challenge
Fair Trade is a social movement that achieves better trading conditions with countries in the West through sustainable farming and healthier working conditions. The goal of this project was to create a chocolate bar designed as though it was from a developing country that grows cocoa beans, such as India or the Ivory Coast. Taking this design, we had to incorporate the style of a western country as the producer of the chocolate. The packaging should tell the story of where the cocoa beans came from and educate the public about fair trade practices. The design should communicate that the chocolate is handcrafted with unique, organic ingredients.
solution
I chose to work with India as my origin country because I feel really connected to their culture. I chose Switzerland as the producer because I love their overall modern typographic style. In order to connect the two vastly different countries together, I decided to implement Swiss design on the typographic and color treatment while the imagery and flavor relied more on India.
After researching and exploring many aspects of India, I felt inspired by the henna tattoo designs. By incorporating cocoa beans within the intricate henna flowers, I could symbolize the transportation of the cocoa to Switzerland. I drew the national flower as the symbol of Switzerland as a part of the logo.
I called my brand “Dev”, meaning divine, to place an emphasis on the high degree to which this chocolate should be revered. Dev Chocolate brings the flavors of India into the palms of one’s hands. It shares the story of a farmer who pours love into the crops he tends to not because of necessity but of devotion.
