SOUTH AFRICA – Sweet C, a popular mandarin brand from South Africa, has launched a new brand mascot that showcases the brand’s story and journey.
Over the past three years, Sweet C mandarins have gained popularity in China and South-East Asia, thanks to bold marketing campaigns and distinctive blue packaging.
This season, shoppers were introduced to Sunny, an animated lemur character who now serves as the brand’s new face.
“Our Chinese clients have given us great feedback, noting that using the character in in-store promotions, especially as a life-sized mascot, leads to excellent interaction with children and their parents,” said Sweet C’s marketing manager, Adéle Ackermann.
“It encourages shoppers to stay longer and sample the fruit.”
Ackermann explained that creating mascots is a well-established and effective marketing strategy that appeals to adults and children.
“In environments where many messages compete for attention in compact and busy spaces, a character can capture focus, add fun, and act as the brand’s ‘spokesperson’. Consumers often form an emotional connection with such characters, and by extension, with the brand itself,” she added.
Sunny the lemur was crafted by Sweet C to embody a unique personality and language.
“There’s immense creative freedom in developing a character—it can have its language and communicate the brand’s benefits or unique selling points through storytelling,” Ackermann explained.
Consumers have come to recognize Sunny as a quirky, friendly figure with a healthy appetite for citrus. Some retailers have taken the concept further by creating mascot suits for promoters, allowing them to engage directly with shoppers—a strategy that has proven successful across all age groups.
One client mentioned that featuring Sunny on packaging and marketing materials sparks curiosity about the character’s origin and connection to the brand, drawing consumers into conversations.
Ackermann emphasized the importance of understanding the target audience when developing such characters.
Thorough research and concept testing are crucial to ensure that the character resonates with consumers in specific markets and avoids any unintended negative perceptions.
In other news, Washington Fruit Growers is set to expand its operations by adding a second state-of-the-art cherry packing line at their Washington Fruit & Produce campus.
The new line is expected to be operational for the 2025 cherry season, significantly increasing the company’s packing capabilities to meet growing demand from the field and customer base.
This major investment will allow Washington Fruit Growers to enhance its offerings, including catch-weight packaging, clamshells, and other customer-driven demands.
The new packing line represents a substantial boost to the company’s operational infrastructure, increasing capacity while maintaining a strong focus on efficiency.
“This expansion underscores our commitment to innovation and excellence in the fruit packing industry,” said Tommy Hanses, CEO of Washington Fruit Growers.
“We are thrilled to invest in our operations, which will allow us to better serve our growing customer base while continuing to provide the exceptional service and quality everyone expects from our independent label.”
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