Thorntons forms roster in brand refresh

Chocolate brand Thorntons is set to roll out new products and packaging and is forming a design roster as part of an overarching brand refresh.

Thorntons has appointed Harrogate consultancy Robot Food, as well as a London consultancy and a Nottinghambased group, to work on packaging designs. It is also working with advertising agency Mother on new ads, and the agency may also look at brand strategy.

Thorntons head of design Vanessa Christian says the brand is aiming to develop a more ‘vibrant and energetic’ appearance, which will be manifested first in packaging and point-of-sale materials, before rolling out to store interiors and potentially the identity itself. She says the work will take around 18 months to complete, and store concepts developed by Caulder Moore, which rolled out across five outlets in August 2008, will not now be fully adopted throughout the rest of the chain, although some elements may be used in the roll-out.

As part of the work, three new ranges are set to launch in September and October.

Metropolitan (pictured) is described by Christian as ‘very on-trend’. It will be a box inspired by cities and using flavours such as orange blossom, with turquoise and gun metal-coloured packaging. Its sister range, Scrumptious, which will be available in supermarkets, will feature packaging with a black background with bright pink elements.

New product Melts will use a packaging design inspired by how the chocolate melts in your mouth and how your taste buds perceive it.

New packaging for the Continental range (pictured) is also set to launch, with two ‘hat box’ designs.

All these designs were created in-house. Christian says, ‘We wanted to have a vision in mind before we involved external consultancies.’ She adds, ‘I have doubled the size of the design team in the four years I have been here. I want to create a design centre of excellence at Thorntons.’

Robot Food was appointed directly to the Thorntons roster about three weeks ago, according to director Simon Forster. He says Robot Food approached the client with credentials work.

Forster says Robot Food will work alongside the client’s in-house designers and is developing concept visuals

THORNTONS DEVELOPMENT:
September 2006 – relaunches its masterbrand with a revitalised logo and packaging designs, developed in-house by a team led by Vanessa Christian
August 2008 – implements a new Caulder Moore-designed store concept
August 2009 – forms design roster
September/October 2009 – to launch new products, including Metropolitan and Scrumptious