A global leader in the biscuit and confectionary business whose motto, “We promise happiness in every bite,” inspired designers of its North American headquarters to create a fun, lively, innovative, and engaging environment: Eye candy!

Pladis, named for the star constellation Pleiades, and which calls its 26,000 worldwide employees “pladisians,” markets Godiva chocolates and Carr’s biscuits, among many other brands. The company was looking to combine staff from two U.S. offices, as well as create a space that would represent branding materials for the parent company and the individual companies it represents. The client wished to incorporate the Pladis story and create a work environment for employees to reach their full potential.

In addition to a reception area to include food product displays, and a large boardroom to accommodate large staff meetings and visiting customers from other countries, designers were challenged to create some special program spaces to reinforce the company’s culture.

• Huddle Rooms were designed for each individual brand, so each branding team has its own work space. The huddle rooms are available to all staff, when not in use by teams. Small focus rooms are used for private telephone conversations and heads-down work.
• The Creative Hub is a niche for pin-up, mock presentations and marketing meetings. Two booths function for private meetings for 2-4 people.
• A Game Room, complete with Ping-Pong table, allows employees to cut loose, relax and get to know one another better.
• A Planogram room, a space where employees can study placement of products on retail shelves for maximum sales, is equipped with grocery-store shelving and a light fixture that can be adjusted to mimic light temperatures in stores. Planogram rooms, common to consumer goods companies are not meant to be glamorous, but to study how color and package design are affected by their surroundings.

To achieve workplace vitality, designers created distinguishing graphics in fresh primary colors, capturing the company and individual brand stories. These graphics assist wayfinding as well. Contemporary furnishings in bold colors and warm woods invite employees to collaborate and create.  The result is a lighthearted, productive space that will position the company for growth. In the words of CEO Cem Karakas, “You need to be happy in your work place, because without happiness you cannot be successful. . . .We are all bakers and chocolatiers at heart.”