A Dream Come True For Chocoholics: The ‘Lindt Chocoladen Club’

A newspaper subscription? Old hat. Subscriptions to magazines like “Brigitte” and “Geo” are also commonplace. Some people even treat themselves to a “breakfast rolls” subscription from the local bakery or a “fruit subscription” from a nearby organic farm. But a subscription for chocolate lovers is truly a novelty. That’s what the direct-marketing experts at the DirectGroup Germany thought – so this summer they promptly partnered with the famous chocolate manufacturer Lindt to put together the “Lindt Chocoladen Club.” Since May a team of 15 has worked flat out to realize the new club, which launched in October.

“Lindt has been toying with the idea of a chocolate club for some time now,” reports project manager Marita Luismeier. But the Aachen-based chocolate makers don’t possess the necessary expertise to run a professional customer club – which is what DirectGroup Germany will be contributing. “Lindt is the licensor and supplies the monthly package of chocolates,” Luismeier says. “We handle the marketing, distribution and all administrative functions such as customer relations, customer service and logistics in cooperation with Arvato.”

A “Chocoladen Club” subscription includes the monthly receipt of a decorative gift box filled with around 750 grams of chocolate for the whole family: milk and dark chocolates, bars and pralines, with and without alcoholic fillings. In addition to classics, the package contains exclusive items from abroad, new products prior to their retail launch, and chocolate creations developed exclusively for the club. “The individual packages will also match the seasonal highlights. What, after all, would Easter be without the golden Lindt bunnies?” asks Luismeier. The subscription costs 24.95 EUR per month plus shipping and handling. There will be nine shipments a year, as chocolate doesn’t shop well during the summer months.

Chocoladen Club members can either enjoy their delicacies then and there – or they can use them as ingredients for other delectable delights: each package includes recipes featuring chocolate, composed by the likes of TV chef Johann Lafer. Add to that production descriptions, information about chocolate and a preview of the next Lindt package. Twice a year, it includes the “Chocoladenseiten” (Chocolate Pages) – Lindt’s customer magazine. Special praline collections are packaged in limited-edition gift boxes that are perfect for giving away. “The Chocoladen subscription itself also makes a good gift,” suggests Marita Luismeier.

In October, promotion began with a selective supplement to the Der Club Bertelsmann catalog and newsletter. The new “Lindt Chocoladen Club“ is also advertised on flyers at the Lindt factory outlet in Aachen, at the Chocolate Museum in Cologne and at Lindt’s five outlets – and has been given a regular column in the “Chocoladenseiten” customer magazine. The www.lindtchocoladenclub.de website also went live in October.

And because chocolate truly has universal appeal, it won’t just be advertised to Der Club customers: “We’ll start by approaching our Club members, but in the long term we’d like to have a customer base that is a good mix of Club customers and other chocolate lovers” says Luismeier, formulating the goal the Chocoladen Club team is working towards.