Sunny Sky’s Manos Spanos Discusses Innovation and Technology Amid Marketing’s Many Business Goals… 

Throughout his career, Manos Spanos has been consistently motivated by the intersection of marketing, innovation, and technology—whether working for large multinationals or startups.  Now, as the Chief Commercial Officer of Sunny Sky Products, a leading producer of beverage solutions, he talks about turning bold ideas into realities while offering his perspective on the potential of AI, purposeful branding, and rising above the clutter.

It’s clear that Manos’ approach to business focuses on balance. While he is undoubtedly an advocate for embracing the new, especially in technology, he believes a strong marketer never forgets the fundamentals. While AI may be one of today’s most significant opportunities and challenges for marketing leaders, mainly as he sees the necessity for its expansion to the enterprise level, he emphasizes that one should start using AI to focus on customer insights. “Understanding customer needs, interests, concerns, and feelings is always a priority.”

BALANCE and CLARITY

Manos Spanos believes in human intelligence (HI) working together with artificial intelligence (AI) and often refers to this as an “art-meets-science Tango,” particularly when discussing brand storytelling. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated that storytelling can thrive in today’s tech-first world. He reminds us that “content is NOT about the STUFF that you MAKE, but the STORIES you TELL.”

Whether talking to his teams or the students he inspires at the University of Miami, where he chairs the Marketing Advisory Board, his marketing message is clear: “Show up where your audience is and stand out in a way that will get you noticed.”

His approach to “purpose” is also balanced, particularly as he distinguishes “brand purpose” from “corporate purpose” and advocates “leaving politics out of it.” While he has served in both B2B and B2C roles, he stresses that the marketing basics do not differ.

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 In our conversation, we discuss the following:

• Sunny Sky is a different type of role for you as it is more B2B than B2C. Are you using your same skills or learning new ones? 

• Tell us about some trends you see in the beverage industry. 

• You’re a big believer in turning bold ideas into impressive realities. While you’ve accomplished this with several brands, our audience would love to learn more about the best ways to achieve that magic. Where do you start?

•  You’ve always been passionate about building purpose-led brands. Is it more difficult today, given notions of “purpose-washing” and increased consumer skepticism?

• You’ll speak at an ANA conference about storytelling in a tech-first world as an “art means science tango.” Would you explain that?

• You hold an MBA from the University of Miami and also chair the school’s Marketing Advisory Board. What fires up the imaginations of young marketers today? 

• What do you believe are the biggest challenges for the business of marketing now… and the biggest opportunities?

As the Chief Commercial Officer of Sunny Sky Products, Manos Spanos oversees marketing, sales, research, and development and leads a team of 100. He also manages a set of Licensed Brands (with great recognition, like Hershey’s) and In-house Brands (often competing in the same segments).

Sunny Sky Products is a leading producer of beverage solutions, offering a portfolio of frozen, cold, hot, and enhancer products for the food service, hospitality, healthcare, education, military, and convenience channels.

Meet Manos Spanos – a passionate marketing leader with a track record of driving growth, innovation, and brand purpose. With experience at global giants like PepsiCo, Danone, and J&J, as well as fast-paced startups, Manos knows how to navigate complex markets and make brands thrive.

As the Chief Commercial Officer at Sunny Sky Products, he leads marketing, sales, and R&D, guiding a team of 100 and driving double-digit growth across the beverage industry. His leadership has revitalized well-known brands, turned emerging ones into market leaders, and built high-performing teams that blend creativity with results.

Manos also served as VP of Marketing for Flavors and Energy Drinks at PepsiCo, where he spearheaded game-changing campaigns. His innovative approach to global branding earned him recognition as an Internationalist of the Year in 2015, thanks to a groundbreaking content strategy that redefined how multinational brands engage in a fast-paced, always-online world.

Originally from Athens, Greece, Manos holds a bachelor’s degree in Management from Hartwick College in New York and an MBA in Marketing from the University of Miami, where he also chairs the Marketing Advisory Board. His passion for strategic transformation and turning bold ideas into reality makes him a sought-after speaker and thought leader in modern marketing.