Beetlejuice Afterlife Train

Objective

Fanta launched an immersive game to promote its limited-edition Beetlejuice-themed drinks during Halloween 2024, coinciding with the film's release. The campaign aimed to engage Gen Z audiences through an interactive puzzle experience blended with AR technology, leveraging the movie's cultural moment and humor to drive brand awareness and consumer participation.

Solution

UNIT9 created a 3D puzzle game playable via the Coca-Cola app and dedicated microsite where players start at a train station, retrieving a ticket from a Fanta vending machine and handing it to the inspector before boarding a virtual 'Afterlife Train' and navigating three themed carriages inspired by iconic Beetlejuice film settings, including a sinister attic and a creepy graveyard. The game uses looping 360° panoramic videos with interactive trigger elements — built from a mix of video content and front-end-developed elements — that progress players through puzzle sequences in each carriage. Players collect gems from completing challenges, redeemable for rewards within the Coca-Cola ecosystem, and unlock an exclusive AR filter that transforms them into Beetlejuice upon completion. The digital experience launched October 1st across OOH, digital, cinema, and social channels (QR code distribution). The campaign was supplemented by immersive physical pop-up activations in London (Westfield Stratford City, Oct 30–Nov 2), Los Angeles, and Madrid, where participants navigated live recreations of the train journey with costumed characters, photo opportunities, and puzzles, receiving limited-edition Fanta Zero Afterlife beverages.

Results

The campaign won recognition at the FWA (Favorite Website Awards).