Godiva

As an established heritage brand, Godiva is developing innovative concepts to reach millennials across their largest markets, the U.S. and Japan. They needed fresh product and service ideas tailored for a new, younger audience.

An interior view of a confectionery store with a variety of sweets displayed in the foreground. There is a glass case showcasing assorted chocolates and confections, with labels and prices visible. Behind the display, on the wall, is a large, artistic golden outline of a horse with a flowing mane and tail. The wall has a textured brick finish that adds depth to the scene. The overall ambiance suggests an upscale boutique chocolate shop.
Two maps side by side, one of New York and the other of Tokyo. Both maps highlight the locations of respective Gakko Summer Camps with a yellow icon that resembles a flame or flower. In New York, the camp is located near Rockefeller Center, and in Tokyo, it is situated close to Yoyogi Park. The maps are simplified with minimal street details, focusing on the camp locations and nearby landmarks.

Headline

14

Store observations

110

User interviews

12

Generated ideas

Knowing that this new audience has very different needs and expectations from Generation Xers, we set out to uncover millennials’ key drivers. Our New York, Tokyo and London teams worked together to conduct interviews, contextual observation and co-creation workshops across Godiva’s key markets. We found many of the attributes millennials value most – brand authenticity, strong storytelling, and personalisation – matched perfectly with Godiva’s heritage and artistry.

A person is seated at a table, working on a sheet of paper with various Japanese characters and illustrations. The paper appears to be divided into sections with headings, and there are drawings that include a face and what seems to be a speech bubble. The person’s left hand is pointing at a section of the sheet while the right hand holds a pen, poised to write. There is also a glass of amber liquid on the table.
A photo of a project planning session with multiple individuals around a table. The table is covered with a large white paper sheet divided into sections by drawn lines, filled with yellow sticky notes and some small images. Each sticky note appears to have handwritten text on it. There are pens and a smartphone on the table, indicating an interactive work environment. The focus is on the hands of two individuals pointing and placing sticky notes, suggesting collaboration and organization in progress.

Together with Godiva category experts and chocolatiers, we explored new product and service ideas from new flavours and packaging, franchises and new spaces, through to delivery and personalisation opportunities. The result was twelve refined product and service concepts, aligned with Godiva’s strategy and brand values. By co-creating with the Godiva team, we helped them take full ownership of the concepts, and incorporate them into their own internal innovation pipeline.

A collection of illustrations depicting various stages and aspects of a food delivery service. The top left illustration shows a person cooking in a kitchen with several dishes prepared on the counter. Next to it, there’s an image of a person packaging the food into containers. The third illustration in the top row depicts a delivery person carrying a bag of food, and the last one on this row shows an app interface for food ordering with menu options. In the second row, from left to right, there’s an illustration of two people receiving their order from a delivery person at their doorstep. The next image shows an open box with food containers inside it. Following that is an illustration of two individuals dining at home with their meal laid out on the table. The last picture in this row displays various packaged foods and drinks organized on shelves. The bottom row features three images: one showing someone ordering food via smartphone, another illustrating three people enjoying their meal around a dining table, and the final one showing someone washing dishes after their meal.

‘The most remarkable part was to contrast the users’ input and ideas with the expertise and know-how from the client team. Only the chocolatiers could help us identify what was ultimately a blue-sky dream and what was a feasible new category direction for Godiva.’

Jorge Álvarez

Associate Strategic Design Director

Details

Client

Godiva

Industry

Retail

Studio

London

New York

Offerings

Business Design

Design Research

Service Design

Get in touch

Héctor Noval

Global Head of Futures

[email protected]