2019 Winners & Shortlists

THE MAGIC CHOCOLATE BOX

BrandMAYA
Product/ServiceMAYA FINE CHOCOLATES
EntrantMEMAC OGILVY Manama, BAHRAIN
CategoryTravel, Leisure, Retail, Restaurants & Fast Food Chains
Idea Creation MEMAC OGILVY Manama, BAHRAIN
Production MEMAC OGILVY Manama, BAHRAIN

Why is this work relevant for Direct?

This entry is for the design of a limited edition box of chocolates with a production run of only 500 units. It was originally designed as a corporate gift for the client's highest value customers and was also sent direct to appropriate social media influencers to generate further impact. As such it represents direct in its purest form, a piece developed to boost the consideration and loyalty of an existing customer base, placed right in their hands.

Background.

Maya Chocolates - an artisanal chocolatier, traces it origins back to the Mayans who discovered the magical power chocolate. True to its name, Maya Chocolates uses only the finest Guatemalan cocoa, making each chocolate just the way the Mayans intended it to be. Therein lay our brief: how could we convey Maya’s story: that of a homegrown brand specializing in uber-premium chocolate. What would convince people of the uniqueness of their product? After all, to the untrained palate, chocolate is chocolate. Our objective was simple: maximize the potential of the festive season by getting more people to order and experience Maya chocolates. We needed to create something as special as the chocolates. With a bite-sized budget, we turned to the only asset we had at our disposal: the packaging. We created 500 specially designed boxes that were dispatched to social media influencers, corporate clients, influential businessmen during the festive months.

Describe the creative idea.

The idea came from a very simple but universal truth about chocolates: we don’t really like sharing them! So, our packaging was designed around the art of ‘not’ sharing. Inspired by a magic box, we designed a special edition packaging with a hidden tray. One that was actually loaded with Maya’s chocolates. One that only the recipient would know about. If anyone else opens the box they see an empty tray, the decoy. But with a simple sleight of hand if you opened it again the chocolates would be revealed. Complementing the idea was a beautiful illustration of an ancient Mayan secret garden where only the finest ingredients grow. Offering the recipient even more reason to believe that the chocolates were indeed, ‘too good to share’.

Describe the strategy.

Maya Chocolates, Bahrain’s only outpost for luxurious Guatemalan chocolates wanted to create the perfect gift for festive and special occasions. To heighten this luxurious experience, we suggested that these chocolates were so exquisite and so rare owing to their provenance, we declared that they were ‘too good to share’. For a boutique and niche brand like Maya, we chose the one asset that's most impactful: packaging. With the festive season near, we knew Maya’s clientele would be on call and nothing says, ‘too good to share’ better than a Box designed around the ‘art of not sharing’. With Maya’s client-base mainly comprising corporates, well-known businessmen, affluent families and social media influencers, we knew the Box would get the spotlight it deserved. While the box itself provided a moment of magical revelation with its mechanism, the chocolates were also specially created to complement the overall idea, ‘too good to share’.

Describe the execution.

The design of the Magic Chocolate Box was inspired by the Mayans belief in the magical power of chocolate. A prototype was made to deliver a sense of magic while bringing alive the idea: ‘too good to share’. Our box was modeled around the mechanics of a simple toy with two drawers: the first is a decoy and the second, holding a surprise. We then focused on illustrating Maya’s Secret Garden – a place where only the finest ingredients are painstakingly sourced. Rendered in rich gold foil and set against matte black paper, the Box was a rich reflection of the offering inside. Inside, a little message gave the recipient a clue to the hidden tray and its use. Keeping in mind the demands of the festive season, we had 500 boxes made in one batch with another 250 scheduled to be delivered.

List the results.

The Magic Chocolate Box proved to be a shrewd and well-timed investment for Maya Chocolates. With the festive reason right around the corner, we knew that Maya’s client base would start placing orders. And for the first time, Maya would have a limited-edition packaging with each recipient’s name customised in gold foil. Given the novelty of the box with its curated tray of chocolates, Maya was able to command a 15% premium on a 2kg box of chocolates. While 500 boxes were specially made for the demand of the season, 150 of the boxes were sold in a single order by one of Bahrain’s biggest financial institutions. As a result 250 boxes were additionally made for non-corporates. Though Maya has established its own niche segment, the Magic Chocolate Box saw a 30% rise in walkthrough customers who saw famous Social Media Influencers blog about it on their posts.

Credits

Name Company Role
Simon Impey MEMAC Ogilvy Bahrain Creative Director
Divyan Kriplani MEMAC Ogilvy Bahrain Associate Creative Director
Marina Lovrek MEMAC Ogilvy Bahrain Head of Design
Amal Kamal MEMAC Ogilvy Bahrain Graphic Designer
Siva Das MEMAC Ogilvy Bahrain Production Manager
Sai Kumar MEMAC Ogilvy Bahrain Production Manager