Mumbai – A box of ROYCE’ is easy to recognise. The world it inhabits this Diwali takes a little longer to place. ‘Not quite ordinary’, the Japanese chocolate maker’s new brand campaign, brings together distinctive characters, curious encounters and settings that seem to follow their own rules. Its inhabitants appear entirely at ease, as though there were nothing unusual about any of it.
At the heart of the campaign is the idea that becoming familiar need never mean becoming ordinary. For ROYCE’, originality has long been part of its approach to chocolate: carefully selected ingredients, attention to flavour and texture, and an openness to unexpected combinations. These qualities give people reasons to return, with room for discovery; knowing a chocolate well only deepens appreciation of what makes it distinctive.
‘Not quite ordinary’ brings that sensibility into an imaginative setting. Developed with creative director Pranoy Sarkar and stylist Devanshi Tuli, the campaign balances rich colour and theatrical styling with composed performances and understated humour. Personalities emerge through a glance, a gesture or a way of dressing, with a sense of lives continuing beyond the frame and tastes, habits and stories left to the viewer’s imagination.
For Sarkar, the starting point was the everyday. Mundane scenes are turned into surreal, painterly worlds, with festivity conveyed through colour rather than the obvious. Minimalism, clean lines and considered composition carry the brand’s Japanese heritage, while every scene was designed around the products, with the settings growing out of them. Each scene begins with something recognisable, then lets an unexpected detail shift its mood. ROYCE’ sits naturally within these encounters, a familiar point of connection in an unusual world.
This attention to individual taste finds natural expression in Diwali gifting. Choosing well begins with knowing someone: the flavours they enjoy, the details they notice, the things that feel unmistakably theirs. A gift can acknowledge an established favourite and still hold a sense of anticipation. The thought lies in recognising what someone loves, and making receiving it feel personal.
Samir Gadhok, Founder, Burgundy Brand Collective, said:
“There is a quiet confidence to ROYCE’ that gave us room to be playful with this campaign. We wanted the work to leave people with a sense of pleasure and curiosity—the same feeling we hope they experience when they receive a gift of our chocolate. It is an imaginative expression of the care that people associate with the brand.”
Avani Raheja, Founder, Burgundy Brand Collective, added:
“Our customers know what they love, and why. We wanted to reflect that thoughtfulness and independence of taste.”
The limited-edition Festive Gift Collection extends that care to the experience of opening a gift. Lumina, Starlight and Sunburst offer three designs, each with its own colour palette, gold accents and distinctive opening details. Each comes in Small and Large assortments, with selections including Pure Chocolate, Chocolate Wafers and Prafeuille Chocolat; contents vary by box, offering different combinations of flavours and textures.
The Festive Gift Collection is available online at royceindia.com, with prices starting at ₹3,195, inclusive of taxes.
****