This KitKat Ad Spotlights Why Breaks Are More Important than Ever

KitKat - a brand renowned for championing the importance of breaks - today celebrates the launch of its new global campaign. Building on decades of the iconic tagline ‘Have a Break, Have a KitKat’, the new work recognises that we live in a world that demands our constant attention and how difficult it is to switch off and have a proper break.  

Break Better, created by VML, is a fully integrated campaign spanning TV, online video, out-of-home, social and influencer, and will go live across the world, starting with the UK, followed by the rest of Europe, Canada and Australia. The campaign will be further adapted for different countries across the globe.  

The hero film at the centre of the campaign sees a man in a bustling office contending with a swarm of paperwork, sticky notes and office tech that cling to him like magnets. Against the backdrop of Queen’s iconic anthem ‘I Want to Break Free’, he walks out of the office in pursuit of a break. The day-to-day paraphernalia only drops to the floor once he opens a four finger KitKat and snaps the crispy chocolate wafer bar. The advert ends with the iconic tagline ‘Have a Break, Have a KitKat’.

As we all navigate busy lives, breaks are more important than ever. However, new research conducted by KitKat via Kantar across five markets has shown that while people feel they take enough breaks, just 34% of consumers say they often take breaks that are of good quality. 

Whether consumers feel they have less control over their schedule, increasing time pressures, are busy multitasking, or are simply not able to switch off their minds; many are spending their breaks either distracted or interrupted. 

The wider campaign brings this insight to life, further highlighting areas in our lives where our breaks are interrupted. Out-of-home interrupts KitKat’s iconic endline while social executions, in collaboration with creators and influencers, demonstrate interruptions that come up in their own lives. 

“KitKat has been the brand that owns breaks for over 80 years, but we needed to find a way to resonate with the pressures on young people’s lives today. We want to not just champion the importance of taking breaks, but to help the world break better for years to come” said Chris O’Donnell, global lead, KITKAT at Nestlé.  

“A decent break always comes from an ability to fully disconnect. It’s been so much fun to bring this idea to life across such a broad range of channels and in such a playful way. It’s safe to say, the whole team are now enjoying a well earned, proper - break” added Tom Drew, executive creative director at VML UK. 

Break Better was directed by Randy Krallman at Smuggler with production managed by Hogarth. Media planning and buying is by OpenMind.