New Banana Stickers Designed by Customers - Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston

Chiquita became the first company to brand bananas in 1944 when it unveiled the Miss Chiquita logo. Its current sticker has represented the bananas since 1963. Now customers will see 18 new designs designed by fans.

Chiquita recently announced the winners of its "Chiquita Sticker Design Contest," naming the top 18 designs that will start appearing on bananas nationwide in November and be displayed through the month. The top 50 finalists were named in August and customers voted online to determine the top 18.

 The "EatAChiquita drag 'n' drop Sticker Studio" also let designers download their own designs and have them printed on items from Chiquita's online store.

The number one design was a doodle of a banana cradled by the moon submitted by Megan Meade of Washington, D.C., which drew 7,768 votes.

Other designs in the top 18 were a banana muscle, a banana catching a tan under the sun and bananas bouncing on a trampoline.

The New York Times reported that more than 25,000 drag-and-drop mixes were created in less than five months. The company received 1,355 entries over several months.

Chiquita president Tanios Viviani said in a statement to TIME magazine that the contest let consumers and fans become part of the Chiquita story by helping design and vote for the stickers.

Chiquita started branding its bananas in 1944 by wrapping them in paper bearing Miss Chiquita. The company switched to using stickers to brand each individual banana in 1963.

Brand Channel said the new logo is an attempt to modernize its product and compete for younger customers against the increasing selection of packaged goods and other items now found in supermarkets.

Andrew Ciafardini, an assistant Chiquita spokesman, told The New York Times that the company wants to get its message across to under-25 consumers that Chiquita offers "convenience healthy snacking platforms" that are in demand.

"You know, people want to be able to find a banana in the supermarket so they can eat healthy instead of picking up a candy bar," he said.