Campa Cola, ChatGPT win Team India's associate partner bid

Dubai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has no issues when it comes to luring big brands into a deal. The governing body announced associate partners for bilateral matches played in the country.

The new partners include ChatGPT and SBI Life, with both brands agreeing for a ₹1.2 crore (Dh466,396). However there is another brand that emerged as the biggest bidder for BCCI. Campa Cola has reportedly bid ₹1.3 crore (Dh505,262).

The brand reportedly agreed to pay more than Bisleri and Indian Oil Corporation whose bid was the same as ChatGPT and SBI Life. But things weren't always so blissful for the brand. Having being the most popular Indian drink in the 1970s and 1980s, Campa Cola ruled the market.

However with globalization, emergence of Coca Cola and Pepsi diminished the Indian drinking brand's market space. Campa Cola struggled to compete with the international brands who had plenty of investment comparatively.

Within a decade after the 1991 economic liberalization policy introduced in India, Campa had its plant and multiple offices closed. By 2009, only a small amount of product was still being bottled in Haryana. The slow years followed the brand as it continued to survive until August 2022 when India's richest man Mukesh Ambani decided to place a ₹22 crore (Dh8,550,592) bet on the brand.

The Reliance Industries Limited acquired Campa and relaunched the brand with new flavors. The brand continued with its aggressive strategy and eventually sponsored the Indian Premier League in 2025. Now, they are set to partner with BCCI to sponsor the national team for 35 matches till March 2028 while the board continues to look for a title sponsor.

The story of the brand is truly inspiring as it returns on the big stage with their latest partnership.