Campa, the soft drink brand owned by Reliance, has inked a multi-year deal with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to become one of the official central sponsors for all cricket series played in the country. This strategic agreement, effective immediately, sidelines rivals Coca-Cola and PepsiCo for BCCI matches held in India. Campa will enjoy exclusive on-stadium presence, pouring rights, and a beverage partnership for all cricket matches played in India during the agreed tenure.
Reliance Consumer Products, the FMCG arm of Reliance Retail Ventures, relaunched Campa over a year ago. The timing of this partnership is crucial, as the upcoming summer season is expected to witness fierce competition between cola manufacturers following a rain-affected last summer.
The association between Campa and the BCCI extends to all cricket matches held in India, including the under-19 series and women’s series, as confirmed by executives. While the financial details of the sponsorship remain undisclosed, a formal announcement from the BCCI regarding this partnership is anticipated in the coming days.
Highlighting the significance of exclusive cricket sponsorship for brands, one executive emphasized the wide reach and popularity of cricket in India. Reliance introduced Campa Cricket in September last year, a lemon-flavoured carbonated drink with a cricket theme, and is expected to leverage this partnership along with other Campa variants.
Reliance Retail acquired Campa from the Pure Drinks group for an estimated sum of Rs 22 crore in mid-2022. Industry executives believe that Campa, with its competitive pricing, the backing of Reliance’s JioMart platform, and collaborations with retail channels, will pose a significant challenge to Coke and Pepsi as it expands its presence nationwide for the summer season. At the time of writing, Reliance Consumer Products had not responded to requests for comment.