Popkorn Wins Creative Mandate for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf India

Why It Matters

Localizing CBTL’s creative voice aims to capture a larger share of India’s growing café spend, while popkorn gains a high‑profile client in a competitive market.

Key Takeaways

• popkorn wins CBTL India creative agency after multi‑agency pitch
• Mandate covers strategy, development, integrated campaigns for café brand
• Focus on locally resonant narratives for work, social, everyday occasions
• Partnership aims to boost in‑store and digital consumer engagement
• Enhances CBTL's relevance in India's expanding café market

Pulse Analysis

The Indian café sector is on a rapid growth trajectory, with consumer spend projected to exceed $2 billion this year, driven by urbanisation, remote‑work habits and a cultural shift toward premium coffee and tea experiences. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, a legacy brand with a 60‑year global footprint, has struggled to translate its worldwide equity into consistent relevance for Indian shoppers who value local storytelling and experiential touchpoints. Recognising this gap, franchise holder Ekaagra has turned to a specialised creative partner to bridge the divide.

popkorn emerged as the clear winner in a competitive multi‑agency pitch, impressing both Ekaagra and CBTL executives with a blend of bold creative ambition and data‑driven strategy. The new mandate tasks the agency with end‑to‑end creative development—from localized brand narratives to integrated media plans that span digital, out‑of‑home and in‑store activations. By tailoring stories to Indian work, social and everyday moments, popkorn aims to amplify the brand’s inherent warmth while ensuring consistency across touchpoints, a move that should deepen consumer affinity and drive footfall.

The partnership signals a broader industry trend where global café chains are localising creative assets to compete with home‑grown players such as Café Coffee Day and third‑wave independents. If popkorn can translate CBTL’s global equity into culturally resonant campaigns, the brand could capture a larger slice of the projected 12% annual growth in Indian café visits. Success would also reinforce the value of agency‑of‑record models for franchisees seeking agility and consistency, while offering popkorn a showcase client to attract further multinational accounts in the region.