Front-page ad without a logo nor product – just trust in an iconic brand Karl Fazer uses the power of its distinctive blue colour in a minimalistic ad

Karl Fazer chocolate is loved by many in Finland, and one of its most distinctive features is its blue colour. December 6th marks the 106th Independence Day of Finland and to honour the approaching milestone Karl Fazer chose to highlight “Blue Moment” in the creative execution. With a minimalistic front-page ad, the brand trusts its power to be recognized from the moment a Finn lays eyes on it. Even when there’s no logo nor product to be seen.

Karl Fazer’s blue colour has been a promise of quality and deliciousness over a century. The print ad created by brand house SEK for Karl Fazer, and published on Finland’s biggest newspaper, speaks for the nation. Every Finn can relate to the blue moment, and it is something Karl Fazer truly represents.

– Very few brands globally can successfully run an ad without a product or logo. Luckily, Karl Fazer has an iconic position in Finland. It is part of Finns’ identity. Despite the printed name being “Karl Fazer,” all Finns affectionately know it as “Fazer Blue” due to its iconic blue wrapping. In Finland, the color blue holds deep cultural significance, and nowadays it is a synonym for our heritage chocolate. That’s why we can remind people about the delicious chocolate by just showing the colour, Adele Enersen, SEK’s Senior Creative, explains the insight behind the execution.

Karl Fazer, the founder of Fazer, chose the Fazer’s iconic blue colour to represent independent Finland. The chocolate brand made history in 2001 being Finland’s first brand to secure a color trademark – Pantone C 280. 

Karl Fazer is taking over Finland’s “Blue Season”

In Finland, there are only two seasons: summer and the blue moment. The blue moment arrives when the dark period lengthens, and Finland wraps itself in the soft dark blue time of the polar night. The Blue season is the perfect time for cozying up at home.

– Karl Fazer lives and breathes kindness, self-compassion and tranquility. Thus, we started the Blue Moment, a season that celebrates recharging. By combining the iconic blue colour and Fazer’s slogan “Share a blue moment. / Jaa Sininen Hetki.” in the ad, the message for Finns a day before the Independence Day is loud and clear. This time is devoted to resting and sharing a blue moment together with loved ones, Linda Lukkarinen, Karl Fazer’s Senior Marketing Manager says.

The Blue season aligns perfectly with Finns’ Independence Day activities. As weird it may sound, for most Finns the highlight of the Independence Day is staying home and watching the Presidential Independence Day Reception from TV. Hopefully doing so while sharing a blue moment.

Spot the ad on the cover of Helsingin Sanomat & HBL on 5.12.2023

SEK, part of GREY, is a creative brand house of 130 passionate professionals. At SEK, bold creativity is combined with strategy, vision and data. A successful brand is built with touching and business-enhancing concepts. We produce relevant content, from communications to design, for all customer encounter points.

Source: SEK

  Advertising, Finland, Karl Fazer, Marketing, SEK