Branding: Fanta goes hot pink for new drink

Developed with Thai teens in mind, the drink comes in a hot pink shade, with the flavour of melon. "Fanta J-Melon has been launched exclusively to meet the needs of trendy Thai teens looking for new flavour-colour combinations, said Chuenhatai Vuntanadit, marketing manager of Coca-Cola.

"This unique combination is being communicated to the teenagers by using Japanese-style anime with pink hues of Japanese melon."

The launch is supported by TVCs, radio and cinema ads, print and outdoor media and a mobile sampling unit. There are also plans to run a contest for teens to vote for the Japanese pop song of the year. Developed by Lowe Worldwide, the 'Take a bow' TV spot showcases the drink's trendy and bold personality. The spot shows a Japanese girl struggling with a vending machine. A chivalrous hero enters the scene and offers help by tapping, shaking and hitting the machine. Fanta Melon comes flying out and hits him in the stomach. To save himself from embarrassment, the man takes a long, Japanese-style bow and gives the Fanta to the girl.

The flavored soft drink market in Thailand is valued at 7.6 billion baht (US$185.2 million), with Fanta's three core flavours claiming an 80 per cent share of the segment. The new drink is available in cans, bottles and 1.25 litre PET bottles, ranging from seven to 26 baht.