With Indian cricket’s biggest superstar and team captain Virat Kohli turning down an endorsement deal from Pepsi, the focus is back on the carbonated beverage industry’s over-dependence on celebrity endorsements to create buzz and drive sales. Given the scant product differentiation on offer, cola giants have for long hitched a ride on the celebrity bandwagon to woo consumers. If Coke had actor Aamir Khan batting for it, Pepsi had roped in his rival Shah Rukh Khan. The companies have often deployed cricketers as well to push their brands. But with growing consumer awareness around “healthy and nutritious” products and celebrities