Pop culture led strategy pushes Bisleri Drink It Up 2.0 into gen Z space

Packaged water brand Bisleri is pushing into lifestyle territory with a new creative chapter that leans heavily on music, celebrity and digital amplification. The latest Bisleri Drink It Up 2.0 campaign sees the company recast itself as an energetic hydration brand for gen Z while keeping its long standing equity in purity and trust.

The 2.0 version of Drink It Up features global brand ambassador Deepika Padukone and has been developed by Zero Fifty Media Works, Bisleri’s in house creative team, along with director Uzer Khan. GroupM has managed celebrity and music partnerships.

The digital first campaign will run across Meta, YouTube, streaming platforms and out of home sites. Visually, it is designed to be more energetic and grand than the earlier Drink It Up execution, with a soundtrack that borrows from international rap to feel instantly familiar to young, online audiences.

In an interview, Tushar Malhotra, director of sales and marketing at Bisleri International, said the brand is moving beyond purity and quality, which he described as table stakes today. The new ambition is to elevate water from a functional necessity to an expression of lifestyle, celebrating hydration rather than merely reminding people to drink.

Malhotra explains that the reboot is focused on maintaining cultural relevance with younger consumers by using pop culture and strengthening the gen Z connection. The team wants to talk to a new generation while also looking ahead to global expansion, which calls for premium and international cues in communication.

The creative direction has shifted accordingly. The new ad is more tightly aligned with current pop culture and trends, and is designed to feel modern and aspirational. At the same time, Bisleri is keeping an integrated brand approach, combining digital reach with its extensive physical presence through dealer boards and a fleet of branded trucks that function as moving billboards.

Beyond the main film, Bisleri is building a wider hydration ecosystem. This includes entertainment tie ups and more than 50 limited edition movie packs featuring properties from global franchises such as Mission Impossible to regional hits like Jailor and PS1.

Sports partnerships extend the Drink It Up message into high energy environments, with associations across the Indian Premier League, Indian Super League, Dubai Marathon, Mubadala Tennis and the Women’s Tennis Association.

Sustainability and technology are additional pillars of the strategy. Bisleri describes itself as water positive and plastic neutral, with initiatives like Bottles for Change and Nayi Umeed focused on recycling and rainwater harvesting. The Bisleri at Doorstep delivery app is aimed at millennials and gen Z consumers who expect essentials to be available at the tap of a button.

Alongside the core blue bottle, Bisleri is also growing its premium Vedika Himalayan Spring Water, which is alkaline and rich in minerals and antioxidants. The company sees increasing demand from consumers seeking more minerals, distinctive sources and perceived health benefits in everyday hydration.

Malhotra says bottled water in India is growing in strong double digits and that younger consumers increasingly associate health with simple habits such as running and drinking water. By leaning into high impact visuals, pop culture and a full set of touchpoints from events to sustainability programmes, Bisleri is trying to turn a mass commodity into a cultural force that sits comfortably in both mainstream and premium spaces.