Roshen Dark Chocolate 2019 30 commercial - Ad Analysis
AI Editor notes
Straight from the gut!!
“It's beautifully shot, but feels incredibly self-indulgent. Flamingos, a burning lion statue, a string quartet in a flooded concert hall... for chocolate? The meta-commentary from the voiceover is a clever wink at the absurdity, but I have to ask who this is for. It's trying very hard to scream 'premium,' but it might just come off as pretentious and disconnected from the simple pleasure of eating chocolate.”
Quick Summary
This ad positions Roshen Dark Chocolate as a uniquely premium product by wrapping it in a surreal, high-art visual narrative that self-consciously argues the chocolate itself demands such an over-the-top, luxurious presentation. The core message is that the product is in a category of its own, so exceptional that normal advertising rules don't apply.
Executive Summary
Roshen's 2019 ad for its dark chocolate line is a confident exercise in brand positioning, using surreal luxury to elevate a consumer good into the realm of high art. The core insight driving this creative is that for a certain segment of consumers, dark chocolate is not just candy; it's a sophisticated indulgence, an experience akin to appreciating art or music. The ad doesn't sell taste or ingredients; it sells a status and an aesthetic.
The execution follows a clever Setup-Turn-Payoff structure, all narrated by a self-aware voiceover. The Setup establishes an opulent, moody scene with a grand piano and the initial product shot. The narrator immediately poses a question that the viewer might be thinking: 'Could a commercial for Roshen dark chocolate be less luxurious?' This sets a meta-narrative tone. The Turn is the narrator's immediate answer: 'Well, apparently, no.' This gives the ad permission to descend into its own beautiful absurdity. What follows is a series of disconnected, artistic vignettes: a man plays the piano as flamingos wander past, a string quartet performs next to a burning lion statue, all within a grand, water-filled hall. The visuals are indulgent and nonsensical, but they are justified by the internal logic the ad has created for itself. The Payoff brings it back to the product. The narrator explains this bizarre spectacle is necessary because the chocolate itself is so 'remarkable.' The final tagline, 'The first one after himself,' solidifies this positioning of being in a class of its own, beyond comparison. The product isn't just good; it demands this level of artistic tribute.
The debrief for the creative team would be mixed. On one hand, they created a visually stunning and unforgettable film that perfectly communicates 'premium' without using any of the typical category clichés like slow-motion chocolate pours or farmers in cocoa fields. The ad is intentionally ironic, making fun of category stereotypes while simultaneously embracing them. On the other hand, the work is cold. It's an intellectual exercise in branding that risks alienating consumers who want to feel a connection, not just appreciate a clever concept. It establishes the brand as sophisticated but perhaps not desirable in a visceral, 'I want to eat that now' way. It’s a solid piece of brand-building for a market leader, but it feels like an ad created for other advertisers as much as for the public.
Theme Keywords
Brand Position
The definitive, benchmark-setting dark chocolate.
Brand Archetype
The Magician
Creative Game Plan
Assert the chocolate's supreme quality by creating an ad so artistically over-the-top that it could only be justified by a truly remarkable product.
Diagnosis: Issues & Solutions
Primary Issue: Emotional Connection
The Problem:
The ad's greatest weakness is its emotional distance. By focusing on abstract, surreal luxury, it creates a spectacle to be observed rather than an emotion to be felt, failing to tap into the powerful feelings of comfort, pleasure, or desire associated with chocolate.
The Solution:
Bridge the gap between the high-concept world and the human experience. Keep the artistic setting, but introduce a moment of genuine, relatable enjoyment—a close-up of a character's subtle, satisfied reaction after tasting the chocolate, making the luxury feel attainable and desirable, not just observable.
Secondary Issue: Strategic Sense
The Problem:
The tagline, 'The first one after himself,' is intellectually intriguing but functionally meaningless to the average consumer. It's an internal-facing line that sounds clever in a boardroom but lacks a clear, motivating benefit on-shelf.
The Solution:
Develop a tagline that retains the sense of premium quality but grounds it in a more consumer-centric benefit. Something like 'The Art of Dark Chocolate' or 'Remarkably Dark. Uniquely Roshen' would connect the artistic concept to the product more directly.