Epic heroes meet up in unified national chocolate series

Just ahead of Estonia's Independence Day, Kalev updated its popular 300 gram Kalevipoeg, Kalev and Linda chocolate bar wrappers and integrated them into a new national epic series.

The Kalev and Linda packages, which have been altered numerous times over the years, now have a design more similar to that of Kalevipoeg's packaging, which has remained unchanged for 40 years.

Due to the frequent package design alteration, the wrappers of Kalev and Linda chocolate bars have not stuck in consumer's minds as much as Kalevipoeg. It therefore seemed logical to join all three epic hero-inspired products into a unified national epic series," Kalev's marketing director Anne Tääkre explained.

Designer Maret Põldre from the advertising agency Identity, along with creative director Ionel Lehari drew the new Kalev and Linda based on the Kalevipoeg motif created by one-time Kalev head artist Ilse Rosenfeld-Lepikson. A small explanatory note has been added to the back of each package, briefly introducing each epic character.

"We've failed to highlight our national epic tale to tourists. Kalevipoeg, Kalev and Linda are national gift chocolates, which on the one hand are perfect for introducing visitors to Estonian national mythology and on the other hand for reminding locals of our ancient past and national epic which describes it," said Tääkre.

The oldest of the epic chocolate bars is Kalevipoeg, which was brought into production by Kalev ca 50 years ago. Kalevipoeg also is one of the most purchased chocolate bars in Estonia, according to consumer studies.

The Kalev chocolate bar was added to the confectionery company's selection a few short years after Kalevipoeg entered the market, i.e. in the late 1960s. The newest of the epic chocolates is Linda, but even this sweet has been enjoyed for 30 years.