Ernest Hillier was Australia’s first and oldest chocolatier, with over 100 years of heritage making “delectable quality chocolates.” Despite this legacy, the brand risked fading into obscurity. Once known for quality and prestige, it had become dated in its presentation and struggled to connect with today's consumers in a crowded market of boutique makers and global giants.

Our Approach

We began with a collaborative workshop and deep brand audit, uncovering what made Hillier truly distinctive: its Melbourne roots, its role in gifting and shared experiences, and its heritage of quality that has survived generations.

From these insights, we built a comprehensive brand strategy:

• Refined the brand to simply “Hillier” — shorter, stronger, and more memorable.
• Defined a positioning around “chocolate loved by generations, better shared.”
• Established brand pillars of heritage, simplicity, and shareability to guide every decision.

With strategy in place, we developed a new visual identity system:

• Confident, typographic-led design inspired by Melbourne heritage and understated luxury.
• A tone of voice that balances calm stoicism with enduring charm — storytelling rooted in authenticity.
• Flexible brand architecture capable of scaling across packaging, campaigns, and digital.

On packaging, we chose confidence through restraint:

• Minimal, premium materials that let the product itself shine.
• A bespoke chocolate mould as a physical signature of the brand.
• Clear storytelling woven into the back of pack to connect heritage with modern consumers.
• A modular system spanning everyday coated chocolates to luxury bars and seasonal releases.