Thums Up Leverages Airport Partnerships to Amplify ICC World Cup Fan Engagement

Event summary

  • Thums Up, a Coca-Cola India brand, is hosting ICC T20 Men's World Cup Trophy viewing experiences at Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai airports.
  • The initiative began January 15, 2026, at Ahmedabad, followed by Delhi (Jan 16) and Mumbai (Jan 17), and runs until 8 pm each day.
  • Partnerships with Delhi Airport and Adani Airports are central to the program's reach, targeting millions of travelers.
  • Abhishek Gupta, Chief Customer Officer, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia, highlighted the brand’s focus on connecting with consumers during key consumption moments.

The big picture

This initiative underscores Coca-Cola India's continued investment in experiential marketing and leveraging major cultural events like cricket to drive brand affinity. The partnership with Adani Airports highlights a growing trend of brands seeking to integrate themselves into the travel experience, transforming transit hubs into marketing platforms. This strategy is particularly relevant in India, where cricket holds immense cultural significance and airport traffic is rapidly increasing.

What we're watching

ROI Measurement
The effectiveness of this airport activation will depend on Coca-Cola’s ability to accurately measure brand lift and sales impact against the program’s cost.
Expansion Risk
Further expansion of this program to other airports could strain Adani Airports’ resources and potentially impact service quality if not managed carefully.
Competitive Response
Other beverage brands may attempt to replicate this strategy, intensifying competition for consumer attention within high-traffic transit locations.