"YOU ARE A CAUSE,
NOT A CHOCOLATE COMPANY."
In early 2016, Canada had the good fortune of meeting the Hadhad family. After hearing their story on the radio and their aspirations to start making chocolate again, our team reached out to lend a marketing hand. The rest is history (literally).
The Original 15 Piece Box
Going from farmers markets to Sobeys is a big step. We facilitated their packaging needs, branding, and even factory certifications!
The Peace Bar
We knew their chocolate had to have a message. A message of peace. Available in dozens of languages. This one features the word for peace in the Mi'kmaq language, Mi'kmawi'simk
Pride-Themed Peace Bar
We knew that as a Muslim family, Peace by Chocolate’s support would mean the world to the LGBTQ+ community. They loved our concept and created their first charity-driven chocolate bar. After all, peace needs love
Easter Stackers
Seasonal products can be a big challenge, but we were there every step of the way; developing specialty solutions and campaigns to ensure it was never just about the chocolate.
Our relationship has been
challenging and confusing and fun.
Investing in empathy and working hard to understand each other’s culture has delivered the reward of a lifetime. It’s also taken our work out of this world (again, literally).
Peace by Chocolate on the International Space Station.
THE WORLD IS DARK ENOUGH.
THIS BRAND FILLS US WITH LIGHT.
Problem / Opportunity
A family of new Syrian Canadians needed to find a way to channel their passion for happiness and peace. Fleeing war-plagued Damascus left them full of new hope, but they left behind so much more. By re-establishing their lost chocolate business here in Canada, they could make people happy, offer personal hope, be an example to their new-found community, and help form personal closure over time.
Insight
“When people eat chocolate, they smile.” - Issam Hadhad
Solution
Tell a story about a business looking to make the world a happier and more peaceful place one bite at a time. Create products and experiences that reflect that desire and reinforce a more peaceful world.
Brand Promise: One Peace Won’t Hurt
Tactical Execution:
Product packaging conceptualization and fulfillment
Sales collateral conceptualization and fulfillment
Support on all national and regional incoming and outgoing supplier engagement and negotiation
Website design and e-commerce launch
Clothing line design and print management
Support implementing Global Food Safety standards
Support in factory expansion
Special event branding and promotional support
Business strategy consulting
Crisis communication management
Trademark acquisition
Results
Look, we’d love to take credit for Peace By Chocolate’s success but that would be disingenuous. The company has succeeded because of their own hard work, their communities’ positive embrace, and a video that went viral. Below are some things we know we impacted directly:
Creatively envisioned/delivered the company name and brand promise
Captured their story and told it via website and social media
Designed custom packaging
Brought their first e-store online in December of 2016 (and had to shut it down 8 hours later because they sold out of stock!)
Gained national distribution in Sobeys, Foodland, Thrifty Foods, Safeway Canada
Repeated international media attention
Two national trademarks
Met or surpassed sales targets annually
some campaigns
{at a glance}
Video is an important component of all marketing endeavours. Creating a compelling video with only a moment’s notice, or on a shoestring budget, can be a fun and exciting challenge.
Thank you Tareq for your kind words. Working with Peace by Chocolate has been an amazing experience. The story of our growth as a company is definitely tied to theirs.