Its a Wrap-per

Sharon Klein Graphic Design is pleased to announce that the new branding and chocolate packaging line designed for Ashanty Chocolates has begun production.

The 4 flavors (2 dark, 2 milk) are each hand wrapped in gold foil, then a custom African inspired pattern, printed on cotton/silk fabric to create a very upscale impression.

Using secondary colors and large readable type, the labels contrast with the dark chocolaty colored background making them pop off the shelf. The bars will be sold at stores, green markets, online as well as corporate gifting in a branded mahogany box. 5% of profits from sales of the bars will go to a variety of causes.

 

 

 

 

 

Next project is applying the new branding to the rest of their product line of small bars, chocolate covered nuts, hot chocolate and a chocolate spread.

Sweet success!

Photo Credit: Takamasa Ota/otaphotography.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, it’s Legal!

Through a posting on one of my networks to get feedback about the Landmark Wild Chocolate Reserve logo I designed, I connected with Tiffany Donaldson, Esq.

We decided to meet for a one-on-one where she was inspired by the creative process and seeing the transformational work I have done for many of my clients. Tiffany decided that Donaldson Legal Counseling needed some real attention and a re-brand.

At our subsequent meeting she told me more about her business and herself. A logo encompasses many aspects and I do thorough research to get to the heart of what a client wants and needs. Then I gave her some visual homework to do.

From that feedback and her love for the color blue, I went to work to create this new look for her business.

In the left corner is our final logo and surrounding it are a few of the runner-ups. The final includes an old school fountain pen, a reminder of the historic nature for this line of business.

It was fun working together – and I love that collaboration gets the best results.

Over-the-Top Chocolate Experience

Starting last Friday afternoon I had a chocolate tour de force. It began with a press event and Heirloom chocolate tasting with Chocolate Noise food writer Megan Giller and the Heirloom Cocoa Preservation Fund (HCP), the organization whose logo and re-brand I recently created.

HCP is the link between farmers growing cacao and those working with the chocolate. Most cacao trees today are planted to resist infection, mold and produce as much fruit as possible. With that comes a loss of taste. Many of the large chocolate companies then use sugar, flavoring and fillers to make candy that you would want to eat. We learned about the genetics of fine cacao and how the HCP is designating trees and beans from around the world to bring back flavor for the best tasting chocolate. This in turn helps farmers by allowing them to charge more for their beans and improve their lives.

The beans are sent to the HCP from growers to be blind processed by Guittard Chocolate, analyzed by the 9 Member—international panel and possibly selected for the honor of being designated heirloom.

We tasted four bars, and my favorite was #8 from Ingemann Cacao Fino of Nicaragua.

The next day and evening were at the Fine Chocolate Industry Association’s (FCIA) Elevate Chocolate where I was able to hobnob with the rock stars of chocolate makers and growers. There were six educational table talks. I attended “Cacao Before the Chocolate Maker” with Emily Stone and Maya Granit of Uncommon Cacao, we tried four kinds of chocolate liquor, which is cacao beans roasted and ground (no sugar added). Amazing to clearly taste the differences between the types of beans.

The new logo for the HCP was presented along with a conversation with veteran chocolate maker Fran Bigelow of Seattle whose specialties are served in the White House. Fran was one of the innovators to first add salt to chocolate caramels as a garnish.

Of course I got to taste dark chocolate all night from companies like Guittard, Casa Luker, Dandelion, Mesocacao and Dancing Lion.

Finally, Monday evening after the Summer Fancy Food Show, I hopped on the Path to Hoboken for the International Chocolate Awards at Cucharamama and mingled with North and South America’s growers, chocolatiers and chocolate makers. There was great food, and of course “the best” chocolate out of 600 submissions. For the second year my pick was Palette de Bine of Montreal who won for three of her submissions. Congratulations to all of the chocolatiers! I am so happy to be a part of this creative community 🙂

Re-Covered

AHRC Nassau, in partnership with family members, is committed to enriching the lives of people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities.

SKGD took a new spin on how the child is represented on their Lindner Center brochure cover with a fresh, focused and engaging look, incorporating vibrant colors and a sense of joy.

The interior layout has been redesigned as well — the flow of the brochure, how it opens, unfolds, is intentional — and leads the reader through the story.

Behind the scenes we also retouched some of the T-shirts from the original image as they did not convey the strong primary color balance we wanted to achieve.