There's something wonderfully cheeky about this integrated campaign from Cheil Hong Kong that I can't help but fall head-over-heel for.
This is a tongue-in-cheek repositioning effort for the Very Chocolate brand, which prides itself as being made with 85% cacao. Hence the name. Presumably. It's not all guff either, as dark chocolate is widely considered to have a range of medicinal and therapeutic benefits. As such, Cheil has repositioned Very Chocolate as “The Perfect Cure for Almost Anything” from headaches to PMS and depression. Now I've never suffered from PMS (ahem), but I'm certainly willing to accept a decent bar of decadent chocolate could have a slight positive affect on a raging migraine or a fowl mood.
Very Chocolate: The Cure For Almost Anything
Cheil redesigned the brand’s labelling, highlighting “What real chocolate can do,” and renaming it after the benefits it can provide such as “Natural Antidepressant,” “Energiser,” “Headache Formula,” “PMS Relief” and “Pleasure++.” In a humorous twist, the labels emulate the look and wording of medicinal and pharmaceutical products. This is exactly the kind of thing that simply wouldn't float in the western world, where every killjoy under the sun would probably be lining up to declare the newly labelled bars of chocolate as “False advertising.” Hong Kong, however, are obviously a little more liberal (and fun) when it comes to their creative work.
“The cheeky designs stand out in a humorous way in a space where all products usually look the same”
According to Cheil Hong Kong's ECD, Paul Chan, the brand refresh aims to not only put a smile on customers’ faces, but to help the brand stand out in a competitive market. The campaign also aims to make the chocolate synonymous with things that make you feel better, which is definitely a smart move. The label change is being supported by press ads, posters and point-of-sales materials all over Hong Kong. It's unlikely we'll ever get to see them land over here in the UK, of course, but that doesn't mean we can't admire the chutzpah from afar!
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and struggling musician from the dark heart of Kidderminster in the UK.
