Founded in 2011, Chocolate Naive is a decidedly esoteric brand: its classy choc comes all the way from Lithuania in packaging so beautiful it merits framing. Exclusivity is definitely part of its ethos.

This might be why its new ad exhibits none of the usual tropes of chocolate advertising. Shot in gauzy black and white, it’s an unhurried half-glance at the manufacturing process that might be read as a parody of an ‘arthouse film’. We see more of the unappetising cacao bean than we do temptingly melty chocolate – but both are outnumbered by random shots of deer, gardens, the moon and more.

There is no voiceover or narrative thread, nor much in the way of music (and when that does come, it’s unhelpfully creepy). Packshots? Obviously not – just a logo which, for most viewers, could mean absolutely anything.

Naive? You might think so, but the ad’s quiet beauty evokes nature and small-batch craft, while its obscurity suggests a certain confidence. An intriguing counterpart to the category’s usual blockbusters.

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