YouTuber Zaid Ali T announced as Fanta's Chief Fun Officer

Fanta have announced that Zaid Ali (the YouTuber and entertainer who is popularly known as Zaid Ali T) has been designated Chief Fanta Fun Officer (CFFO); the company, as part of their global strategy, is now set to hire their first ‘Teen Marketing Officer’ (TMO) in Pakistan, who will work with Ali in order to cater to an increasingly important consumer segment that consists of teenagers aged between 16 and 19.

“The aim of the global initiative is to shift the brand’s focus towards Millennials and the best way to sell to teens is to start behaving like them,” says Zehra Zaidi, Creative Director, Ogilvy & Mather Pakistan (Fanta’s creative agency).

To select the TMO, Fanta visited universities across Pakistan, and short-listed two candidates based on their popularity on social media and “a fun-tastic personality”. The first is Maria Unera, who is 22 and has been singing since she was 17; she is based in Islamabad. The second candidate is Hina Altaf, a 23-year-old model, VJ and actor; she has acted in ‘Gumrah’, a drama currently airing on Hum TV.

“Encouraging teens to vote will give them a feeling of being involved and a part of Fanta’s teen marketing team. It is a reflection of a shift in the ethos of the brand; the aim is to make it hip among the youth.”

Zehra Zaidi, Creative Director, Ogilvy & Mather Pakistan

The winner, who will be announced shortly, will be chosen through via an online voting system, which will allow people to find out more about the two candidates before they cast their vote on the brand’s website or Facebook page. Although the voting will primarily take place on digital, the initiative is also promoted via TV, on-ground activities and OOH.

“Encouraging teens to vote will give them a feeling of being involved and a part of Fanta’s teen marketing team. It is a reflection of a shift in the ethos of the brand; the aim is to make it hip among the youth.”