When acclaimed pastry chef Norman Love developed the G Collection, he created art. This unique couture line of chocolates, created exclusively for Godiva Chocolatier, (New York, NY), delivers a new level of sophistication to the chocolate connoisseur. Godiva was challenged with creating a distinctive design that enhances the overall chocolate experience and secures success in the marketplace.

“The G Collection signals an exhilarating new phase for Godiva,” says Masoud Mansouri, senior art director for Godiva.   “Love’s creations needed a package that would resonate with chocolate aficionados.”  

To ensure success, Mansouri partnered with FiberMark, the maker of luxury packaging materials that can be customized to create inventive, high-end looks. 

The Concept

With flavors such as Tasmanian Honey, Vanilla Mascarpone, and P.B. & Jam, the G Collection is one-of-a-kind. Only the purest ingredients are used to ensure each piece has a full, rich flavor explosion. Decorated with beautiful, brightly colored, hand-painted designs the collection adds a new dimension to chocolate consumption.

With this in mind, the design concept was developed. The first goal, according to Mansouri, was to convey the craftsmanship of the chocalatier.

“Norman Love approached the design of each chocolate as an edible work of art,” said Mansouri.   “His attention to detail is evident in the ingredients, the tastes and impressive decorating techniques.  Because packaging is a reflection of the product inside, we take special care with every detail of the box design, from the aesthetic appeal, to the construction, to the material selection.”

Godiva chocolates sell very well at the holiday season, and package designers were also challenged to inspire consumers who are looking for gifts in a crowded marketplace.

“When selecting a gift, consumers must first make sure it suits the intention. If you truly value the recipient, the gift must demonstrate that you care. The chocolates are a beautiful, luxurious gift, that often results in a ‘sweeter’ bond between the giver and recipient. As a result, packaging for the G Collection also needed to enhance this relationship.”

The Design

The unique, trapezoid shaped box of the G line is an inversion of the typical gold foil box that consumers associate with the traditional line of Godiva chocolates.  The covering material, from FiberMark’s Corvon® line, is a rich shade of brown, alluding to a rich chocolate taste. The material has a subtle iridescence with a polish that gives the material a subtle texture. Brown is complemented by an apple green trim and a coordinating green and brown ribbon.  The crisp shade of green mimics the color of the hand-painted decoration of one of the chocolates inside.

An important aspect of the design was the material selection.  According to Mansouri, “You don’t choose a material just because you like it or you feel good about it. It’s a science. You think about how to deliver the expectations of the product. You try to play with all the best elements before you and finally settling on something that inspires a feeling, supports the concept and, from a functional perspective, that will work well in production.”

FiberMark’s Corvon®family of products represent a wide range of different looks and a rich palette of colors Corvon® is economical, durable and easy to decorate. The line is suitable for an array of techniques, including foil-stamping, blind-stamping and turned edge construction.

“I worked closely with FiberMark product specialists to get to know their product line, and I was very impressed by the possibilities – they are almost limitless!” explained Mansouri. “Plus, they’ll work closely with designers to customize textures, patterns, colors, and weights to develop the perfect material option for each design concept.”

With FiberMark, the same visual effects that are customized for luxury boxes can be created for coordinating collateral materials, such as tags, labels, POP displays or other marketing tactics.

The overall effect of the final package sets a luxurious tone. Upon opening the stylish G Collection gift box the chocolates are revealed. Package dividers showcase and provide protection to each individual chocolate.

Bringing the Art to Market

The G Collection by Godiva was launched just before Christmas 2003 and reintroduced for Holiday 2004 with an exceptional new selection. Currently, they are available in select Neiman Marcus and Sak’s Fifth Avenue stores, at Godiva boutiques in select cities and online at www.godiva.com/G. The gift boxes are available in a variety of sizes, ranging from a 15-piece box retailing for $40 to a rare Limited Edition East African Wenge Wood box retailing for about $350 averaging well over $100 per lb.

The assortment of gourmet chocolates immediately catches the eye in the retail environment. The chocolate experience begins visually, through the package design.   This design engages all the senses and draws the consumer in, luring them to touch the package.

By elevating the overall experience of the chocolate to a new luxurious level, this package design adds another success story to the brand’s leadership in packaging for the candy and chocolates industry.

Planning for the 2005-2006 collection is already underway.

About Godiva

With production facilities in Belgium and North America, Godiva Chocolatier is recognized around the world as the leader in fine chocolates.  From its truffles and shell-molded chocolate pieces to its European-style biscuits, gourmet coffees and hot cocoa, Godiva Chocolatier, for over 75 years, has been dedicated to excellence and innovation in the Belgian tradition. 

About FiberMark

FiberMark (www.FiberMark.com) offers inventive packaging materials that express brands, inspire designs and elevate products in the retail environment. With over twenty product lines incorporating a wide range of visual and tactile elements, FiberMark materials provide a limitless array of package design possibilities. These specialty fiber-based materials are enhanced with an extensive palette of colors, finishes, and embossing techniques that create visual depth and invite touch. FiberMark’s design specialists work with creative teams to develop packaging that captures a brand’s unique personality to differentiate it from competitors, attract attention, and significantly drive sales. FiberMark crafts its materials in the U.S. and Europe, creating innovative solutions for world-leading brands.

For further information on Corvon® and other brand-enhancing packaging materials from FiberMark, please contact Stella Alstede at FiberMark, Tel: (413) 539-5273 or E-mail: packaging@FiberMark.com.

FiberMark Corvon® and Corvon® are registered trademarks of FiberMark.