MAM
Mirinda says release the pressure
MUMBAI: In 2017, Mirinda, the orange flavoured sparkling drink from PepsiCo gave the country’s youth a voice and told the story of exam pressure they go through because of parents. This year, with the second edition of its ‘Release The Pressure’ campaign, the brand is making this voice louder and bringing to the forefront the issue of constant comparison by parents.
Mirinda ignites conversations around the issue through a moving short film, created by award-winning director Shoojit Sircar. Inspired by focused group discussions conducted across the country with students, the film hopes to be a mirror for society and aims to bring attention to students’ distress. It features real teenagers and focuses on the issues of parental pressure, and what happens when parents constantly compare their kids to peers, neighbours and siblings. Shoojit Sircar also directed the digital film for the first edition of the brand’s international award-winning campaign.
PepsiCo India senior vice president, beverage category Vipul Prakash believes that the latest campaign stems from an insight that homes turn into pressure zones as exam season approaches. Parents have good intentions at heart but sometimes their motivation methods end up being stressful for their kids. “Continuing the momentum of the first edition of the campaign, our goal this year is to help people understand and acknowledge that constant comparison is detrimental to a student’s performance,” he says.
The powerful film, conceptualised by creative agency BBDO, aims to make parents realise how situations of constant comparison can lead to lower self-esteem amongst teenagers.
As a popular national brand, Mirinda stands committed to its teenage audience and their interests. In the latest campaign, the agency has built on last year’s brand idea ‘Release The Pressure’ by decoding the actions that add pressure in the teenager’s life. BBDO India chairman and chief creative officer Josy Paul mentions that one big action or pressure point is the constant comparison that parents use to push their children. The campaign focuses on this unhealthy behaviour of constant comparison — that is known to lead to depression in children. The campaign encourages parents to discuss constructive ways to support their children, especially during exam time.
Director of the film, Shoojit Sircar says, “Stress, pressure, tension are unfortunately words which have become a part of the daily vocabulary of teenagers across India. There is undue pressure on students and as a society, we need to wake up and take responsibility. The next generation of world leaders will emerge only when we are able to give them space to grow, learn well and flourish without putting any undue pressure on them.”
Mirinda will also roll out a 360-degree plan starting with the ‘Release the Pressure’ digital film, followed by on-ground activations and a robust radio and print campaign. Over the next few months, the brand will invite people to pledge to ‘Release the Pressure’ through a series of online and offline partnerships.
Brands
Emami names Dhruv Aggarwal as chief growth officer
Former Bain partner steps in as FMCG firm sharpens growth playbook
MUMBAI: Emami Limited has appointed Dhruv Aggarwal as its chief growth officer, effective 25 March 2026, following the resignation of Giriraj Bagri.
Aggarwal joins the FMCG major from Bain & Company, where he most recently served as partner. With over two decades of experience across consulting and strategy, he brings a global perspective shaped by work across India, the US, the UK and Germany.
During his tenure at Bain, Aggarwal advised consumer, retail and media companies on large-scale transformations, business turnarounds and growth strategies. He was also closely involved with India’s startup ecosystem, guiding early-stage ventures on scaling and digital expansion, while supporting private equity and venture capital firms on investment decisions.
His earlier stints include a brief role at Barclays Capital and operational experience at Jindal Power, giving him a mix of financial and industry exposure.
Academically, Aggarwal holds an MBA from Indian Institute of Management Bangalore and has also been associated with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as a PhD candidate and teaching assistant.
The appointment comes at a time when Emami Limited is looking to sharpen its growth strategy in a competitive consumer market. With a seasoned strategist now at the helm of growth, the company appears set to double down on transformation and expansion in the months ahead.
