Chocoleven
The simple yet powerful idea behind ChocoLeven was to combine Gen Z's bold, dynamic energy with chocolate's eternal delight. In a tiny kitchen, a group of enthusiastic chocolatiers and creatives envisioned a brand for the future generation of chocolate lovers.
Type:
Packaging and Logo
Role:
Packaging Designer
Date:
Jun 2023
The Background
The team wanted a brand that stood out in the competitive chocolate industry and connected with younger consumers. They tried to provide customers an experience by giving them chocolate bars with originality, sustainability, and modern appeal. They wanted a product with striking packaging, unique tastes, and sustainability that kept chocolate's timeless appeal. 🍫✨
How I reached the solution
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My Role
My job as ChocoLeven's Logo and packaging designer was to turn the client's idea into a vivid, Gen Z-friendly design with thorough research. I worked closely with the client to express the brand's personality, beliefs, and ambitions in the Logo and packaging.
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Duration
The project spanned over 2 months, during which I worked intensively on all aspects of the design, from initial concepts to final packaging solutions.
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Primary Tools
Adobe Photoshop: To refine visual designs and add textures and backgrounds.
Adobe Illustrator: For creating Logos, packaging and sketching.
Adobe InDesign: For final layout and print-ready packaging presentation.
Procreate: For sketching design concepts and hand-drawn elements.
The Goal
To design a chocolate brand that stands out with a bright, vivid and modern identity.
To target the Gen Z's with a fun and sustainable approach to chocolate.
To make a unique packaging and logo that resonates with younger customers.
Research Phase
The chocolate business in India is very competitive, but there are only a few companies that effectively reach into the Gen Z market. Some prospective competitors from my research that match with ChocoLeven's concept include:
Amul (Premium Range): While Amul’s regular chocolate offerings are popular, its premium chocolates like Amul’s ‘Chocolate Truffle’ and ‘Dark Chocolate’ lines appeal to younger, although their packaging remains traditional.
Cadbury (Dairy Milk Marvellous Creations): Cadbury has attempted to appeal to younger generations through its unique flavors and limited-edition releases, but their branding still relies heavily on the traditional, classic appeal of the Dairy Milk.
Bournville: Known for its premium dark chocolate, Bournville targets a more mature audience, but it has some appeal to Gen Z due to its association with quality. However, it lacks the playful and vibrant approach that ChocoLeven seeks to bring.
Melt Chocolates: A newer player in the market, Melt Chocolates positions itself as a luxury, artisanal chocolate brand. Their packaging is modern and clean, yet lacks the bold, Gen Z-specific vibrancy that ChocoLeven offers.
Key Insights
Gen Z consumers are looking for an experience and not just a regular product.
They favor sustainable and ethical brands.
Packaging plays a critical role in driving sales and engagement, especially for a social media-savvy generation.
Challenges
Designing Challenges:
Balancing Fun with Premium: One of the challenges was to design packaging that conveyed the fun and playful spirit of Gen Z while maintaining a premium, high-quality feel. The problem was ensuring the design seemed premium but not out of touch with the youthful, rebellious nature that Gen Z cherishes.
Sustainability and Practicality: Choosing sustainable packaging that was both environmentally friendly and practical for packaging chocolates was a challenge. The materials needed to ensure freshness and protection while being eco-conscious. So the right use of colors was important as this design would be printed on a different type of paper instead of the standard.
Creating a Unique Brand Voice: Establishing a unique voice for the brand that was consistent across all touchpoints, especially in packaging. This was an ongoing challenge, as there was a risk of the brand blending into other similar offerings.
Solution
ChocoLeven's initial product lineup consists of two offerings:
Dark Chocolate: A bold and rich dark chocolate that features unique, surprising ingredients, creating an adventurous taste profile for chocolate fans.
Almond Bliss: A creamy, smooth white chocolate paired with crunchy almonds, giving a perfect balance of sweetness and texture, created for those who enjoy the indulgence of classic tastes with a modern twist.
Design approach:
Vibrant Color Palette: The packaging design was infused with bold colors and creative typography in the logo to quickly catch the eye and appeal to Gen Z’s love for colorful visuals.
Dynamic Patterns: Custom patterns were incorporated to give each product in the line a sense of personality and uniqueness, while the overall design still felt cohesive.
Sustainability at the Core: An effective color palette was chosen to ensure smooth printing on eco-friendly materials, such as biodegradable wrappers and recycled paper, matching with the client’s goal of building a sustainable brand.
Storytelling: Packaging was designed to tell a story, with each wrapper reflecting the brand’s ethos and encouraging customers to feel a part of the ChocoLeven's journey. It made the product not just something to eat, but something to experience and share.
The final design solution resulted in a cohesive, engaging, and modern packaging system that stands out on shelves, resonates with Gen Z, and communicates the core values of ChocoLeven.
