When it comes to luxury chocolate, few names stir the imagination like Hotel Chocolat. Their success isn't just built on luscious cacao or ethically grounded sourcing; it's driven by a brand spirit that whispers "accessible indulgence" across every touchpoint. As they expanded their multichannel model internationally, from the velvet-smooth retail experiences in the UK to bold digital-first growth in the US and Japan, a singular need became clear: a consistent, magnetic Tone of Voice that could scale across their entire ecosystem without losing its soul.
That's where I came in.
The Work:
Partnering with Hotel Chocolat, I helped develop and articulate their digital Tone of Voice — crafting a verbal identity that would underpin all content across platforms, from product pages and CRM emails to loyalty campaigns and social storytelling. The ambition? To bring coherence, distinctiveness, and emotional resonance to every word, supporting their explosive customer acquisition growth.
We grounded the new Tone of Voice in four pillars:
- Smooth and Inviting
Language that welcomes without overwhelming, evoking the tactile richness of their products and the easy sophistication of their spaces. - Curious and Creative
Reflecting their relentless innovation — from pleated chocolate slabs to cacao gin — through playful, vivid language that sparks wonder. - Rooted and Authentic
Never losing sight of the soil beneath the story; respecting the origins of cacao, farming partnerships, and real ingredient sourcing in everything we say. - Ethically Bold
Conveying a deep, unflinching commitment to fairness, sustainability, and innovation in ethical cacao practices — voiced with pride, never preaching.
These pillars were carefully designed to flex across Hotel Chocolat's digital ecosystem: tight enough to maintain a recognisable character, expansive enough to adapt to the needs of loyalty emails, global campaigns, social media posts, e-commerce experiences, and partner communications.
Impact: This renewed verbal identity played a crucial role in supporting Hotel Chocolat's surge across markets:
- A 37% increase in total group revenue year-on-year.
- A 38% uplift in active customer acquisition in the UK.
- 119% growth in their US customer database, anchored by a digital-led content strategy.
- Consistent brand resonance across Japan, with a 1,000% rise in VIP loyalty scheme memberships.
By aligning their voice with their spirit — original, authentic, ethical — we ensured that every touchpoint didn’t just sell chocolate; it invited deeper connection.
Deliverables Provided:
- Brand Voice Audit & Discovery Workshop
- Messaging Pillars Development
- Full Tone of Voice System Guide
- Digital Copy Frameworks for Website, CRM, Loyalty, and Social
- Example Rewrites for Core Channels
- Brand Voice Implementation Checklist
What This Project Represents: This Hotel Chocolat engagement mirrors the kind of Tone of Voice work I now offer through Contra:
- Full-spectrum Tone of Voice System Development
- UX Dialogue Copy and Microcopy Alignment
- Landing Page & Website Copywriting
- Copy Editing & Brand Voice Proofing
- Strategic Messaging Frameworks for multichannel consistency
Tone of Voice isn’t just an add-on; it’s the soul of brand growth. And for Hotel Chocolat, it became a vital ingredient in scaling indulgence without diluting meaning.
