Campa Cola is returning. Will Salman Khan?
Salman was only 15 or 16, oozing the same solo swag he tries to channel now at age 57. Ad film-maker Kailash Surendranath, founder of Kailash Picture Company, was approached by Chaitra Advertising in 1982 to make a campaign for Campa Cola, an ad film that captures the vibe of the youth.
Kailash decided to cast some of the most sought after young faces in the campaign which was shot on a yacht and underwater in Andaman. The film-maker chose actress Ayesha Shroff (Jackie Shroff’s wife), model Aarti Gupta Surendranath, models Shiraz Merchant, Sunil Nischol and Vanessa Vaz for the campaign. And Aarti brought in a young Salman Khan, who was spotted at the Sea Rock Club.
The visuals were stunning, especially when combined with the work of composers Ronnie Desai and Shiv Mathur. Watching the advertisement in 2023 will not make it appear dated. And one has to remember that filming underwater back then was difficult but Kailash took the help of a modified Arriflex film camera.
What’s more interesting is how the ad film created that “global” feeling and that too for a brand that was born out of the late George Fernandes’ anti-multinational company stance. To understand this, let’s rewind to the 1970s.
It was the time when Coca-Cola was the dominant brand. Even though carbonated drinks were not popular outside metro cities, Coca-Cola was preferred by the youth, and Duke’s Lemonade, of course, was also doing great business because nimbu-pani was loved by all. Once the Janata Party government established themselves at the Centre in 1977, many multinational companies decided to leave. One of the reasons for Coca-Cola’s exit was reportedly its refusal to divulge the “secret” formula of the drink’s concentrate. The company preferred to quit rather than dilute its equity to 40 per cent compliance with the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA). The exit of Coca-Cola presented Sardar Mohan Singh’s company, Pure Drinks, with an opportunity. His family’s Coca-Cola bottling franchise released a new drink called Campa Cola. The company’s ads leaned into Coca-Cola connection and announced: “The Campa flavour — it grows on you.”
Meanwhile, Parle flooded newspapers and magazines with ads for its Gold Spot and Limca. Many of the ads suggested a picture of successful Indian corporate globalisation.
The year 1977 will also be remembered for two other cola-related reasons. First, it was the time when Double Seven was about to hit the market. It was meant to be a substitute for Coca-Cola. Second, Parle introduced one of the most well-known drinks in India — Thums Up.
As for Salman Khan, he had to wait only a few years to make his mark in Bollywood, playing Prem, Suraj and many other memorable characters.
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