Featured image for Crit* Nucoco

Crit* Nucoco

by Richard Baird on 02/11/2013 | 5 Minute Read

Editorial photograph

Glasgow-based design studio O Street have recently completed the strategy, visual identity and packaging work for Nucoco, an award winning and innovative chocolate brand that specialises in handcrafted slabs and bars with a confident and playful fusion of flavour and artistic design. The studio's solution reflects these values and achieves an unusual union of straightforward communicative effectiveness and aesthetic intrigue through the juxtaposition of very simple typographical detail and the practical sensibilities of a modular build alongside high quality print finishes and a striking but sophisticated collective colour palette.

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“From the beginning this project has been much more than a simple logo or packaging brief. We identified three core values which underpin everything they do. They are an inventive, confident and Scottish chocolate brand.”

“Early on, the scottish value was obvious. This is a company that want to be true to their roots and build a story that will have global appeal (not to mention value in the tourism market). We want Nucoco to be truly Scottish, though not in a clichéd way. This is where the inventiveness and confidence come in. Scots do things differently. They  create, they invent. This is what Nucoco are now bringing to chocolate. From sourcing unique local ingredients like tablet and whisky, to dreaming up novel and delightful packaging and products.”

“The marque, identity and packaging reflect all of this. The concept is one simple, constant shape (inspired by a chocolate piece) with endless possibility.”

- O Street

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On the surface the design appears to be split. At the top, a neutral sans-serif choice establishes - with a sense of honesty and information purity - the brand, it’s philosophy, provenance and the individual flavour profile of each chocolate. Divided over five lines with simple breaks, each piece of information is united by an almost non-hierarchical consistency of point size and weight. Its spacing and surrounding area is open and uncluttered, with a intentional sense of restraint and communicative, clinical efficiency that resonates well with the idea of innovation through experimentation.

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This typographical utility is matched by the modular build, geometric form and elemental simplicity of the Nucoco logo-type. This is remixed to form the basis of a more detailed ‘aesthetic’ piece that covers the majority of the pack and conveys the idea of the creative combination of base ingredients. The variety of tints keep the pattern work from appearing overtly simplistic, maximises the impact of a single spot colour and adds a detail and dimensionality that neatly reflects the mixed textures of the chocolate. Both logo-type and pattern are bound by a neat grid-based layout, a concept that appropriately draws on the associated structure of chocolate bars but also has a subtle sense of invention and systematic approaches.

Resolved, the space and type from the top and detail of the bottom make great use of the slightly taller and slimmer structure than conventional bar, neatly balancing aesthetic ebellishment and communication. 

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The colours deliver a practical division but earthy presentation of flavour through rich rather than synthetic choices, deeper tones that are a little more sophisticated, avoid ones dominated by high street brands and leaves plenty of room for product expansion. The structural design delivers a nice contrast between the low gloss of what looks like a high grade plastic sleeve, the softer, tactile touch of a matt varnish and the reflective qualities of a silver block foil. Cues that make the most of established perceptions and compliment the values of the brand.

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The union of utility and simplicity with embellishment, aesthetic detail, high quality print finish and material choices achieves an interesting duality. One that reinforces the brand’s juxtaposion of innovation and craft without appearing contradictory. Neatly balancing the required shelf impact with information and conceptual substance.

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Richard Baird

Richard is a British freelance design consultant and writer who specialises in logos, branding and packaging. He has written for Brand New and Design Week, featured in Computer Arts magazine, Logology, Los Logos, Logolounge, The Big Book of Packaging and runs the blogs BP&O and Design Survival.

Twitter:@richbaird

Blog: BP&O

Portfolio:richardbaird.co.uk