• by Paul Gough , August 7, 2002

With a new look and a Latin-style flourish, The Coca-Cola Co. has reintroduced an old favorite to the American soda scene.

Fanta was developed in Italy in 1955 and became popular in the United States in the 1970s with its orange soda. Owned by Coca-Cola since 1960, the fruit-flavored brand pretty much disappeared from U.S. shelves in the mid-1980s. That's when Coca-Cola decided to highlight its Minute Maid line with carbonated juice.

But that wasn't the end for Fanta, which remained wildly popular throughout the rest of the world. It's the world's best-selling fruit drink, and Coke's largest soft-drink brand after Coca-Cola Classic.

"It enjoys incredible popularity in Mexico, Latin and South America," said Cal Collier, Coca-Cola's director of flavor brands. "It's a fixture in those markets."

About a year ago, Coca-Cola decided to see if Fanta's global success could spark a revival in the U.S. Fanta's four core flavors - orange, grape, strawberry and pineapple - returned in several markets: Los Angeles, Texas and South Florida. The tests - backed by outdoor and radio advertising - did so well that Coca-Cola rolled out Fanta nationwide.

Coca-Cola's marketing strategy aimed Fanta straight at teen-agers, who consume the most soda.

"Fanta's marketing platform comes from its fun, tropical spirit," Collier said.

To carry this message to teen-agers, there's the Fantanas, a group of four young women dressed in bright, Caribbean-style clothing. They appear in all of Fanta's advertising, from 30-second TV and radio spots to billboards and the brand's Web site. The ads were created by Ogilvy & Mather New York.

The Fantanas - Callil, Raquel, Nina and LeeLee, each representing one of Fanta's four core flavors - have even launched a 11-market tour through the United States, appearing on radio and TV, at special events and even a Major League Baseball game.

The broadcast spots appeared regionally in May and June in New York, Texas, Chicago and Miami; they're now running in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Memphis. Coca-Cola ran a few Fanta spots on Univision in early June.

John Sicher, editor/publisher of Beverage Digest, said Fanta's appeal is different than its other fruit-flavored line, Minute Maid. Minute Maid is being repositioned in the market, away from the teen-age demographic.

"Given Coke's pervasive distribution, I think that Fanta within a year or two gain a significant position," he said.

"The relaunch of Fanta makes a lot of sense," said Sicher. "It's such a huge global brand.