Earlier this year, full service creative agency Stratitude was appointed as the agency for Beyers, and this launch is their first creative campaign for the chocolate company.

“Beyers is a fairly unrecognised brand, even though they produce the much-loved Sweetie Pie and Amarula ranges. These sub-brands, along with various private label chocolates, have been enjoyed by South Africans for nearly three decades,” says Sylvia Schutte, managing director of Stratitude. “With this rich history, we’re working hard to bring Beyers the recognition it deserves, and we believe our first launch campaign is a step in the right direction.”

For the creative concept Stratitude focused on an element that is central to Beyers - a promise to make beautiful chocolates that are unique and affordable. “We use only the finest ingredients to create chocolates that taste delicious and look like miniature edible works of art,” explains Beyers founder, Kees Beyers.

With art as inspiration, the agency’s designers experimented with chocolate, caramel and honey as paints on canvas, to create the Beyers premium boxed chocolate range The Art of Chocolate. It consists of three unique ‘signature’ boxes: Shades of Dark, Fantasy of Fudge and Heart of Chocolate. Each box was designed to clearly differentiate it, yet ensure that it formed part of the overarching theme. The result is a beautiful collection that consumers can buy as a treat for themselves, or to spoil someone special.

According to Schutte, “We wanted the experience of opening a box of Beyers premium chocolates to be memorable, which is why each box carries a leaflet detailing the ‘story’ of Beyers and their guarantee of magnificent chocolate.” The boxes feature evocative art-related names such as Madagascan Vanilla Mural, with descriptions of each chocolate that enhance the promise of gastronomic delight.

The media launch of the new range was implemented by Stratitude at an art gallery, where pairing experts treated guests to intriguing chocolate and wine combinations. Additionally, the campaign has been integrated across multiple channels including PR, a print advertorial and social media. “The launch was timed with festive season gift shopping in mind,” states Schutte. “Chocolate is the perfect gift as it’s never the wrong colour or size, so we’ll be focusing our efforts on making the Beyers collections top of mind for shoppers.”

Barbara Queally of Beyers is full of praise for the agency, “We’re thrilled with the way Stratitude executed our brief. This is our first premium chocolate collection and the response has been very gratifying. Not only are retailers excited about stocking the range, the media coverage we received has created a lot of excitement and awareness.”

Stratitude has managed every aspect of the project, and Schutte believes this versatility is essential for agencies in order to add value. “Our clients appreciate that we can be and do anything. If they want a creative concept, design elements, press releases, a video, radio ad, corporate identity, social media, or reputation management – they know they can call on us,” she concludes.

For more information on Stratitude, visit www.stratitude.co.za. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook.