industry thoughts from Clarteza

Let’s talk chocolate.

Think about that first bite of dark, creamy chocolate. Your mouth relaxes as the chocolate melts – your eyes might even close so you can focus on just the taste and feel of the chocolate. The corners of your mouth turn up.

(Is your mouth watering yet?)

We have all heard by now that chocolate releases endorphins, elevates our mood, and can even be healthy in moderation. (Keep those positive studies coming, science!) But exquisite, mouth-watering chocolate also reminds us of the real goal: to create an experience. To get the consumer to see, hear, taste, smell, and feel. To make them remember. To make them talk about it. To bring them back.

To make them feel passionate about your product!

I’ve recently experienced a company doing just this: Chocolat Uzma Sharif. From the storefront to the service to the story, this company exudes passion.

The store was beautiful: the colors, the displays – the smell of fresh chocolate!

Beyond this first exhilarating experience of sight and smell was welcoming service – friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful staff all lend to the inevitable smile each customer has.

Then there was the chocolate.

The chocolate.

Pardon the slight drama, but that chocolate was heaven.

The experience in the store made me find out more. I learned the owner’s captivating story of family and inspiration. I went online to see their beautifully packaged gift boxes. I told friends and family about it, spreading my enthusiasm around.

In other words, I feel passionate about this chocolate!

Now, you might think it’s easy to get passionate about chocolate. I mean, it is chocolate. But there are plenty of chocolate stores in this city, plenty of pastry chefs making delicious delectables – what they might not have is the experience.

The experience is what makes the consumer connected to the product. They’ve got to feel something that makes them come back. And when the feeling is great enough, they tell their friends, multiplying that positive experience all over town.

You may not be making chocolate, but whatever it is, if you can connect people’s emotions to the product, you’ve got loyal fans. Chocolat Uzma Sharif is a great model of how a brand can do that; they sure have inspired me, and that’s why I wanted to showcase them here. It was great to witness the powerful brand experience at Chocolat Uzma Sharif. (Plus, I got to eat chocolate.)

Many brands aspire to this kind of experience, and at Clarteza we work to make that happen with every product. We help brands find the ways they can connect to their consumers. Every brand must create that connection, that passion, because: it’s the passion, the experience, that persuades.

Now I’m going to just get one more piece of chocolate. Or maybe just two.

Maybe.