Animated characters have become a staple in the world of marketing communications, as brands explore more creative ways to connect with their target audience and project brand essence over extraneous noise from competing products. Brand characters appeal to organisations, not only because they are cheaper than hiring brand ambassadors and celebrities, but because the organisation has total control of a character and its narrative.

The use of brand characters to personify brands and engage customers became popular in the 1950s after global cereals brand, Kellogg’s introduced cartoon mascot “Tony the Tiger” for its frosted flakes breakfast cereal. Decades after his birth, “Tony the Tiger” transcends his role as a mascot for Kelloggs’ Frosties and is now an embodiment of the brand’s identity.  So integral to theFrosties image is Tony, his absence on packaging raises questions of authenticity.

Beverage giant, Coca-Cola, is also pioneering a new wave of cool characters reflecting brand persona, with the unveiling of a colourful digital world of animated youngsters for Fanta. Eight unique individuals, diverse in personality and interests but bound by their passion for play, make up the Fanta crew, present in all of  Fanta’s recent messaging,  which is heavy on the brand’s association with youthfulness, play and vibrant colour.

Leader of the pack, Gigi, strikes a chord with all young people.  Adventurous, brave, fiercely loyal, intelligent and strong, Gigi loves parties, sending texts and traveling, but she sings out a warning…don’t be late, don’t argue when there’s no point and don’t be a coward.

Cool-dude, Tristan, is the style king of the Fanta pack. Dapper and suave, Tristan is self-confident, proud of his talents and cannot imagine a world without music, preferably blaring through his oversized headphones or flying off his DJ turntables at parties.

Maude is the creative genius in Fanta’s Universe of play.  Maude lives to play. Impulsive and artistic, the world is Maude’s dancefloor as she reworks a line from John Lennon’s classic hit “Imagine” and “Imagines all the players, living for the play”.


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