Pepsico adds a Classic Kick to Sting’s energy play

MUMBAI: Peanuts flew, tempers flared and one sip changed the mood entirely. Pepsico India has turned up the voltage on its energy drink playbook with the launch of Sting Classic Kick, a bold new flavour designed to give the brand’s growing legion of young fans another punch of attitude in a can. With India’s energy drink market becoming increasingly crowded and competitive, Sting is doubling down on what made it stand out in the first place high-octane personality, disruptive branding and unapologetic swagger. The latest flavour addition arrives wrapped in a cinematic campaign fronted by actor Lakshya, who swaps subtlety for swagger in a stylised ad film that feels somewhere between an action flick and a caffeine rush.

Set inside a sleek restaurant with tension simmering at every table, the campaign film sees Lakshya casually walking into a confrontation involving two men intimidating a waiter. What begins as a routine face-off quickly spirals into a full-blown slow-motion spectacle after the actor takes a sip of Sting Classic Kick. Armed with little more than peanuts and confidence, Lakshya launches into an exaggerated action sequence that sends the troublemakers flying backwards because apparently, in the world of Sting, even snacks come with stunt choreography.

The over-the-top storytelling is deliberate. PepsiCo India is clearly positioning Sting Classic Kick not merely as another flavour launch, but as an extension of the brand’s youthful, edgy identity that thrives on drama, intensity and internet-era confidence.

Pepsico India, category head of energy portfolio Diksha Bajaj said the launch reflects the company’s focus on category expansion through innovation and differentiated flavour experiences. According to Bajaj, Sting continues to evolve alongside changing consumer preferences while staying rooted in the high-energy appeal that built the brand’s popularity among younger audiences.

Lakshya, meanwhile, described the campaign shoot as an energetic and cinematic experience, noting that the mix of humour, stylised action and bold storytelling helped the ad stand apart from conventional beverage campaigns.

And Pepsico is not going halfway with the rollout either. The campaign will run across television, digital platforms, influencer collaborations, social media and outdoor advertising as part of a full-scale 360-degree marketing blitz aimed squarely at Gen Z and young millennial consumers.

The launch also underlines PepsiCo India’s ambition to deepen Sting’s footprint in the rapidly expanding energy drink category, where brands are increasingly fighting not just on taste, but on personality and cultural relevance. In today’s attention economy, a beverage is no longer simply about flavour, it is about creating a vibe consumers want to associate with.

Sting Classic Kick will be available across modern trade stores, traditional retail outlets and ecommerce platforms nationwide. The drink comes in 180ml cans priced at Rs 30 and 300ml PET bottles priced at Rs 20, giving consumers both portability and affordability in a category fuelled by impulse purchases and quick consumption.

For Sting, the message seems clear: when the energy dips, drama sells.