Fuze first launched in America in 2001 and was acquired by Coca-Cola in 2007. It is sweetened with a mix of stevia and sugar and has about 70% of the kilojoules of Nestea, which Coca-Cola Amatil, the antipodean distributor, has since ceased to manufacture.
Fuze aims to deliver “an aspirational iced tea offering to consumers” and is being positioned as a premium alternative within the ice tea category.
The campaign will focus on “surprising fusions that are deliciously good”, as part of the brand's strategy to shake up the category for new and existing iced tea drinkers.
Fuze Tea includes five different tea types and flavours: Wild Raspberry & Hibiscus, Summer Mango & Chamomile, Juicy Peach, Crisp Apple & Lemongrass and Zesty Lemon, made from a variety of teas including black, green and rooibos.
Three of the five variants are low kilojoule and are sweetened with stevia.
The brand will primarily target adult social occasions with a focus on capturing the attention of women in the 18-49 age bracket, and its launch is backed by a multi-channel marketing strategy.
In the coming months, Fuze Tea will run a series of high-impact marketing initiatives including a partnership with Channel 7's My Kitchen Rules, whereby the beverage will feature as a “welcome drink” for contestants.
Emma Harper, brand manager, said Coca-Cola South Pacific had identified a “big opportunity to breathe some new life” into the ice tea category.
"Watch this space as we continue to evolve Fuze Tea in the coming months,” she said.