Brand partners with gaming personalities Sid Joshi and Animesh Agarwal to reach India’s growing gaming community
Royal Challenge Packaged Drinking Water has announced its entry into the esports market, expanding its brand presence into one of India’s fastest-growing entertainment sectors. The initiative, launched under the campaign #ChooseBold, aims to connect with India’s estimated 590 million active gamers.
The brand has partnered with prominent gaming personalities Sid Joshi and Animesh “Thug” Agarwal to help establish its presence in the gaming community. This move comes as India’s gaming economy reaches a valuation of $3.8 billion, with significant growth occurring in smaller cities and towns where 66% of gamers now reside.
“The gaming landscape in India is exploding, driven by the energy and passion of gamers in boomtowns across the country,” said Varun Koorichh, Vice President of Marketing and Portfolio Head at Diageo, Royal Challenge’s parent company. “This transformation represents a new wave of gamers who are bold, ambitious, and ready to challenge the status quo—values that lie at the heart of Royal Challenge Packaged Drinking Water.”
The campaign will include tournaments, brand experiences, and community-building initiatives aimed at both established gaming communities and emerging players. NODWIN Gaming, a prominent esports company in India, has partnered with Royal Challenge for this initiative.
Akshat Rathee, Co-Founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming, described the collaboration as “a natural evolution” that “strengthens the connection between traditional and new-age sports.”
The expansion into gaming represents a strategic shift for the brand as it seeks to engage with younger consumers in an entertainment category that continues to see substantial growth in India, particularly as smartphone penetration and internet accessibility improve throughout the country.
