You have to hand it to Coca-Cola; when one door is proving hard to keep open, it builds a whole lot of new ones. Coca-Cola has a brand in just about every drink trend that has appeared since its fizzy sugary soft drinks began to lose their gloss.

Its newest foray taps into the world’s current fascination with space (and space adventurers’ egos). Coca-Cola Starlight – “space” Coke if you will – is the first product in its new global innovation platform called Coca-Cola creations, which will also include collaborations.

Coca-Cola Starlight is a full sugar and zero-sugar soft drink that, according to Coca-Cola, combines Coke with a taste “reminiscent of stargazing around a campfire, as well as a cooling sensation that evokes the feeling of a cold journey into space”. According to reviews, it tastes like bubble gum with a hint of raspberry. When held up to the light, it appears reddish, a colour that the company describes as being “inspired by the light of the stars”. It will be available for about six months across North America and in select countries.

The first collaboration is with pop star, Ava Max. She will promote Coca-Cola Starlight with an AR Concert on Coca-Cola that can be accessed by scanning a Coca-Cola Starlight can or bottle or visiting cocacola.com/creations, and will be supported by clothing and merchandise partnerships with designers like streetwear brand, Staple, and an array of social filters across Instagram.

Coca-Cola Creations slots into the brand’s Real Magic campaign, its first global effort since 2016.

“For over a century, Coca-Cola has maintained its iconic status around the world as a symbol of optimism that has refreshed generations. When we launched Real Magic, we wanted to connect with and celebrate the experiences that bring joy to young people today, and that has taken us to an exciting new territory,” stated Oana Vlad, senior director, global brand strategy. “Coca-Cola Creations aims to surprise, delight and engage global audiences through magical and unexpected tastes, moments and collaborations — something we know our fans have come to expect from us.”