Communication theory based on brand of South American chocolate bars
Rubricator
1. How communication theory works in the field of design - Semiotics: meaning through signs - Visual rhetoric - UX and interaction design: communication through action - Cultural and social context - Narrative theory and media theory - Design is a controlled attempt to shape perception
2. The brand introduction for a general audience - CHOCOPLAN - Target audience - Naming & Logo
3. The brand introduction for a professional audience - Direct and indirect competitors - The Brand Pyramid - Tone and communication style - Channel integration principles - Content Formats
4. Communication theory as the basis for presentation - Visual rhetoric - Digital rhetoric - Elaboration Likelihood model - Narrative Paradigm - Two-way symmetrical model of PR
5. Bibliography and image sources
How communication theory works in the field of design
The visualization of ChocoPlan chocolate bars by Adeliya Chanysheva, 2025.
Communication could be defined as a relational process in which a sender delivers a message through a certain medium and receives feedback. A brand transmits values and ideas to a customer through visual design that turns abstract messages into tangible forms to achieve a response as a user’s behavior. Therefore, communication theory in the field of design explains the way meaning is created, transmitted, perceived, and interpreted through visual, verbal, and experiential forms. Designers rely on these principles to ensure that what they intend to communicate meets the audience’s understanding.
To explain elaboratively how communication theory works in the field of design, it is essential to take into consideration narrative theory, semiotics, visual rhetoric, interaction design, cultural and social context, media theory.
Meaning through signs. Generated with Gigachat
Semiotics: meaning through signs
Signs are used to communicate meaning and help to ensure that visuals trigger the intended interpretation across the audience. Imagery highlights the idea that is supposed to be delivered; for instance, the delete function is usually depicted as a trash bin icon, indexes show cause-effect (smoke leads to fire), and symbols are culturally learned (red is associated with danger).
Visual information is usually organized according to proximity (objects that are placed together are seen as related), similarity (matching shapes, sizes and colors create groups), figure-ground (separation of a visual scene into a main object and the area it rests on) and closure (filling in missing gaps to create a unified object). Listed principles help designers to create intuitive layouts and visual hierarchy to guide consumer’s attention.
Generated with Gigachat
Visual rhetoric
Design brings an opportunity to communicate emotions and arguments visually, which is crucial to enhance persuasion in such spheres as advertising and political messaging. By saying «The image is a message» [3], Barthes highlights the importance and power of visuals that are used strategically in campaigns and constructed brand identity. These principles were used within a wide range of ideologies to activate a response in the viewer.Composition navigates eye movement», certain shapes bring dynamic or static qualities depending on the goal to achieve. Kandinsky described a square as a steady object and a triangle as active and driving: «The triangle’s tension is directed, purposeful, and therefore compels the eye to move.»[4]Color communicates emotions and addresses the subconscious: blue associates with calmness, trust and reliability, so it is usually used in logos of social networks (Facebook, Twitter, VK). Red catches attention, creates urgency and provokes quick decisions and impulsive buys, usually mixed with yellow for feelings of nostalgia and happiness — this tendency can be observed in logos of fast-food companies such as McDonalds and KFC. Typography sets tone in a range from serious to playful.
Generated with Gigachat
UX and interaction design: communication through action
Design communicates through affordances and feedback that show success or failure. Implementation of animations, sounds, gifs, decorated writings and styled notifications gives feedback and provides immersiveness. As Norman said, «Design is really an act of communication, which means having a deep understanding of the person with whom the designer is communicating.» [1] Button shape and color communicate with a user and look clickable, sliders provoke drag, while layout and flow indicator priority and context. This approach is vital in video games, interactive longreads (Readymag), apps (google maps, Duolingo).
Cultural and social context
Cultural code the meaning of yellow color might be the opposite according to a local tradition: In India it symbolizes bliss and divinity, while in China it is more ambiguous and indicates betrayal and pornography. Along with geographical variations, generational differences play a role in perception and affect the way symbols are interpreted. One of the brightest examples is the discourse on the wide-smile open-eyed emoji between zoomers and millennials: the older generation tends to use it in a friendly way, while the younger decodes it as a passive-aggressive sign or uses it ironically.
