Reflections #003 Hotel Chocolat – Perfume Counters, Airport Lounges and Studio 54
“When I think of Hotel Chocolat I think of attraction, a place to be seduced. My creative vision lies somewhere between the tranquillity of luxurious perfume counters, stylish airport lounges, the allure of a timeless beauty like Catherine Deneuve and the wildest and sexiest night at Studio 54…” – Fredrik Ahlin in Design Week
From humble beginnings Hotel Chocolat has evolved into one of Britain’s best-loved brands and most quoted success stories, synonymous with luxury and premium chocolate. Between 2006 and 2012, I was fortunate enough to serve on the board as their first Executive Creative Director and – alongside a very talented team – played a pivotal role in the brand’s journey during its formative years. Together we created a powerful brand that had a disproportionate impact on popular culture.
In late 2004 the two founders, Angus Thirlwell and Peter Harris, saw a gap in the market and an opportunity to change the focus of their then business ChocExpress. They changed the company name to Hotel Chocolat, opened three UK stores, and began trading with the objective of building a new, upmarket chocolate brand.
However, simply changing the name and the logo of the brand was not enough. Much of the new brand identity still reflected the utilitarian style of ChocExpress and, when customers persistently telephoned to make lunch and dinner reservations, Angus and Peter realised they needed some help with the brand.
The first core insight was that our target market was heavily biased towards women. That may sound perfectly obvious today, but it became key to the way in which we developed and differentiated the brand. The second was that we shouldn’t be focusing on selling ‘chocolates’: as with almost all premium brands, Hotel Chocolat was effectively offering an experience, a lifestyle. Our competitors weren’t other chocolate companies; they were the likes of Molton Brown, Links of London and SPACE NK, offering scented candles, beauty products and other small luxury items. All were destinations where women could shop for gifts for themselves or friends – safe in the knowledge that their brand choice would reflect well upon them.
Hotel Chocolat had to become a truly immersive experience, where everything would be seamless, memorable and chic. We took inspiration from the visual languages of fashion and beauty, and began the transformation of the brand across every touchpoint. Packaging became more considered and elegant, with an attention to detail and layers of revelation that were evocative of beautiful cosmetics or perfumes. The website and the stores where re-designed to create a deeper, more emotive and stylish experience, acting as the perfect canvas. Fashion and beauty inspired photography was paired with a palette of timeless black and white, complemented by accents of the season’s colours. The result was a strong and iconic visual style and brand identity.
During these first six years Hotel Chocolat achieved great success. The company expanded way beyond the UK, and launched successful operations in mainland Europe, Scandinavia and the US. We opened over 70 shops and created an award-winning hotel in St Lucia (where you actually can make lunch and dinner reservations). We also pioneered new standards for sustainability and ethical production in the cocoa and chocolate industries. All in all, we achieved a lot of things in a very short space of time, but we were particularly delighted when Hotel Chocolat was voted the Most Advocated British Brand in Marketing Week in 2012. It wasn’t always easy, and we made some mistakes, but it was an amazing experience. And none of this would have become a reality without Angus Thirlwell’s unfailing support and endless optimism. ■
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Hotel Chocolat
- Retail