Hrithik and Aishwarya in Coca-Cola’s Iconic Ad

Coca Cola’s ad featuring Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai is still remembered as one of the most iconic campaigns in India. This piece revisits how the brand used two of the biggest Bollywood stars to tell a simple yet memorable story that connected with people and built a strong place in the market.

Coca-Cola’s ‘Jo Chaaho Ho Jaaye’ campaign in the early 2000s featured Bollywood stars Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai. This fun college campus ad helped Coke connect with young Indians and challenge rival Pepsi. See how Coke used local ideas and star power to build its brand and pave the way for the ‘Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola’ campaign.

Background and Context

In 1999, Coca-Cola returned to India after a long absence (it had left in 1977 due to regulations). To re-enter the market, Coke had to adjust its global strategy. Early on, it even acquired the local brand Thums Up and relaunched it one city at a time, using very local advertising. Coca-Cola’s first ads in India used Hindi taglines and print ads to appeal to young people. For example, their print slogan became “Har Mauke Pe Rang, Coca-Cola Ke Sang” to sound local.

By the late 1990s, Coke saw that Indian youth were a key audience. At that time, rival Pepsi was also using Bollywood celebrities (like Aamir Khan and Aishwarya Rai) in its ads. Coca-Cola decided to fight back by signing top stars too. They launched the “Jo Chaaho Ho Jaaye, Coca-Cola Enjoy” campaign, aiming squarely at young adults. This marked a new strategy: using Bollywood star power to connect Coke’s fun, youthful image with India’s college crowd.

The Jo Chaaho Ho Jaaye Campaign

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Coca-Cola’s new ads were like mini-movies set on a college campus. They featured Hrithik Roshan as “Rohit” and Aishwarya Rai as “Tina”, shown as best friends who also run against each other in student elections. The story builds playful tension: Rohit and Tina each want to win, and they campaign hard to get votes. In one key scene, Rohit surprises everyone by casting his vote for Tina. Tina, in turn, wastes one of her own votes so that Rohit will win. Each friend ends up helping the other succeed.

The ads were bright and energetic, full of Bollywood style. They were directed by Hrithik’s father Rakesh Roshan and shot by cinematographer Baba Azmi. The production had all the hallmarks of a big Hindi film: colorful sets, foot-tapping music, and lively dance-campaign sequences. Behind the scenes, the campaign was handled by the agency McCann Erickson India. Coca-Cola even teased the ads with short 10-second clips on TV before the full 90-second films premiered.

• Story and Style: The ads played out like a Bollywood romantic comedy on campus. Rohit and Tina are friendly rivals in a college election. Though they try to outdo each other, they secretly make sacrifices so the other wins.

• Brand Message: Coca-Cola is shown as the drink of celebration. At the end of each ad, Rohit and Tina share a Coke to celebrate the election results. The tagline “Jo Chaaho Ho Jaaye, Coca-Cola Enjoy” (have it your way with Coke) reinforces that message.

• Celebrity Power: Casting two popular stars at the peak of their fame gave the ads a huge boost. Hrithik was a rising heartthrob from Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai, and Aishwarya was already an established star. Their pairing created buzz and made young viewers excited to see them together in a Coke commercial.

Jo Chaaho Ho Jaaye Campaign's Marketing Reach

1. Advertising Platforms

• Television: TV was the biggest platform for the campaign. It helped Coca-Cola reach millions of homes across the country. The catchy tagline, along with the charm of Hrithik and Aishwarya, made the ads stand out. Families and youngsters could all see it during prime hours.

• Print Media: Print was also used as an important tool. Newspapers and magazines carried the campaign, keeping Coca-Cola in the minds of readers even after the TV ads ended. It allowed the brand to target both urban and semi-urban areas, where print was a strong medium.

• Internet Marketing: At the time, internet marketing in India was still new. Even then, Coca-Cola made sure to use this platform. Online banners and early digital ads carried the campaign message. This gave Coca-Cola an edge by connecting with a younger audience that was just starting to spend more time online.

