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Modernizing a nostalgic
shopping experience

Increasing online and in-store revenue through a new website and marketing materials for a smooth-as-butter shopping experience

Reids Chocolate is a Canadian retail and wholesale business focusing on handmade goods and confections, exceptional customer service, and preserving the history of a 74-year-old company.

We were asked to modernize the store’s shopping experience, both online and in-store, while making a nostalgic brand that would resonate with other audiences through packaging, product guides, signage, and more.

Brand element moodboards and exploration

A TIMELESS RETAIL EXPERIENCE

Reids initially came to us to help them develop packaging and signage for their products and storefront. With limited branding to date, we honed in on Reids’ visual identity and brand voice and tone before diving into designs, to guarantee the final products were cohesive and on-brand.

Reids’ outdoor signage is a customer’s first taste—so to speak—of what’s to come, so we knew it needed to be beautiful and inviting. Thinking outside the box to design environmental signage that would evoke a timeless, inviting experience, we created custom graphics for all three locations, from neon signs to vintage-inspired mirror graphics.

the factory
Reid's storefront window
mobile collage
Reid's window

From package design, signage, catalogues, social media, a brand new website, and so much more, they really are a full-service agency.

Carrie Drew-Smith | Owner, Reids Chocolates

We also designed unique, custom packaging to display each confection with a signature, boutique feel. We created a design system so customers could easily identify different products and to create more efficiency for the staff to hand-pack them. From nutritional labels to barcodes, our team’s meticulous attention to detail meant that the packages included all the information the business needed.

A WEBSITE LIKE BROWSING THE CHOCOLATE SHOP

There's something special about visiting Reids' flagship store. Your eyes feast on the delicious treats and beautiful confectionery. We wanted to bring that experience online—with a few technical advancements.

Reids let us know that the website needed to be able to track inventory in-store and online, to include an intuitive backend that their team could manage, and to evoke the in-store experience. As one part of this strategy, we designed Reids’ website to increase revenue by reaching a wider audience and creating an online customer experience not to be truffled with. Reids was clear that they needed the web project complete in time for their largest shopping season: Christmas.

Reids was clear that they needed the web project complete in time for their largest shopping season: Christmas.

Content map

Mapping of the new website experience

A STRATEGIC SOLUTION

We pushed the creative boundaries so customers could seamlessly check out their milk chocolate Sea Salties without getting salty.

For this project, we introduced a headless CMS (Contentful), which proved vital in allowing the Reids team to easily update seasonal products and brochures. Combined with Shopify’s Cart and Checkout APIs, we were able to push the creative boundaries.

Installing Google Analytics and Hotjar on the new site was crucial to optimize it based on user engagement. We conducted keyword research to understand the most popular search terms and updated all SEO titles and meta data on the site to reflect them.

THE PAYOFF

Launched in November of 2019, right before the Christmas rush, the Reids website generated more revenue in two months than it had in its entire previous year. Now, in 2022, the gorgeous chocolate shop is trending at a 200% increase in yearly revenue.

200% INCREASE IN YEAR-OVER-YEAR ONLINE REVENUE

case study
Chocolate van

SEASONAL CAMPAIGNS

After the success of the first holiday season, we continue to collaborate with Reids on their Christmas campaigns.

This has included a yearly Christmas Product Guide, beautiful flipbooks each with a unique and captivating theme that are available every year, both in-store and online, allowing people to order from the comfort of their home and allowing Reids to showcase their unique, historical brand. We create the Guides from start to finish, from theme ideation to product staging and photography, to copywriting and design, and they have proven pivotal in increasing Reids’ wholesale purchases.

Reids

Along with the Guide, our team hand-illustrates a yearly Advent Calendar with a local theme, holiday social posts, and branded Christmas packaging. Reids now has a complete collection of absolutely mint (chocolate) holiday assets that are familiar and nostalgic to guests.

small box

REACHING MILLENNIAL CHOCOLATE LOVERS

500% SOCIAL MEDIA GROWTH

A major part of Reids’ success has been their increased social media presence. Our team continues to create custom illustrations and take product photos for holidays, announcements, and other fun things to help keep Reids’ content fresh and engaging, especially for younger audiences that they weren’t previously tapping into. Since we’ve been helping Reids with their social media and they’ve implemented engagement strategies, they’ve watched their followers increase 500%!

PARTNERS THROUGH AND THROUGH

Today, we continue to work alongside Reids as an extension of their team, immersed in their brand and collaborating with them in their mission to celebrate life’s moments. Small businesses make up the fabric of our cities, and we know that our work helps to shape the local community for the better. And, c’mon…who doesn’t love chocolate?

collage of sweets