Tony’s Chocolonely Spins Mondelēz’s Packaging Meltdown Into A Wholesome PSA
Video screenshot via Tony’s Chocolonely
Tony’s Chocolonely isn’t afraid to ruffle feathers. Known for its ethically sourced, slave-free chocolate and uneven bars, the brand once again revealed its no-holds-barred personality when it bravely went up against confectionery goliath Mondelez International, which sued it over purple packaging that resembled Milka wrappers.
The legal battle stemmed from Tony’s Chocolonely’s Fair Alternative campaign in Germany and Austria, where it released chocolate bars resembling the packaging of Milka (from Mondelez), Twix (from Mars), Kit Kat (from Nestlé), and Ferrero Rocher (from Ferrero). The temporary bars sought to put pressure on large chocolate producers and drive change in the cocoa industry, where child labor and exploitation are still prevalent.
Mondelez, which owns brands like Cadbury, Milka, Toblerone, and Oreo, took offense to the appropriation and accused Tony’s of infringing its color trademark in Europe.
The Dutch label yielded to the giant’s demands and washed out the purple, but not without turning this experience into a lesson for all.
Image via Tony’s Chocolonely
“Unfortunately, rather than addressing the long-standing issues in the cocoa industry—with all its devastating consequences—[this chocolate company] decided to take legal action,” Tony’s Chocolonely revealed on Instagram in February.
“But that doesn’t mean we’ll stop raising the issue,” it continued. “So, instead of paying expensive lawyers and arguing about trademark infringements, let’s have a conversation about how everyone can pay cocoa farmers a living income price.”
Today on Brand New (Linked): Tony’s Chocolonely recent “Sweet Solution” campaign — raising awareness of illegal child labor in the cocoa industry from the big players — got a rise (and lawsuit) out of Mondelez for the use of their Milka's trademark lilac https://t.co/GrCwGkqh6U pic.twitter.com/CkdWxq056D
— UnderConsideration (@ucllc) March 4, 2024
Photo 216688717 © Esther19775 | Dreamstime.com
Tony’s replaced the purple bars with a muted gray design, as well as emblazoned the chocolate bars with the text, “Formerly Lilac.”
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“After spending way too much time with people in suits (AKA lawyers), we launched a brand-new gray bar that’s definitely, totally, 100% not purple—all within 24 hours,” Tony’s explained further. It urged chocolate manufacturers to source beans from Tony’s Open Chain, its plug-and-play open supply chain aimed at ending exploitation in cocoa production.
Image via Tony’s Chocolonely Germany
Image via Tony’s Chocolonely Germany
Image via Tony’s Chocolonely Germany
[via MediaPost, Business Matters, BBC, Confectionery News, images via various sources]
