LOS ANGELES Interpublic Group's Campbell-Ewald is breaking its first work for Ghirardelli, according to Debbie Karnowsky, the agency's executive creative director.
The agency is tasked with introducing Intense Dark, the company's first dark-chocolate line. Ads introduce a new tagline, "Lose yourself in the dark," referencing the luxury of pampering oneself with chocolate.
A print execution for high-end consumer and cooking magazines shows a woman luxuriating on her balcony against the backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge. Embedded subtly in a window reflection is the neon sign of the Ghirardelli factory.
Another ad, directed at bakers, shows a stack of melting chocolate-chip cookies with the headline "60% Cacao. 100% Impressive." Copy includes a recipe for the cookies and the line, "Bake with our deep, intense chocolate for pure pleasure in every bite."
The border of both print ads matches the product's dark brown and gold packaging and shows the new lineup of chocolate bars.
"It combines facts with emotion and integrates the packages in the ads with the same rich darkness," said Karnowsky. "My sense is that dark premium chocolate should look like an ad for high-end coffees like Starbucks and/or liqueurs." She added that the bridge stresses the brand's "San Francisco heritage."
Ads will run in magazines such as Gourmet, Bon Appetit, Everyday Food and Real Simple, Karnowsky said.
The San Leandro, Calif.-based Ghirardelli spent $10 million on ads in 2005 and $1 million through September 2006, per Nielsen Monitor-Plus.