Lahori Zeera Makes ‘Desi Thanda’ a Bold MNC Challenge

Lahori Zeera is making a strong case for bringing the idea of “thanda” back to its desi roots with its latest advertising campaign. The homegrown beverage brand has used a high-impact takeover of The Times of India on August 23 to position itself as an Indian alternative in a soft-drink category long dominated by multinational players.

The campaign revolves around lines such as “Apna Desi Thanda” and “The Thanda of India”, giving the familiar word “thanda” a distinctly Indian identity.

The strategy is particularly noteworthy because “thanda” has been deeply associated with Coca-Cola’s iconic “Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola” advertising platform. Lahori Zeera appears to be entering that same cultural conversation while attempting to redefine the expression through a homegrown lens.

Turning a Media Setback Into a Marketing Opportunity

Interestingly, the campaign was not originally planned for August 23.

According to Lahori Zeera co-founder and CEO Saurabh Munjal, the brand had initially planned to take over The Times of India across Hindi-speaking markets on August 15. However, Independence Day advertising inventory became extremely competitive, with numerous brands looking to associate themselves with the national occasion.

As demand increased, media rates also rose, eventually forcing Lahori Zeera to move away from its planned August 15 takeover.

Rather than treating the situation as a setback, the brand turned it into part of its campaign narrative.

The August 23 execution communicates an interesting message: Indian identity is not something that needs to be celebrated only on Independence Day. For Lahori Zeera, being Indian is positioned as an everyday sentiment—and “desi thanda” becomes an extension of that thought.

From Independence Day Advertising to Brand Positioning

What makes the campaign stand out is that it goes beyond conventional Independence Day advertising.

Instead of simply using patriotic imagery or national colours, Lahori Zeera has connected Indian identity directly to its product category. The brand is effectively asking consumers why the word “thanda” an everyday Indian expression for a cold beverage should automatically evoke multinational cola brands.

This gives the campaign a competitive edge while strengthening Lahori Zeera’s identity as a homegrown beverage brand.

A Changing Indian Soft-Drink Market

The campaign also arrives at a time when India's soft-drink market is becoming increasingly competitive.

According to figures reported by The Economic Times in November 2025, newer beverage brands, including Reliance Consumer Products' Campa and Lahori Zeera, had significantly increased their combined market presence during January–September 2025. Their combined share reportedly reached around 15%, while the combined share of Coca-Cola and PepsiCo declined to approximately 85%.

These shifts indicate that Indian consumers are increasingly seeing alternatives beyond the traditional multinational cola giants.

For brands such as Lahori Zeera, this creates an opportunity to compete not just through pricing and distribution, but also through cultural relevance.

Making the Setback Part of the Story

One of the most interesting aspects of the campaign is the brand's decision to openly acknowledge that it did not get its preferred advertising date.

Instead of hiding the media-buying challenge, Lahori Zeera has incorporated it into the campaign's storytelling.

The message essentially reframes the situation: sometimes brands get the date they want, and sometimes they get the date that fits their budget. In Lahori Zeera's case, the later date became an opportunity to make a larger statement about Indian identity.

This approach gives the campaign an element of authenticity and relatability. Rather than presenting a perfectly planned advertising story, the brand has turned a real business challenge into part of its communication.

Why the Campaign Matters

Lahori Zeera's latest campaign demonstrates how smaller and homegrown brands can compete with established multinational companies by finding distinctive cultural territory.

The campaign combines media strategy, competitive positioning, cultural insight and brand storytelling in one execution. By reclaiming the everyday idea of “thanda” and attaching it to an Indian beverage identity, Lahori Zeera is attempting to create a memorable space for itself in a crowded category.

More importantly, the campaign shows that an advertising setback does not necessarily have to remain a setback. With the right storytelling, even a change in media plans can become part of the brand narrative.

For Lahori Zeera, August 23 may have arrived later than planned but the brand has used the moment to make a clear statement: “desi thanda” wants a bigger place in India's beverage conversation.