Dive Brief:
- After a six-year hiatus, The Fantanas — a song-and-dance group promoting Coca-Cola's Fanta soft drink brand — are returning, as reported by Ad Age. While The Fantanas have been out of commission since 2011, Fanta has had a strong showing in an otherwise flat soda market, with industry trade Beverage-Digest ranking it as the fastest-growing brand within the largest sparkling U.S. brands, per Ad Age.
- The revamped iteration of the group is being served with a twist, adding a male member for the first time — Jordan Fisher, a singer, dancer, songwriter and actor known for his roles in the musicals "Hamilton" and "Grease Live." Fantanas signature jingle, "Wanta Fanta," will also get a remix from popular hip-hop producer Mike WiLL Made-It.
- A full campaign featuring The Fantanas — Fanta's biggest since 2010 — will roll out next month with a TV spot. The line up is filled out by MyLifeAsEva blogger and author Eva Gutowski, Lauren Riihimaki, a content creator known for YouTube DIY videos, and singer, actress and songwriter Coco Jones. The three, along with Fisher, portray Fanta Orange, Fanta Strawberry, Fanta Grape, Fanta Pineapple and Fanta Orange Zero.
Dive Insight:
Nostalgia, even for something that only went away in the early 2010s, can be a potent cocktail in marketing. As Ad Age noted, The Fantanas have carved out their own little corner in pop culture — the ear wormy jingle doesn't hurt — being referenced and parodied in popular TV shows like "Family Guy" and "Mad TV." Returning to recognizable brand mascots is a strategy that's been tapped by others in the beverage category recently like Bud Light, which resurrected its '80s brand mascot Spuds MacKenzie as a ghost dog for this year's Super Bowl.
Bringing back The Fantanas now also might help Coca-Cola capitalize on the strength of its Fanta brand, which is seeing healthy numbers despite consumers' growing distaste for sugary drinks like soda. Coke, on the whole, is actually pivoting away from a soft drink focus to become a "total beverage company" under new President and CEO James Quincey.
The revitalized Fantanas might also attract interest given the level of talent on display, including by featuring a member of the Broadway hit "Hamilton." Only time will tell whether Mike WiLL Made-It's spin on "Wanta Fanta" will become as inescapable as earlier versions.
