Nobel

Nobel is a Japanese confectionery manufacturer that specializes in bite-sized hard candies. Nobel’s candies are perhaps more famous for the mascots than the candies themselves; most of their best-selling products have original mascots that represent the mood of each candy. They often appear in TV commercials, and there are even official LINE stickers of these characters.

For instance, the VC-3000 cough drops have adorable cat mascots; the Hachimitsu Kinkan (cough drop made with honey and kumquat) have eye-catching bear mascots whose faces resemble the kumquat fruit in shape; and the Otoko Ume (Japanese plum-flavored sour candies) have masculine umeboshi mascots with strong arms, in which their appearance is somewhat similar to that of a Pokémon called Geodude.

This playfulness is what Nobel attempts to express through its business. They want consumers to enjoy not only the taste of their candies but also their attractive mascots to give them the sense that Nobel candies are heart-warming and unforgettable.