ファンタ | ファンタだよ！TVに出よう | 2015
There's a genius out there who knows exactly how to tickle teenagers / Coca-Cola Fanta "Fanta da yo! TV ni Deyou" (It's Fanta! Let's Get on TV)
Collecting the "wouldn't it be great if..." wishes of teens in their 10s and then airing the chosen ones as nationwide TV commercials is quite the ambitious move. The boy who drew a face on his belly and ate marshmallows was great, but this one is also incredibly funny.
The problem
Since the 2000s, Fanta had been running a "wouldn't it be great if..." series aimed at teenagers in their 10s, which was highly praised and even won the ACC Grand Prix at a commercial festival. Building on that, in 2015 they launched "Fanta da yo! TV ni Deyou," collecting everyday wishes and dreams from teens through video, photos, and writing.
The insight
It's really true that they're good at tickling the inner feelings of teens in their 10s. It makes sense that whoever planned this could probably make a hit TV show if they tried. What's great is how the brand properly takes in and gives shape to teenage desires like "I want to say something a little silly," "I want to stand out," or "It's embarrassing but I still want to be on TV."
The idea
Entries came through a dedicated website—videos of 60 seconds or less, or writing of 200 characters or less—freely expressing wishes and dreams teens felt in their everyday lives, the kind of "wouldn't it be great if..." thoughts. From May through the end of August (the 5th to 8th months), the chosen entries were aired as commercials nationwide. It was a participatory promotion that let teens themselves become the stars.
What happened
The "Fanta da yo. TV ni Deyou!" campaign became a finalist at a commercial festival. It went on to be rolled out with ordinary middle and high schoolers across the country appearing in the commercials.
Afterthought
I completely agree that this approach is far better than being "cool in a dumb way." Rather than the brand dictating from above how things "should be," picking up teenagers' own voices and giving them shape as they are has so much more power. I think the person who planned this really understood teenagers on a deep level. That kind of sensibility deserves real respect!
