Whittaker’s launches new brand platform ‘Hello Chocolate Lovers’ via Bastion Shine 

Whittaker’s has today launched its new brand positioning and creative platform via Bastion Shine that celebrates Chocolate Lovers and their love of Whittaker’s.

The new brand positioning, Hello Chocolate Lovers, encapsulates Whittaker’s unique way of making chocolate and will ensure the brand continues to build on its leadership position in New Zealand while also distinguishing itself from competitors in export markets.

While the language of Hello Chocolate Lovers isn’t new for Whittaker’s, elevating it into an organising idea and philosophy for how it makes chocolate, and who it makes it for is new and marks a significant signal of intent for the business.

Says Soraya Cottin, chief marketing officer, Whittaker’s: “New Zealanders have long loved Whittaker’s chocolate, and many have experienced the distinctive approach we take in crafting chocolate, but we don’t take this for granted. We’re constantly innovating to see how we can keep Chocolate Lovers coming back to us and to encourage new Chocolate Lovers to experience our product, because when they do, they love it.”

Says Ryan Jordan, head of strategy, Bastion Shine: “There’s people who like chocolate, and then there’s people who love it. And Whittaker’s is a brand for real Chocolate Lovers, including those who don’t know it yet. We wanted to create a brand platform that would allow us to talk directly to people who were in the know and reflect back the intimate behaviours and intricate rituals they have with Whittaker’s chocolate.”

The brand platform launches today in New Zealand and Australia with a suite of films that dramatise rituals amongst Chocolate Lovers. The spots were directed by Jesse James McElroy, through Flying Fish.

Says Rich Maddocks, chief creative officer, Bastion Shine: ‘It’s a privilege to be able to build on such an iconic and loved New Zealand brand. We know people tend to get a little crazy around Whittaker’s. By tapping into the humour around that, we think we’ve hit on an area that’s not only entertaining but also incredibly relatable. We hope Chocolate Lovers can see a part of themselves in this work.”

These will be supported with media that emphasises the appetite appeal of the product, and communicates how Whittaker’s chocolate making is different and better for Chocolate Lovers through outdoor, social and brand experiences.

Client: Whittaker’s
Brand strategy, creative: Bastion Shine
Director: Jesse James McElroy
Production: Flying Fish
Animation: Flux Animation
Music composition: Peter van der Fluit – Liquid Studios
Photography: Bastion Make – Kieran Scott
Media: MBM