JapanSugoi

Branding is everything and Yubari Melons are premium produce in Japan. As with most products in Japan having Yubari Melon macots or anime type characters helps with brand recognition. Last year the city of Yubari hired Shinjuku based PR company BIKONKOMYUNIKESHONZU to create the “in debt” Mr. and Mrs. Yubari Melon 夕張夫妻 夕張市 to symbolize the city and also a karaoke song to sing while thinking of the delicious melons.

The cute branding worked as earlier this week, at the harvest season’s first auction held at the Sapporo City Central Wholesale Markets, a pair of Yubari melons sold for 2.5 million Yen surpassing the 2 million yen a pair fetched last year. The winning bidder was Ibi, a Sapporo-based dealer of seafood products and local souvenir goods. The two melons were among 100 put up for tender by farmers who started harvesting the fruit Monday in Yubari.

With this season’s good weather, this year’s harvest should have a higher sugar content and good quality, according to the Yubari agricultural cooperative. Melon shipments are scheduled to peak between mid-June and mid- July.

Creation of Mr. and Mrs Yubari Melon

Mr and Mrs Yubari Melon karaoke song