Play it Better – Ex Adds Friends by Fanta | Clapboard Ad Archive

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Play it better - ex adds friends

The Fanta "Play it better - ex adds friends" campaign, launched in July 2016 in the United States by ad agency Pereira & O’Dell, revitalizes the brand's global "Play It Better" platform, tailored specifically for Latin American teens. This dynamic digital campaign in the non-alcoholic drinks category leverages vibrant animation and relatable social media scenarios to connect with its youthful audience. By transforming common social media mishaps into moments of triumph, the campaign encourages teens to embrace the hashtag #LevaNaBoa, signaling how to confidently turn potential failures into successes. The fully integrated approach spans multiple channels, including web films, TV spots, packaging, out-of-home advertising, and active social media engagement, ensuring broad visibility and engagement. The campaign’s tone is playful and empowering, aligning with Fanta’s youthful and fun brand identity, while the use of visually engaging content helps capture and retain the target audience’s attention. With its focus on real teen experiences and social media culture, the campaign effectively resonates with the digital generation, promoting positivity and resilience. The interplay between captivating storytelling and innovative animation underlines the campaign’s strategy to boost brand affinity by positioning Fanta as a companion in navigating everyday social challenges with ease and humor. Overall, this campaign reflects a strong integrated marketing communication strategy that combines entertainment with brand messaging, reinforcing Fanta's relevance and appeal among young consumers.

Credits

Client

Fanta

Agency

Pereira & O’Dell

Chief Creative Officer

PJ Pereira

Executive Creative Director

Jonathan Woytek

Creative Director

Rob Lambrechts

Art Director

Estefanio Holtz

Creative Copywriter

Marcos Almirante

Producer

Lindsey Anderson, Jeff Ferro, Elisa Moore, Cherie Appleby, Owen Bly

Creative Services

Jennifer McConville

Account Management

Henry Arlander, Mona Gonzalez, Maura Mattoon, Jenna Hering

Agency Marketing

Molly Parsley

Business Affairs Director

Russ Nadler

Business Affairs Coordinator

Category Mind Map

48%

The "Play it better - ex adds friends" campaign by Fanta, created by Pereira & O’Dell in 2016, leverages humor and relatable social media scenarios to reinforce the brand’s proposition of encouraging teens to embrace fun and positivity in everyday moments. The campaign aligns with Fanta’s broader "Play It Better" ethos, which promotes turning minor social setbacks into opportunities for lighthearted success, reflecting the youthful, playful spirit associated with the product. Targeting Latin American teens in the United States, the campaign taps into the common experience of social media faux pas, transforming these situations through dynamic animation and witty storytelling. By centering on scenarios where social media blunders—such as an ex adding friends—are flipped into moments of empowerment or humor, the campaign connects authentically with a digitally native, socially engaged audience. The creative angle relies on the insight that teens value social acceptance but also appreciate the ability to "play it cool" or recover gracefully from minor embarrassments. The fully integrated approach, spanning digital, TV, packaging, out-of-home, and social media, ensures the message is consistently reinforced across platforms where the target demographic interacts. The use of the hashtag #LevaNaBoa further encourages social sharing and engagement, fostering a communal vibe that supports Fanta’s positioning as a brand attuned to youthful energy and resilience. In sum, the campaign’s strategy hinges on relatable, humor-driven content that frames Fanta as a companion in the everyday ups and downs of teen social life, reinforcing its place within the non-alcoholic drinks market as a vibrant, youthful choice.

FORMAT#6 BENEFIT CAUSES STORY — Builds a story where the product’s benefit is the reason for the action or twist. The "Play It Better – Ex Adds Friends" campaign centers on relatable teen social media blunders and flips embarrassing scenarios into positive outcomes, thanks to Fanta's playful, lighthearted positioning. The narrative and humour genre do not follow a classic story arc (so not Exemplary Story) but rather set up awkward moments, then directly show how adopting a Fanta-fueled, easygoing attitude transforms social fails into wins—making the product’s benefit (levity, fun) the driver for the story’s twist. Visually dynamic animation and exaggeration indicate the benefit is symbolized through action rather than directly explained, reinforcing that the product’s mood-transforming effect triggers the positive narrative shift.

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