Fantanas
The Fantanas are a group of spokesmodels who were created to promote the Fanta brand of soft drinks in the United States. The quartet has appeared since 2002 in advertising and personal appearances. There have been four different versions of Fantanas. Their jingle is "Wanna Fanta! Don't you wanna?".
The "story" behind the Fantanas
According to their website, they lived on Fantana Island and were accidentally discovered by an entertainment mogul named Sir Juan-Carlos Martinez after he fell off his yacht and was washed ashore on that island, seeing their work. He later talked with an advertising mogul, Paul Gurbel, in a fictional New York City restaurant who brought them to the United States. In actuality, the advertisements were created by Ogilvy and Mather in 2002.
Incarnations
Original Fantanas (2002–2004)
The original Fantanas sported an island/party style. The members (with their real names) were:
- Nina (K.D. Aubert) - red (strawberry Fanta)
- Calli (Jennifer Diaz) - orange (orange Fanta)
- Leelee (Adrienne Janic) - yellow (pineapple Fanta)
- Raquel (Andrea De Oliveira) - purple (grape Fanta)
They gained attention outside their advertisements for their campiness and use of sexuality, and these original four were featured in a Maxim magazine spread in December 2002.
"Mod" Fantanas (2004–2006)
In 2004, the Fantanas returned with a new look inspired by the mod fashion styles of the late 1960s. The members (some real names being withheld or not known) were:
- Capri (Katerina Graham) - red (strawberry Fanta)
- Kiki - orange (orange Fanta); leader
- Lola - yellow (pineapple Fanta)
- Sophia (Monica Flores) - purple (grape Fanta)[1]
"Party" Fantanas (2006–2009)
In 2006, the next generation of Fantanas was introduced, this time with a contemporary party look. The commercials were filmed in Argentina.[2] The members (real names being withheld or not known) are:
- Kaia (Danielle Acoff) - red (strawberry Fanta)
- Amie (Dena Cali?) - orange (orange Fanta); leader.[3]
- Mimi (Mimi Karsh) - yellow (pineapple Fanta)[4]
- Sophia (Monica Flores) - purple (grape Fanta); character held over from the second incarnation
Return of the Fantanas (2009–2011)
In April 2009, it had been announced that New Fantanas would be advertising the drinks with the original Fanta flavors. Each of the Fantanas has an individual fashion style.
- Summer (Diana Carr) - orange; indie, organic hippie style, leader.
- Melody (Katherine Wilkes) - purple (grape Fanta); musical, punk, rockstar style.[5]
- Isabela - red (strawberry Fanta); fashionable, sexy, chic style.
- Lily (Brittany) - yellow (pineapple Fanta); cute, chic style. Brittany was voted the winner of the 4th Fantana Search in summer/fall 2010. Replaced Shakira Barrera.
MadTV Parody
The Fantanas were twice parodied on the sketch comedy series MADtv. Both appearances (Episodes #1004 and #1009, aired 6 November and 18 December 2004, respectively) starred Daniele Gaither as Capri, Stephnie Weir as Lola, Nicole Parker as Kiki, and Paul Vogt as "Two-Liter" Beth. The commercials were similar to the actual Fantanas commercials, with Capri, Lola and Kiki offering Fanta to a series of men, only to be interrupted by Beth's attempts to seduce the men with her two-liter bottle of an odd savory flavored Fanta (And some blurred nudity). The former episode featured the Fantanas representing similar Fanta flavors, but the latter episode (aired just before Christmas) featured the Fantanas representing holiday-themed Fanta:
- Candy Cane Capri (Gaither)
- Cinnamon Spice Lola (Weir)
- Frosted Gingerbread Kiki (Parker)
- Holiday Ham Dinner Beth (Vogt)
Other parodies
The Fantanas also made an appearance in the popular animated show Robot Chicken in the episode "Adoption's an Option" in 2006.
In the "Peter's Daughter" episode of Family Guy, first shown on November 25, 2007, the Fantanas were parodied as four elderly women promoting Sanka.
The Australian comedienne Pam Ann uses the Fantanas' song as a catchphrase when she does her routine as the Iberia Airlines stewardress Conchita Rosa María González Gómez in her shows.
Notes
- ^ http://monicaflores.com/home/home.html She was also the Berry Fanta girl.
- ^ http://www.specialeventsite.com/IndustryInfo/Articles/view.php3?ID=4672&area=Equipment+Wire
- ^ On the Fanta website, Aime's signature reads "Amie". Shown in image above.
- ^ http://www.morezap.com/management/archive.html
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG4I-2rtX6I , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1atdIPQvJiI , Also starred in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pxsjWapuHA