Cultural differences between generations. Generated with Gigachat
Cultural and social context
Storytelling is a crucial part of design, narrative paradigm helps to create emotional bonds and involve users into communication that starts from the logo that summarizes the brand’s values and ends with packaging guiding the customer experience. For instance, Nike uses a narrative of personal triumph and unlocking personal potential. The brand’s story addresses the everyday person pushing themselves — it expands the targeted audience and provokes emotional response. As it was said by Barthes «Image is a message”[3], McLuhan continues saying „The medium is the message“ [2]- the medium shapes the message itself, alters user interpretation and behavior, therefore designers have to choose the most accurate one (interaction, motion, graphic) to highlight the intended idea.
Generated with Gigachat
Design is a controlled attempt to shape perception
Communication theory in the field of design ensures that the message is encoded correctly using semiotics and visual rhetoric, supported by the medium according to media theory, decoded easily by the audience, interpreted through culture according to social context, and delivers the intended meaning. Taking into consideration the listed principles, design could be named as a controlled attempt to shape and adjust meaning, perception and action.
The Brand introduction for a general audience
Communication through the packaging design by Adeliya Chanysheva, 2025.
«CHOCOPLAN»
Chocolate bars made from South American cocoa beans are produced with fillings that are inspired by local confectionery traditions. The cardboard packaging is illustrated with a combination of digital art and hand-drawn graphics. On the front side are people collecting ingredients for the filling. The background is other constituent filler: large juicy berries, waves of cream and salty lake. The plot of illustrations enhances the value of manual labor and the naturalness of the final product. Product range consists of three flavors: white chocolate with raspberry, dark chocolate with high cocoa content and salt and milk chocolate with cream Dulce de Leche.The The visualization of gathering the ingredients for ChocoPlan production. Generated with Gigachat
The Brand research by Adeliya Chanysheva, 2025.
Target audience
Individuals between the ages of 20 and 65 who are curious and seeking new flavors and natural compositions. Those who appreciate the cultures of other countries, in particular culinary and confectionery traditions. Those who are attracted by vivid illustrations and manual labor. Also the audience is characterized by an average and above-average income, people rely on emotions while making a decision of purchase.
The audience on the theme fair. Generated with Gigachat
Naming & Logo
Communication through logo symbols by Adeliya Chanysheva, 2025.
The Brand introduction for a professional audience
The visualization of ChocoPlan chocolate bars Adeliya Chanysheva, 2025.
Direct and indirect competitors
The analysis of brand’s competitors
ChocoPlan’s main competitors are premium chocolate brands. Their distinctive features — packaging made of dense cardboard or metal, natural composition and high-quality ingredients and inert fillers. Rarely among such products there are packaging with illustrations. The indirect competitors are preempting the nipple with cheaper raw materials and wrapping materials — mainly plastic, the design is vivid. Chocolate ChocoPlan stands out among its direct competitors due to the illustrative and bright packaging, among the indirect by its natural composition and stylistics.
The Brand Pyramid
The Brand Pyramid chocolate by Adeliya Chanysheva, 2025.
Tone and Communication Style
CHOCOPLAN communicates in a sensual, friendly, and expressive tone that highlights cultural discovery, sophistication of taste, and the joy of artisan chocolate. The brand’s voice is warm, sociable, and evocative inviting consumers into a world where flavor and art converge.
Main Communication Channels:
- Social media platforms
- Brand website and online store
- Selling products on popular marketplaces
- Collaborations with designers, and travel bloggers
- Specialty food fairs
The visualization of brand counter at the fair. Generated with Gigachat
Channel Integration Principles
Design standards: сollaborations with artists working in an established manual technique.
Message consistency: key narratives cultural authenticity, handcrafted quality, sensory exploration remain aligned across all channels.
Cross-promotion: all platforms support each other (e.g., social media directs to the website for product details and cultural stories; packaging includes QR links to digital content).
