"Since premium chocolates are almost always given as gifts, we set out to make the V "Since premium chocolates are almost always given as gifts, we set out to make the V brand as appealing as it could be. If you ask a French person, the name 'V' stands for vie, meaning 'life.' If you ask Romans, they'll give you a high five. Somehow, these two observations felt instructive as we developed the V brand," said Dave Thomas. “Basically, the premium chocolate landscape is littered with faux-Euro stuffiness and Grandma-flavored kitsch. For V Chocolates, the packaging had to be beautiful enough to give to a best friend, boss or significant other. But we also wanted to undercut the usual pretentiousness with a little bit of cheek” said Thomas. "It's good taste," explains Jeff Olsen, creative director, "that doesn't take itself too seriously.” “The 'Love life' tagline pretty much sums it up," says senior designer Brian McDonough. "Love what life brings you. Love chocolate? Give chocolate. Simple really. With the brand personality in place, the design fell together. Familiar-feeling without resorting to retro, it's made to be a people pleaser. Which is also the idea behind the copy bits scattered in and around the box-they reward your attention with a small moment of silliness. Who doesn't love that?”