Ghirardelli
Ghirardelli Sensorial Masterclass

San Francisco's Ghirardelli Square is a social landmark bonded with Ghirardelli's world-famous chocolate and Hot Fudge Sundae, a 168-year-old recipe newly improved with an extra layer of warmth and generosity.

Our challenge was to create an experience that honors a San Francisco legacy in stores across the country while, at the same time, revolutionizing the way people discover and share Ghirardelli chocolate with the world.

The strategy focussed on elevating Ghirardelli’s reputation for creating the world’s finest chocolates and positioning Ghirardelli Square as a must-visit tourist experience.

Creating a place for moments of discovery and delight, we installed a live demonstration fountain where chocolatiers showcase their flair.  For the retail area, we created a sense of abundance in the product displays.  The focus centered around the pick-and-mix area that surrounds a column with a seamless LED screen on all sides and is programmed with fun, compelling chocolatey content. Below these screens are bins of endless chocolate squares—a flavor for everyone.  

Reflecting consumers’ continuing desire for personalized experiences, shoppers can choose their favorite Ghirardelli squares and have them packaged with a customized label, especially for them.

Operationally, we ran extensive peak-hour scenarios and collected feedback from staff and customers. With the data, we redefined the store's operational efficiency in terms of speed, service, and seamlessness. The result is that queue times have been reduced by 66%, and orders are now completed twice as quickly as before.

Theatrical production, exceptional operation, and unforgettable moments stirred a new appetite for media buzz and shareability, helping deliver Ghirardelli’s brand purpose to Make Life a Bite Better.