Can AI help Fanta build the next horror universe?

Fanta is moving from horror collaborator to creator this Halloween, launching an original entertainment universe populated by characters inspired by classic horror archetypes.

Dubbed "Fanta's haunted universe", the new platform introduces four original characters inspired by vampires, werewolves, supernatural spirits and futuristic horror, each with its own identity, personality, backstory and supernatural abilities.

The universe launches with a cinematic trailer developed in partnership with AI entertainment studio GRAiL, offering consumers a first look at the characters and setting. It will expand throughout the Halloween season with additional character stories, content, experiences and other activations.

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The trailer opens with the introduction of a magical elixir before a haunted jack-o'-lantern emerges from the ground. It then cuts to Halloween night, where trick-or-treaters are out on the streets before the jack-o'-lantern begins terrorising the public. 

As the chaos escalates, other villains from Fanta's Haunted Universe appear and wreak havoc across the city. The trailer ends on a lighter note, with two men casually enjoying cans of Fanta amid the mayhem unfolding around them.

The move marks a shift in Fanta's Halloween strategy after two years of collaborations with established entertainment and horror properties. Rather than tapping into existing franchises, the Coca-Cola-owned brand is now developing intellectual property of its own around the occasion.

Fanta said the universe is intended to bring together original storytelling, characters and brand experiences for a new generation of horror and Halloween fans.

GRAiL worked with Fanta to develop the universe from the ground up, with technology used as part of a human-led creative process to explore concepts and bring the visual world to life.

The launch also points to Fanta's broader ambitions to position itself beyond a beverage brand during Halloween, using entertainment and original storytelling to build a platform that can unfold across multiple pieces of content and consumer experiences. More stories and experiences from "Fanta's Haunted Universe" are expected to roll out throughout the Halloween season.

 “Fanta is dead serious about Halloween. After two years of bringing fans unforgettable collaborations with some of entertainment’s most iconic horror properties, we wanted to answer the question: what will Fanta do next," said Ibrahim Khan, global vice president of marketing at Fanta.

He added, "'Fanta’s haunted universe' is our move from collaborator to creator – building original characters, stories and an original entertainment universe of our own. This trailer is only the first glimpse of what is to come, with more surprises still to be revealed.”

The launch follows Fanta's Halloween campaign last year, which saw the brand team up with Universal Pictures to bring three established horror characters together on limited-edition packaging. The collaboration featured Freddy Fazbear from Five Nights at Freddy's, M3GAN and Chucky.

The campaign also tapped into renewed interest around the franchises, including the then-upcoming Five Nights at Freddy's 2 and the release of M3GAN 2.0. M3GAN had previously gained traction online following the first film, with the character's dance becoming a viral moment on social media.

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