

Basis the third quarter 2022 results, the company said that its growth has been driven by the success of locally adapted, occasion-based global marketing campaigns and screen time.

In India, the company says that it has strengthened in the year’s first half, gaining share in sparkling soft drinks. Trademark Coke delivered strong growth through effective execution and occasion-based marketing.

“Sparkling soft drinks grew 3%, driven by growth across all geographic operating segments, primarily led by India, Mexico and China. Trademark Coca-Cola grew 3%, driven by growth across all geographic operating segments. Coca-Cola Zero Sugar grew 11%, driven by low double-digit growth across developed markets and high single-digit growth across developing and emerging markets. Sparkling flavors grew 3%, led by Asia Pacific and Latin America,” the company says.

Coca-Cola, the market leader in soft drinks, reported strong volume growth in its India business in the third quarter of 2022, aided by its effervescent soft drinks portfolio and fruit drink brand Maaza.

Coca-Cola’s unit case volume increased by 9% in the three months ending September 30. Its established markets expanded by the mid-single digits while developing and emerging markets expanded by the low single digits.

Sharing other India-specific information, the company said, “We drove 2.5 billion transactions in India at affordable price points through the expansion of returnable glass bottles and single-serve PET packages.”

“Nutrition, juice, dairy and plant-based beverages were even, as growth led by Minute Maid Pulpy in China, Maaza® in India and fairlife® in the United States was offset by declines primarily in local brands in Eastern Europe,” the company noted.

The other billion-dollar brand

Earlier this year, iconic Indian brand Thums Up broke into the billion-dollar club, a goal The Coca-Cola Company has been aggressively working towards since 2019.

"Our local Thums Up brand became a billion-dollar brand in India, driven by focused marketing and execution plans," said chairman and CEO James Quincey at the time.

Thums Up was launched in 1977 by Ramesh Chauhan of Parle and was acquired by Coca-Cola in 1993. It is one of the strongest products in Coca-Cola's portfolio and the company has leveraged Bollywood celebrities and popular cricketers to promote it in the India market for years.

First Published on Oct 28, 2022 8:49 AM

More from Storyboard18

Brand Makers

Godrej Consumer stands firm on ad spending, bullish on in-housing capabilities; 'Big believers' says MD Sudhir Sitapati

Godrej Consumer stands firm on ad spending, bullish on in-housing capabilities; 'Big believers' says MD Sudhir Sitapati

Brand Makers

WAVES 2025: India's global entertainment summit aims to chart a $50 billion future

WAVES 2025: India's global entertainment summit aims to chart a $50 billion future

How it Works

Retail rules, Q-comm bubbles: Cola Wars heat up as brands tap digital playbooks

Retail rules, Q-comm bubbles: Cola Wars heat up as brands tap digital playbooks

Brand Makers

Landmark sessions at WAVES 2025: A call for universal access to media and entertainment

Landmark sessions at WAVES 2025: A call for universal access to media and entertainment

Quantum Brief

Maestro Ustad Amzad Ali’s son compose patriotic music for Independence Day

Maestro Ustad Amzad Ali’s son compose patriotic music for Independence Day

Quantum Brief

Pune eatery wins legal battle against US based Burger King

Pune eatery wins legal battle against US based Burger King

Quantum Brief

World Federation of Advertisers suspends brand safety unit after Elon Musk’s lawsuit

World Federation of Advertisers suspends brand safety unit after Elon Musk’s lawsuit

Brand Makers

GOAT Brand Labs raises $21 million to drive omnichannel expansion

GOAT Brand Labs raises $21 million to drive omnichannel expansion