Synchronized launches: flavor releases, seasonal collections, and collaboration campaigns start simultaneously across digital and offline touchpoints to maximize impact.
Centralized analytics: Insights from social platforms, website activity, and retail performance inform ongoing strategy and content adaptation.
The concept of the online store. Generated with Gigachat
Content Formats
— Social Media Posts Regular updates with packaging highlights, flavor introductions, cultural insights, artistic illustrations, collaboration and event announcements.
— Articles & Blog Posts Stories about South American confectionery heritage, local ingredients, artisanal traditions, and the creative process behind CHOCOPLAN.
— Video Short clips showing the making of the chocolate, the illustration process, South American ingredient origins, and emotional tasting experiences among the audience.
— Infographics Visual guides explaining flavor profiles, cocoa origins, cultural backgrounds, and artisan techniques.
— Advertising Materials All types of content mentioned above, plus outdoor advertising as banners. Collaborations with designers, and travel bloggers.
Communication theory as the basis for presentations
Generated with Gigachat
Visual rhetoric
Visual rhetoric is essentially a way of communication through color, shape and composition. While it was only briefly mentioned in the course, visual rhetoric directly influenced the brand’s visual identity and its presentation. The illustrated packaging of our product that shows ingredients and people gathering them, the combination of natural grounded and vibrant colors and the mixed-media style support our brand’s essence: authenticity, traditions, aspiration for something new and artistic value.
Communication through package design by Adeliya Chanysheva, 2025.
Digital rhetoric
Digital rhetoric, which is an extension of classical rhetoric in a digital space, helped to establish the way our brand communicates online. The varied content (such as short videos, infographics and regular posts) along with the usage of multiple platforms (social media, brand website, marketplaces) allows the brand to not only find new potential customers, but to connect with the existing ones through interactivity and pretty much instant communication. It also allows us to get feedback on our products which gives us an opportunity to improve it to suffice the customers’ wants.
The cultural context on the packaging of a chocolate bar is a visualization of sustainable expression with the Argentine dessert Dulce de Leche by Adeliya Chanysheva, 2025.
Elaboration Likelihood model
The presentation created for the general audience mainly relies on the peripheral route, which utilizes irrelevant cues such as emotions, attractiveness and aesthetic. It shows bright illustrated packages, name of the brand and its origin and a friendly-looking logo. Those cues allow the audience to form an opinion without needing to process complex information. On the other hand, the professional presentation relies on the central route, since this kind of audience is supposed to be analytical and motivated (and qualified) to process presented information, which is why in that part we included the overview of competitors, the brand pyramid, communication channels etc.
Narrative Paradigm
CHOCOPLAN presents each chocolate bar as a small story connected to South American traditions. This creates narrative coherence through consistent illustration style and flavor concepts, and narrative fidelity by aligning the story with audience values such as curiosity, cultural appreciation, and interest in authentic experiences. For general consumers this approach makes the brand memorable
The red colored raspberry on the package that attracts the customer’s attention by Adeliya Chanysheva, 2025.
Two-way symmetrical model of PR
Effective professional communication must be based on transparency, balanced communication, and clear articulation of shared goals. The professional presentation reflects this by defining communication channels and consistent brand messaging. These decisions align with the model’s emphasis on strategic communication that builds long-term, mutually beneficial relationships.
The visualization of ChocoPlan chocolate bars by Adeliya Chanysheva, 2025.
Norman, «The Design of Everyday Things, ” 1988 [1]
McLuhan, «Understanding Media, ” 1964 [2]
Roland Barthes, «Rhetoric of the Image, ” 1964 [3]
Wasiliy Kandinsky, «Point and Line to Plane», 1926 [4]
Adeliya Chanysheva. Portfolio HSE. «Шоколад ChocoPlan & ароматы PODWALL»
Adeliya Chanysheva. HSE Design.Chocolate from South American cocoa ChocoPlan
Adeliya Chanysheva. Portfolio HSE. «Шоколад ChocoPlan & ароматы PODWALL»
AI used: GigaChat
