Fanta Brings Back the 'The Fantanas,' Now with 25% More Dude

Coca-Cola's Fanta has been quietly growing in an otherwise depressed soda market. Now the brand's marketing is about to get a lot louder with the return of The Fantanas, a cheesy song-and-dance group that has been spoofed by the likes of "Family Guy" and "MadTV" over the years. The foursome, which hasn't been featured in Fanta marketing since 2011, appears in a new TV ad as part of a campaign that marks the brand's biggest marketing push since 2010. The group's newest cast includes its first-ever male member, Jordan Fisher, a singer, dancer, songwriter and actor who has appeared in "Hamilton" on Broadway and on Fox's "Grease Live." In the spot he dances alongside his female counterparts to a remix of the group's signature "Wanta Fanta" anthem produced by Mike WiLL Made-It. They are joined by people who spill out of a variety of adjoining dance studios. Soda-drenched happiness ensues. The dancing was choreographed by Fatima Robinson, whose credits include "The Wiz Live!" which aired on NBC in 2015. Other members of the group are Eva Gutowski, Lauren Riihimaki and Coco Jones. The agency is Fitzco//McCann, which has emerged as a favored Coca-Cola agency of late with multiple assignments. The campaign, called "Be More Than One Flavor," will debut in August and include cinema ads, online video, social media, streaming radio and out-of-home ads in the months to come. Coca-Cola spent just $4.6 million in measured media on Fanta in 2016, according to Kantar Media. The new investment comes as the brand outperforms other sodas in the sluggish category. Fanta grew sales volume by 6.4% in 2016, finishing the year as the eighth-largest soda brand, according to Beverage-Digest. It was among only four carbonated soft drinks in the top 10 that posted gains last year and it grew the most. The next-closest gainer was Sprite at 3.7% growth. The campaign for the fruity beverage is as cheesy as it comes, but the Fantana marketing formula has successfully entered pop culture over the years. Fox's old sketch comedy show "MadTV" parodied the campaign a few times. So did Fox's "Family Guy." Here is one of the real spots from a few years ago.

Fanta Brings Back the 'The Fantanas,' Now with 25% More Dude

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