Marou Chocolate – Heart of Darkness

Derrick Lin

Global

Agency: Rice Creative
Project Type: Produced, Commercial Work
Client: Marou Chocolate
Packaging Content: Chocolate
Location: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Tan Phu Dong, a tropical river island in Southern Vietnam, is the origin of some of the most precious cacao on the planet. Marou Faiseurs De Chocolat have discovered the rare and fleeting supply, making two new and perpetually limited Chocolate bars from it. First came “Treasure Island,” a popular 75% cacao bar. Going a bit darker and maintaining the literary titling, Marou created “Heart of Darkness,” the 85% cacao version. Complete with a introduction written by celebrated author, Lawrence Osbourne, the “Heart of Darkness” package gives one a deeper darker view of it’s predecessor. The terrain of the old topographical map is laid down on heavy black paper in a specially mixed silver & black screen printing ink. A hidden golden bat, a Vietnamese symbol of prosperity, hangs auspiciously in the folds of the wrapper. The chocolate has gone on to become “World Champion” at the International Chocolate Awards in 2015. We sincerely hope you can catch one for yourself.

A bit more on the bat:
This bat has been inspired by traditional carvings found on Vietnamese architecture. The bat has played a significant role in Vietnam’s traditional arts and culture. The Sino-Vietnamese word for bat “Fu” sounds identical to the word Phúc (good fortune) making the bat a symbol of happiness and joy. The bat is shown flying upside down, meaning “happiness has arrived”. Also, “a bat descending from the sky” sounds exactly like “happiness descends from heaven”. We found this a well-suited symbol for a truly heavenly chocolate.