Fanta's Haunted Universe: Building a Multiyear Halloween Platform
Fanta has launched a cinematic trailer for its Haunted Universe, a new multiyear entertainment platform that will anchor its 2026 Halloween campaign. The initiative, developed with AI-powered studio Grail and agency partners, introduces original characters and lore while inviting pop culture collaborations. Fanta's global marketing VP Ibrahim Khan says the goal is to make Halloween to Fanta what Christmas is to Coke, building on last year's campaign that generated 10 billion impressions.
Fanta on Monday released a cinematic trailer teasing its Haunted Universe, a new entertainment property that the Coca-Cola brand intends to build into a multiyear platform. The more than two-minute video offers a first look at Fanta's upcoming Halloween campaign, set to launch on Aug. 26, according to details shared with Marketing Dive.
The trailer introduces a cast of original night creatures — a jack-o'-lantern-headed scarecrow, a sports car-driving vampire, a cyborg Frankenstein and a werewolf DJ — who battle across a cityscape in pursuit of a magic elixir with “the power to rule the living and the dead,” as a voiceover explains.
The Haunted Universe builds on Fanta's previous Halloween-themed efforts, which the brand has worked to scale into a repeatable, global platform. Last year's Halloween campaign delivered 10 billion impressions with significant engagement and impact on sales, explained Ibrahim Khan, global vice president of marketing at Fanta.
“What Christmas is to Coke is what we want Halloween to be for Fanta,” Khan said, referencing the nearly century-long connection between Fanta's sister brand and the winter holiday.
Fanta's earlier Halloween initiatives included packaging featuring iconic horror characters such as Chucky, Michael Myers and Beetlejuice. The new platform is intended to give Fanta an opportunity to build and invest in its own intellectual property for years to come, moving beyond entertainment-led partnerships.
“We have original characters, lore and stories, and we will also be inviting pop culture IP to join us in this universe,” Khan said. An “iconic” character collaboration will be announced soon, the executive added.
AI-powered creative
Fanta's Halloween campaign was developed by WPP Open X, led by Ogilvy and supported by VML, WPP Media and WPP Production, in collaboration with creative agency ForPeople. Grail, an entertainment studio powered by artificial intelligence that also employs writers, editors, artists and technologists, created the Haunted Universe platform. Khan described AI's role as helping to unlock richer content and experiences, similar to how hand-drawn animation evolved into CGI.
“Some people think you press a few buttons and Fanta Universe pops up — it's taken us a year and a half,” the executive said.
Along with the trailer, the campaign — which will go live in 50 global markets — will include collectible packaging, a limited-time flavor, a return of the Haunted Fanta Factory experience and a variety of content. Fanta is collaborating with influencers who have been provided with literature and backstories to help bring the world to life.
“Iconic characters and legends are a part of this season. We needed to not start from scratch, but build on something that already exists,” Khan said of the creative process. “These legends kept popping up, and every part of the world has them. But because they're recognized and well known, we also had to be very careful in how we treat them, and at the same time reinterpret them and make sure that they're relevant for current audiences.”
Clarification: The full scope of Grail's role in Fanta's Haunted Universe wasn't included in a previous version of this story, which has been updated to indicate that Grail created the Haunted Universe platform.