Building · 4 min read
Why brands should build a universe of AI characters
AI madness incoming. What a secret Asian character unlock in Fanta's Halloween universe could look like: an infinite potential to scale. Watch with sound.
- Published
- Updated
Originally published on LinkedIn
Key takeaways
- Once a brand has built a universe of AI characters, it stops being a one-off ad and becomes a platform: new characters, new stories and new markets can plug into it in days instead of months.
- For a brand sold in almost every country, that means local relevance at global scale, much like games that release characters aimed at different demographics.
- The tools get you most of the way there, but the craft still matters: picking the best angles and takes, rebuilding the sound and reframing shot by shot for vertical is what turns a demo into a film.
I’ve had a couple of conversations lately where someone asked me what I think of brands building a universe of AI characters. My answer is that it’s the smartest move a global brand can make right now, and most people are underestimating why.
The real magic isn’t the campaignWhy build a universe of AI characters?
Fanta and its Halloween campaign is one of the best examples out there. Beautiful aesthetics, classic Halloween icons re-imagined like a North Asian-inspired vampire (at least to me), and a global brand embracing AI at scale to build an entire world. That’s crazy progressive.
But the real magic isn’t the campaign. Once you’ve built a universe, it stops being a one-off ad and becomes a platform. New characters, new stories and new markets can plug into it in days instead of months. For a brand sold in almost every country you can imagine, that means local relevance at global scale and an infinite opportunity to extend the universe (think games and how they release characters every once in a while aimed at different demographics).
Meet QINGWhat could a secret Asian character unlock look like?
So I decided to push that boundary. What if the universe had a secret Asian character unlock, like finding a hidden hero that only exists on an Asia-exclusive server?!
Meet QING. A Jiangshi 僵尸 (traditional Chinese horror icon), reimagined as an anti-hero with a pink sniper rifle, woken by one drop of Fanta. Plus I’ve always loved female action heroes!
One person, one dayWhat did it take, and where does the craft still matter?
One person, one day, about 2,300 credits. The tools got me most of the way there, but the craft still matters. Picking the best angles and takes, going with what genuinely excites the audience, rebuilding the sound so every gunshot lands on the frame, and reframing shot by shot for vertical is what turns a demo into a film. Done on BytePlus’s Seedance 2.5.
It’s not perfect and probably wouldn’t clear legal or comms in a few places. But as fan art, it shows what’s possible when a brand universe is built to be extended.
Hope y’all like it!
Unofficial fan film. Not affiliated with or endorsed by The Coca-Cola Company.
About the author
Kenneth Phua
Founder, Konverta.ai
Kenneth is a Singapore-based digital, data and AI leader with 15+ years of experience, including senior global roles at Coca-Cola, where he was the Global Head of Digital Strategy and Innovation. He has advised C-suite leaders across FMCG, retail, property, hospitality and luxury, and now applies the same playbook to Singaporean and Asian corporates and SMEs through Konverta.ai.
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