• by Fern Siegel , October 1, 2025

Godiva chocolates has a novel approach to its latest campaign, "Lady Godiva Returns: A Modern Masterpiece Is Born."

It enlisted actress/singer Leighton Meester, known for "Gossip Girl," to represent its namesake — and promote its new Masterpiece Collection.

The company's roots date to 1926, but it wasn't until 1946 that Joseph and Francois Draps named the family business Godiva, saluting the boldness of Lady Godiva. The legend: She agreed to ride naked through the Coventry streets if her tyrannical husband, the Earl of Mercia, would lower taxes on the town.

Lippe Taylor did the creative, which is running on connected TV, out-of-home, billboards, digital and social platforms. Adrian Villagomez directed the spot, in which Meester mimics a "Mission Impossible"-style art heist, noting "indulgence is an art."

The new collection includes Dark Chocolate Ganache, Milk Chocolate Ganache and Dark Chocolate and Smooth Caramel. As the spot notes: "The only masterpiece you can taste." 

“With each Masterpiece, we celebrate Godiva’s rich heritage, while inspiring a new generation of chocolate lovers to embrace this collection as a fine art form,” said Ahad Afridi, CMO Americas, pladis, the British confectionery and snack foods company that owns Godiva.

In 1968, Godiva was appointed an official chocolatier to the Royal Court of Belgium. The company plans a transformational brand reset in 2026 for its centennial.

Lippe Taylor has also done work for Nature Made, Persona, Revlon and Yellow Tail.