Asia’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani, has announced plans to relaunch an iconic 1970s soda brand that once rivaled Coca-Cola and Pepsi, prompting a wave of nostalgia on social media among the millions of Indians who grew up drinking the beverage.

Ambani’s Reliance Group said it would reintroduce Campa Cola to India’s multibillion-dollar non-alcoholic drinks market this summer in three flavors: cola, lemon and orange.

The brand filled a void in the South Asian country at a time when its more famous American rival Coca-Cola was not available, and the news of its return has prompted a flurry of interest from middle-aged Indians who remember drinking it in their youth.

Shailesh Desai, 60, from Mumbai, said he remembered how drinking Campa Cola “would drown the apprehension” when he needed to tell his father about a bad grade on his report card, and provide a boost of confidence when he wanted to ask a girl on a date.

Sukant Khurana wrote on Twitter that he could remember pestering his grandfather to buy him the drink.

“So many childhood memories … If it tastes anything like it did, Campa Cola will sell on nostalgia,” he wrote.

While Coca-Cola was introduced in India in the 1950s it withdrew from the market just over two decades later when the Indian government introduced a regulation that would have required it to reveal its formula.

In its absence, the Indian alternative Campa Cola became immensely popular and soon grew to lead the country’s soft drink market.

Like its American rival its popularity was fueled by catchy advertising campaigns that appealed to Indian youth. Bollywood actor Salman Khan appeared in one of its more famous television campaigns while its print advertisements were known for their pop-art illustrations and bold colors.

It also had a punchy tag line, with a hint of an appeal to patriotism: “The Great Indian Taste.”

However, its popularity began to fizzle during the 1990s when India’s then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao and his Finance Minister Manmohan Singh opened the country to foreign investment.

Foreign cola brands made a comeback, with Coca-Cola returning in 1993 and Pepsi and Fanta also becoming popular. Campa Cola gradually disappeared from stalls and shelves across the country.

Words to Learn 相关词汇

【忧虑】

yōulǜ

apprehension

anxiety or fear that something bad or unpleasant will happen

【怀旧】

huáijiù

nostalgia

a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past

亚洲首富穆克什•安巴尼宣布将重新推出风靡1970年代的汽水品牌，在社交媒体上引发了数百万印度人的怀旧浪潮。他们喝着这种饮料长大，该品牌也曾与可口可乐和百事可乐相提并论。

安巴尼的信实集团表示今夏坎帕可乐将重新上市，有三种口味：可乐、柠檬和橙子。印度的软饮料市场价值数十亿美元。

该品牌当时填补了这个南亚国家的市场空白，因为其更著名的竞争对手，来自美国的可口可乐被挡在了国门之外。印度中年人对坎帕可乐回归的消息感兴趣，因为这是他们年轻时的味道。

60岁的谢莱什•德赛来自孟买，他说，拿着糟糕的成绩要面对父亲时，喝坎帕可乐“会减轻忧虑”，而邀请女孩约会时这种可乐又能给他自信。

苏坎特•库拉纳在推特上写道，还记得缠着祖父给他买这种饮料。

“这么多童年回忆...如果味道一如从前，坎帕可乐定能靠怀旧牌大卖。”

虽然可口可乐1950 年代进入印度市场，但二十多年后被迫退出。当时印度政府出台了一项法规要求它披露其配方。其后，可口可乐的替代品坎帕可乐大受欢迎，并很快发展成为该国软饮料市场的领导者。

像它的美国竞争对手一样，坎帕可乐的成功离不开广告，这些广告吸引了印度年轻人。宝莱坞演员萨尔曼•汗出现在其最著名的电视广告中，印刷广告则以波普艺术插图和大胆用色而闻名。

它的标语带有一丝爱国主义情怀：“伟大的印度味道”。

然而，坎帕可乐1990年代开始没落，当时的印度总理纳拉辛哈•拉奥和财政部长曼莫汉•辛格欢迎外资进入印度。

外国可乐品牌卷土重来，可口可乐于1993年回归，百事可乐和芬达也流行起来。坎帕可乐逐渐从全国各地的摊位和货架上消失了。(SD-Agencies)