Mazoe, a brand woven into the fabric of Zimbabwean life, has concluded its “Magic Buy & Win Promotion” with resounding success, achieving a significant sales milestone while laying the groundwork for an ambitious international expansion. The campaign’s results offer a compelling case study in leveraging brand loyalty, strategic consumer engagement, and national pride to drive commercial growth.
The promotion, which ran from July to October, generated sales exceeding 121,000 hectolitres—a volume equivalent to roughly 12.1 million litres. This translated into an 18% year-on-year sales increase, a surge that underscores the brand’s deep-rooted connection with Zimbabwean households. The campaign’s mechanics were elegantly simple: consumers purchased any 2-litre bottle of Mazoe, submitted their receipt, and entered a draw for a share of over US$80,000 in prizes.
However, the true engine of this success was the extensive, ground-level activation strategy. Schweppes Holdings Africa staged promotional events at 371 business centres nationwide. This hyper-local approach was critical. “We wanted to give back to the people who keep this brand alive,” explained Managing Director Stanley Muchenje. By moving beyond passive advertising and creating tangible touchpoints in communities, the campaign transformed a simple purchase into a participatory event, fostering excitement and direct brand interaction.
The prize selection itself was strategically insightful, reflecting an understanding of the consumer’s lifestyle and aspirations. Beyond a year’s supply of Mazoe, winners received high-value items like a PlayStation 5, refrigerator, gas stove, and the top prize: a full solar power system. In a context where energy security is a premium concern, this grand prize demonstrated a keen awareness of local needs, elevating the promotion from a mere sales tactic to a genuinely impactful consumer reward.
Muchenje’s description of Mazoe as “a flagship brand not just for Schweppes but for the entire country” points to its powerful role as a cultural ambassador. The anecdote about Mazoe bottles being a staple in suitcases at Harare International Airport visually encapsulates this. It’s a symbol of home, a taste of nostalgia for the diaspora, and a point of national pride. This emotional equity is the bedrock upon which Schweppes is building its global strategy.
That global ambition is now being aggressively pursued. Muchenje confirmed exports are flowing to Europe, the United Kingdom, the Americas, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, and Mozambique. The two-pronged goal is clear: first, to serve the existing diaspora market craving a taste of home, and second, to introduce the unique Mazoe flavour profile to entirely new audiences. “Our goal is not only to reach Zimbabweans abroad, but to make the whole world drink Mazoe,” Muchenje stated, outlining a vision that transcends the brand’s origins.
@zimbuzz “Our goal is not only to reach Zimbabweans abroad, but to make the whole world drink Mazoe.”
Looking forward, Schweppes signals a commitment to sustaining this momentum. The plan to continue rewarding both consumers and traders indicates an understanding that a brand’s ecosystem—from retailer to end-user—is vital for long-term health. By expressing hope that 2026 will be “as big a year for Mazoe as 2025 has been,” the company is framing this promotion not as a one-off event, but as a foundational element in an ongoing cycle of consumer engagement and brand celebration.
In essence, the “Magic Buy & Win Promotion” was more than a successful sales drive. It was a powerful reaffirmation of a national brand’s strength, a masterclass in localized marketing, and a launchpad for a bold global vision. It demonstrates how a beloved household name can leverage its heritage to fuel growth, both at home and on the world stage.