2. Other Marketing Initiatives

• Below-the-Line (BTL) Activities: Coca-Cola also invested in activities outside mass media. BTL activities focused on direct contact with people, often at events or public gatherings. These were designed to make consumers feel closer to the brand.

• Consumer Promotions: The campaign included promotions such as contests, offers, or discounts to push people to buy Coca-Cola. These activities created excitement and gave buyers more reason to choose the drink.

• Point-of-Purchase (POP) Materials: At stores, Coca-Cola used eye-catching displays, posters, and stands to remind customers of the campaign right when they were about to make a purchase. This was an effective way to stay visible and encourage last-minute buying decisions.

Impact and Outcomes

The Hrithik-Aishwarya ads made a big splash. The campaign linked Coke with friendship, fun, and youth, exactly the qualities the brand wanted. Coke’s marketing chief Shripad Nadkarni summed it up by saying they aimed to “bond the youth, Hrithik and Aishwarya together” through these ads. The strategy worked. In plain terms, Coke grabbed a much bigger share of young consumers’ minds and had a lead in market share over Pepsi by a few points.

Coke’s move forced Pepsi to react. Pepsi produced its own ads, even involving megastar Amitabh Bachchan to keep up. There was even some ad rivalry in court: Pepsi parodied Coke’s campaign and Coke threatened legal action, though Pepsi eventually pulled back. But the media buzz was on Coke’s side. Indian youth loved seeing Hrithik and Aishwarya on screen together. The campaign’s “college election” storyline and happy ending made it memorable. Fans would often recall how Rohit and Tina sacrificed their wins, tying Coke to ideas of friendship and celebration.

In summary, the campaign achieved its goals:

• Youth Connection: Coke firmly positioned itself as the fun, youth-oriented drink, thanks to the Bollywood stars.

• Brand Recall: The ads boosted Coke’s visibility and helped the brand cut through the clutter. The focus on fresh, local storytelling made the ads resonate with young Indians.

• Competition: Coke gained ground on Pepsi. By outmaneuvering Pepsi in star power, Coca-Cola captured attention and market share.

Strategic Shift: “Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola”

After winning the hearts of young people with the college ads, Coca-Cola then broadened its appeal. In 2002, it launched the “Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola” campaign starring actor Aamir Khan. “Thanda” means “cool (drink)” in Hindi. This campaign used simple local language to link Coke to the everyday word for cold drinks. It was a shift from youth films to a catchy mass-market message.

This new tagline became iconic: in India people often call any soda “thanda thanda”. By tying Coca-Cola to that word, the ads made Coke feel like the natural cold drink choice for everyone. The “Thanda” ads targeted a wider, all-India audience, not just college students. Still, the Hrithik-Aishwarya campaign had done its job by building up Coke’s cool image among youth. Together, the two strategies (Bollywood stars first, then local slang second) showed how Coke adapted globally to local culture in India.

Conclusion

Coca-Cola’s Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai ads are a classic example of localising a global brand campaign. By blending Bollywood glamour with relatable Indian settings, Coke created ads that were both entertaining and effective. The friendship-and-elections storyline stuck in viewers’ minds and raised Coke’s profile against Pepsi. In the end, this campaign helped Coke capture the youthful vibe of the early 2000s in India and set the stage for its future ads.

For modern marketers, the lesson is clear: to win in India’s diverse market, global brands often need local stars and local ideas. Coca-Cola did exactly that with Hrithik and Aishwarya. The result was that Coke’s brand “became Thanda”, a cool icon synonymous with Indian youth culture.

Build Strong Connections with Your Audience

Do you want your brand to capture hearts like Coca-Cola did with Hrithik and Aishwarya? Promote your brand with Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai, or another Bollywood star! With celebrity endorsements and event appearances, Tring can help you find the right faces and voices for your campaigns. Let us connect you with top celebrities, influencers, and creators to build trust and visibility for your brand.