KitKat introduced their ‘Have a Break, Have a KitKat’ tagline in 1957, and to this day it’s widely recognised all around the world. In fact, it’s a slogan so well-known that you don’t even have to finish it or add the brand name for people to recognise it.
Now KitKat goes one step further, pushing the boundaries of how many letters are needed on a poster to understand a brand message. Embracing the heritage of the brand, integrated marketing agency Wunderman Thompson UK has created a unique type of digital out-of-home poster. Going live at the O2 Arena in London, the poster brings the spirit of the brand to life in a way that only KitKat can… by taking a break halfway through creating the ad.
The poster shows only the five letters of ‘Have a’ in white text on a distinctive red background, with the space bar blinking where you would expect to see the word ‘Break’. In a survey run by Wunderman Thompson UK, well over half of people not only identified the brand, but also understood the brand message, demonstrating the power of the ‘Have a Break, Have a KitKat’ tagline.
To learn more, we spoke to Wunderman Thiompson senior creatives Chris Jones and Kell Lunam-Cowan.
What was the brief?
The brief was simple – make a classic KitKat OOH ad using the brand proposition - ‘breaks’.
It wasn’t necessarily for a digital execution, but we liked the idea of playing with the medium and making it part of the creative.
How did the initial pitch/brainstorming phase go?
When we work together we’ll put everything into a deck, any idea no matter how big or small. We then go back through and pick out our favourites to work up or develop. Working over Microsoft Teams during the pandemic has certainly helped hone this process – in the past it was sheets of A3 layout paper. Now it’s PowerPoint.
What was the process behind ideating the concept?
Weirdly for such a simple idea, there was some back and forth about how much of the ‘Have a break, have a KitKat’ line to include. By inviting people to do some of the work to get the idea, it gives them a greater sense of reward. We didn’t want to spoon-feed them and make it too easy, but we also needed people to be able to understand it.
Working with such iconic brand colours and memorable tagline enabled people to fill in the blanks for themselves.
What was the biggest challenge during production? How did you overcome it?
Maybe the biggest challenge with such a simple idea is to not overthink and over-complicate it. We held our nerve and put faith in our clients to do the same.
What kit/tools/software were used to create the project?
The initial creative exploration was done in PowerPoint and moved on to Photoshop to create the first GIF. After Effects was used for the final supply files.
What is one funny or notable thing that happened during production?
There was a fair bit of discussion about the exact flashing rate for the cursor. Too quick and it looked impatient and rushed – it didn’t look like a ‘break’. Too slow and there was a danger that when people looked at it quickly, they’d only see it either on or off and not see it flashing.
What’s the main message of this project and why does it matter?
No matter what you do, breaks are important. KitKats are perfect for taking a proper break as you have to use both hands to snap off one of the fingers to enjoy so you can’t multi-task. You can’t type and have a KitKat, for example.
How long did it take from inception to delivery?
It took around two months in total from the briefing to seeing the posters up at the O2.
What do you hope it achieves for the brand?
The ‘Have a break, have a KitKat’ line has endured for so long as it’s one of those rare instances of it being absolutely integral to the product. The original KitKat (or Chocolate Crisp as it was named at launch) was specifically designed to be taken to work and enjoyed on a break.
The tagline’s been going strong for 66 years and we hope that our work helps keep it front of mind and relevant for a modern audience.
Credit list for the work?
Chris Jones – Senior Creative
Kell Lunam-Cowan – Senior Creative
Tom Drew – Executive Creative Director
Sandra Hiralal – Motion Graphics
Guy Sexty – Head of Art
Bas Korsten – Global Chief Creative Officer
Daniel Bonner – Global Chief Creative Officer
Sam Brooks – Business Director
Inge Selawry – Global Client Lead
Mark Davies - Managing Director for Nestlé Confectionary in the UK & Ireland
