Godiva / One for me, none for you
Confectionery brand Godiva calls for an end to the Japanese custom of giving ‘obligation chocolates’ to colleagues on Valentine’s Day
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On Valentine’s Day in Japan women are expected to give gifts not only to their boyfriends or husbands, but also to their co-workers. The treats gifted to colleagues are called giri choco, which means ‘obligation chocolate’. The tradition is a way of saying thank you and maintaining good work relationships.
To address the issue, in 2018 Belgian chocolate brand Godiva ran a full-page print ad asking executives to excuse their female staff from buying giri choco. The copy states that chocolates should be bought for loved ones and gifted to express love and affection, not to maintain good office manners.
INSIGHTS / For a chocolate brand to urge people not to buy chocolate, especially at a time when sales increase significantly, is a bold move. However, the Godiva ad is likely to be much more memorable than a standard Valentine’s Day campaign. A number of national and international media picked up the story.