The "Play it Better - Bathtub" campaign for Fanta, created by Pereira & O’Dell in 2016, builds on the brand’s global "Play It Better" initiative aimed at Latin American teens, adapted here for the U.S. market. The campaign’s core proposition centers on transforming everyday social media mishaps into opportunities for fun and self-expression, reinforcing Fanta’s identity as a youthful, playful drink that embraces positivity and resilience. By celebrating the ability to "flip the script" on failures through humor and creativity, the brand aligns itself with a value system that encourages confidence and a lighthearted approach to life’s small setbacks.
Strategically, the campaign leverages a deep cultural insight into teen behavior on social media—where epic fails are common yet can be turned into moments of shared amusement and connection. Targeting digitally native adolescents, the campaign uses visually dynamic animation and relatable scenarios to mirror the authentic experiences of its audience, making the messaging feel relevant and engaging. The fully integrated use of multiple channels—web films, television, packaging, out-of-home, and social media—maximizes touchpoints in the daily lives of teens, while the hashtag #LevaNaBoa fosters community participation and amplifies the campaign’s reach. This approach exemplifies a performance-driven market strategy that connects Fanta’s upbeat brand personality with culturally resonant storytelling to drive engagement and brand affinity among young consumers.
FORMAT#9 SYMBOLIZE THE BENEFIT — Uses symbols or exaggerated visuals to represent the product’s positive impact.
Fanta’s "Play it Better - bathtub" campaign most strongly fits the Symbolize the Benefit format. The campaign relies on visually dynamic animation and exaggerated, playful scenarios to transform embarrassing social media blunders—“epic fails”—into exciting triumphs for teens, directly reflecting the brand’s benefit of fun, positivity, and vibrant energy. Instead of literal product demos or explicit problem/solution arcs, the creative device uses symbolic reversals (fails to wins) to visually represent how Fanta uplifts youthful moments, making mundane or awkward situations feel joyful and celebratory. This use of exaggeration and metaphor, rather than a grounded narrative, defines the campaign’s essence.
1. Coca-Cola – Market Positioning
Coca-Cola leverages its heritage as a classic, iconic soft drink brand with a strong global presence. It focuses on emotional connections, happiness, and shared experiences, emphasizing timelessness and consistency to maintain leadership in the non-alcoholic beverage market.
2. Pepsi – Market Positioning
Pepsi positions itself as a youthful, vibrant, and playful brand, appealing to younger demographics through energetic marketing and music partnerships. It differentiates by focusing on pop culture relevance and bold flavors to capture the adventurous consumer.
3. Sprite – Market Positioning
Sprite emphasizes its crisp, refreshing, and clean lemon-lime taste, targeting consumers seeking a bold yet simple alternative to cola drinks. It positions itself as the go-to drink for honesty, clarity, and refreshment, often using urban and youth culture in campaigns.
4. Mountain Dew – Market Positioning
Mountain Dew targets adventurous, energetic consumers with a focus on extreme sports, innovation, and bold, intense flavors. It sets itself apart by embracing a high-energy lifestyle and often leverages gaming and action-oriented cultural touchpoints.
5. Dr Pepper – Market Positioning
Dr Pepper highlights its unique blend of 23 flavors, positioning itself as the distinctive, original soft drink for consumers looking to stand out. It appeals to individuality and authenticity, often marketing itself as the quirky choice outside traditional cola categories.
Q: What is Play it better - ex adds friends about?
A: Play it better - ex adds friends is a 2016 digital campaign created for Fanta by the agency Pereira & O’Dell, targeting Latin American teens in the United States. The campaign revitalizes Fanta’s global Play It Better platform by using vibrant animation and relatable social media scenarios to connect with its youthful audience. By transforming common social media mishaps—such as an ex adding friends—into moments of triumph, the campaign encourages teens to embrace confidence and positivity. The fully integrated effort spans web films, TV spots, packaging, out-of-home, and social media, reinforcing Fanta’s playful and empowering brand identity.
Q: What creative device does Play it better - ex adds friends use?
A: Play it better - ex adds friends employs the FORMAT#6 BENEFIT CAUSES STORY, as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. This creative approach builds a narrative where the product’s benefit—levity and fun—directly drives the story’s twist, transforming awkward social moments into positive outcomes. Rather than following a classic story arc, the campaign sets up relatable teen social blunders and quickly demonstrates how adopting a Fanta-fueled, easygoing attitude can flip the situation. Visually dynamic animation and exaggerated scenarios symbolize the product’s mood-transforming effect, making the benefit the catalyst for the narrative shift.
Q: What is the campaign proposition for Play it better - ex adds friends?
A: The campaign proposition for Play it better - ex adds friends centers on encouraging teens to embrace fun and positivity in everyday moments, especially when facing minor social setbacks. Fanta positions itself as a companion for Latin American teens navigating the ups and downs of social media culture, promoting the idea that embarrassing situations can be turned into opportunities for lighthearted success. By leveraging humor, dynamic animation, and the hashtag #LevaNaBoa, the campaign fosters a communal, resilient spirit, reinforcing Fanta’s relevance as a vibrant, youthful choice in the non-alcoholic drinks market.
Q: How does Play it better - ex adds friends rank in Clapboard's archive?
A: Play it better - ex adds friends holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 63/100 in Clapboard’s global ad archive. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance within the context of Fanta’s brand positioning and its engagement with a digitally native teen audience.
Q: Who are the competitors in Fanta's category?
A: In the non-alcoholic drinks category, Fanta competes with PepsiCo, which targets youth with bold flavors and pop culture partnerships; Coca-Cola, known for its classic identity and emotional storytelling; Dr Pepper Snapple Group, which focuses on unique flavors and regional loyalty; Red Bull, synonymous with high-energy, adventure-driven marketing; and Monster Beverage Corporation, which appeals to action sports enthusiasts and youth subcultures with edgy branding and lifestyle positioning. Each brand carves out a distinct space in the market, shaping the competitive landscape for Fanta.
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