The Weltchek Weekly

News arrived this week of a new type of chocolate—ruby chocolate, or as its manufacturer puts it, Ruby (with a capital R). According to the company’s press release, the chocolate “satisfies a new consumer need found among millennials—hedonistic indulgence.”

I’m not a millennial, but I think it’s safe to say that not a one of them would ever actually say “I have a need for hedonistic indulgence.” On second thought, make that anybody of any generation. Making matters worse, hedonism means to indulge yourself in pleasure above all else, so hedonistic indulgence is redundant and smacks of hype. (And never mind that I can’t get ancient Romans and decadent feasting habits out of my head.)

The New York Times gave the unveiling ample coverage—”Confectioner Proclaims New Frontier in Chocolate”—but poked fun at the release for indulging “in a fair amount of marketing jargon” and straining the credibility of the chocolate maker’s claims.

It’s always best to communicate with words and terms people actually use—and in ways they use them—and to avoid hyperbole. I suspect this ruby chocolate with its promises of “berry-fruitiness and luscious creaminess” will be enough to satisfy chocolate lovers of all ages.