In India, advertisements are targeted at the very large class of consumers (several million people) who are upwardly mobile. This group is breaking away from the traditional culture that espouses spirituality and downplays materialism. Advertisement themes thus emphasize how desirable it is to possess various products and how much they will contribute to the consumer's sense of having arrived.

A commercial for Pepsi was shown in India with great success in early 2002. It depicts a group of five Japanese-looking sumo players challenging European football players to a match. The European team includes the likes of David Beckham. The prize for the winner is a crate of Pepsi. The football players are no matches for the sumo players who physically block the passage of the ball into the goal with their girth. They also deflect the ball by slapping it away with their chests. Their movements are funny and the manner in which they are able to defeat the ace football players is appealing. Although the advertisement is aimed at cosmopolitan Indians who are familiar with sumo wrestling and Manchester United, it is well appreciated by peasants as well, who can relate to the humour inherent in the commercial.

The Pepsi advertisement is an example of a transnational advertisement with universal appeal. It can be released for consumption in any culture. Some advertisements work because they have a universal theme. Others work simply because a culture's uniqueness is saluted. Wisdom consists in knowing what will work where. Designing and executing advertisements that reflect a global brand equity but have local acceptance is one of the challenges of corporate strategy.