Pepsi has rolled out a campaign featuring actors Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda.

Conceptualised by Leo, the campaign comprises two films. 

We caught up with Mohak Bhatia, brand lead – Pepsi Cola, PepsiCo India, to know more about the campaign, Pepsi's recent collaboration with Panday and Padda, and more...

Edited excerpts:

How does this partnership with Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda align with Pepsi’s broader vision in India?

Pepsi has always been at the heart of youth culture in India, and our vision has always been to stay ahead of what’s next by partnering with voices that are shaping it. Panday and Padda embody the fresh, expressive energy of young India, perfectly aligned with how GenZ creates and consumes culture today. This collaboration goes beyond celebrity endorsement and taps into evolving storytelling formats and moments that feel authentic to Gen Z. The new duo’s chemistry, relatability, and rising popularity make them ideal to bring alive the spontaneity and excitement that Pepsi stands for. A natural extension Pepsi’s legacy of staying culturally relevant while continuously refreshing the brand for a new generation.

For how long will this campaign run? How did you decide the right mix of teasers, announcements, and main launch content for maximum impact?

The campaign is designed to play out across the summer season, but more importantly, it’s structured as a narrative rather than a one-time drop. We kicked things off with what audiences saw as a ‘Trailer’ and in true Pepsi style, delivered exactly that, just with an unexpected twist. The ‘Trailer’ came to life through the vanity truck, turning a familiar format into a playful, real-world moment that sparked curiosity and conversation. That element of surprise helped us break clutter and earn attention, not just buy it. From there, the reveal and main film anchored the brand story, while subsequent content layers helped sustain engagement across platforms.

The mix wasn’t linear, it was designed to mirror how audiences consume today: through curiosity, participation, and shareability. In a crowded feed, it’s not just about sequencing content, but about creating moments people want to decode, discuss, and pass on, and that thinking shaped the entire rollout.

Beyond traditional metrics like reach and impressions, what indicators or insights are you tracking to measure engagement and effectiveness in today’s digital landscape?

Beyond reach and impressions, for us success means turning passive viewers into active participants in Pepsi's cultural moment. Therefore, we're tracking shares, conversation sentiment, and platform-specific interactions that signal genuine Gen Z connect, a proof that the campaign isn't just seen, but lived, shared, and owned by the next generation. We believe that true impact is derived when it drives recall, participation, and becomes part of youth culture's ongoing conversation.

How do you ensure that a campaign like this resonates with young consumers, keeping the ‘Yeh Dil Maange More’ ethos alive in a fast-changing digital landscape?

‘Yeh Dil Maange More’ has always been about an attitude—a restless desire for more excitement, more expression, and more experiences. While platforms and formats evolve, that core message remains timeless. To keep it relevant, we focus on how today’s youth express that sentiment. This means embracing newer storytelling formats, collaborating with emerging voices, and designing campaigns that are interactive, shareable, and culturally plugged in. At the same time, we stay true to Pepsi’s signature spontaneity and fun. It’s about striking the right balance, evolving with the audience while staying anchored in a core idea that continues to inspire. When done right, the ethos doesn’t feel nostalgic; it feels current and alive in a whole new way.