Business & Finance

Fanta launches original Halloween characters to build multi-year brand campaign

Coca-Cola's soda brand collaborates with an AI entertainment studio to shift toward proprietary characters and social-first marketing.

Updated Aug 24, 2026 · 12:23 UTC1 reports

The short version

Fanta is introducing four original Halloween characters, created with AI entertainment studio GRAiL, as part of its 'Fanta's Haunted Universe' campaign.
The multi-month strategy includes limited-edition soda cans, collectable rewards, live events, and a horror-movie-style video trailer.
The initiative marks a transition toward proprietary content and social media engagement over traditional television advertising, though an undisclosed Hollywood character will also feature in this year's rollout.

Fanta partnered with AI studio GRAiL to create four original Halloween characters for its 'Fanta's Haunted Universe' brand platform.[Business Insider]
The campaign spans three months and incorporates themed soda cans, rewards, live experiences, and a video trailer.[Business Insider]
Fanta global VP of marketing Ibrahim Khan stated the goal is to make Halloween a permanent, long-term brand platform similar to Coca-Cola's association with Christmas.[Business Insider]
The campaign will feature an unnamed pop-culture character alongside Fanta's original creations.[Business Insider]
Fanta is prioritizing social media content over traditional television ads, eliminating TV marketing entirely in certain U.S. and China markets.[Business Insider]

The identity of the third-party pop-culture character participating in this year's Halloween campaign has not been disclosed.[Business Insider]
Whether Fanta's original AI-generated characters will generate the same consumer engagement as established movie franchises remains unknown.[Business Insider]