The Power of Packaging: Saif Al Jaber Reflects on Marketing Tactics & The Rapid Growth of Le Damas Dubai Chocolate

In recent years, 'people buy with their eyes' has become more than a saying; it has turned into a definition of customer behavior and, therefore, a catalyst for marketing tactics. According to Forbes, there are four pillars of effective packaging: visual appeal, functional design, authenticity, and storytelling. The results of mastering them all? A product that captivates the 72% of people who admitted to making purchasing decisions based on packaging alone.

When Le Damas Sweets launched the viral Dubai Chocolate, it quickly realized that, from packaging to flavor to quality, it navigated the complexities of growth seamlessly. Throughout this time, it expanded from a small local factory in Dubai into a global phenomenon, even landing on the shelves of major UK and MENA airports. The company also harnessed the early waves of the trend by selling on global retail stores and social media shops, which propelled them to unimaginable heights.

But beyond strategic selling tactics and the product's quality, Saif Al Jaber, Le Damas Sweets' CEO, believes that it was the chocolates' packaging that helped the brand entrench its footprint worldwide. "The visual appeal is a trigger. It sparks an impulse to purchase something, to enhance your home with something both functional and aesthetic," he shares. "If you don't like what you see, your mind subconsciously tells you that the quality and flavor will be lackluster, too."

Le Damas Sweets pleases all senses, starting from the very moment someone passes by its Dubai Chocolate bars. With a vibrant mosaic-like design, the packaging is a colorful fusion of Middle Eastern, African, Asian, and contemporary influences. Every flavor combination is also adorned with a unique blend of colors. For instance, while the traditional milk chocolate with pistachio and kunafa captivates with contrasting reds, blues, and yellows, the white chocolate and hazelnut cream variation compels with neutral tones with a pop of red.

Beyond the chocolate wrap, every bundle purchase comes with a complementary bag, which, at Le Damas, evokes the same level of lavishness and luxury that Dubai is beloved for. High-quality and made to impress, the bag comes with gold chains and can be carried around just like any other purse. It's embossed with real stitching and elevated with gold foilings, which further elevates its splendour. To enhance functionality, the company also created an airport-friendly version with material gold handles.

As an upscale and elegant product, this additional touch is especially valuable for those purchasing Le Damas chocolate as a gift. "It's almost like you're honoring a loved one by gifting them a piece of Dubai, opulence locked in a chocolate bar," he adds. With visually pleasing packaging and a bag that catches the attention of everyone who walks past, gifting is even more convenient with Le Damas.

In an era of social media, packaging also serves as a catalyst for likes, comments, and shares. "These days, everyone is on the hunt for the next Instagrammable sensation," adds Al Jaber. With thousands of images of Le Damas Sweets' chocolate bars and bags outside of Harrods, Big Ben, Piccadilly Circus, the Eiffel Tower, or Burj Khalifa flooding the internet soon after the launch, the company's rapid and impressive growth was truly the next natural step.

"Every time someone tags us on social media, we click on the picture to discover where else in the world our Dubai Chocolate has traveled to," he reflects. "In this new tech-driven era, that's what marketing is all about: creating a product that other people want to market for you. Because though every brand has a story, what makes you truly stand out is encouraging others to tell your story through their own voice, and without the support of the Government and the ease of doing business in the UAE, none of this would be possible."