Best Campaigns Of The Last 20 Years: Kit Kat
The "Have A Break" campaign is a classic creative class on The Big Idea.
What’s the Big Idea. It used to be the measure that all ad creativity was judged on—whether an idea was campaign-able. An idea so good, with so many legs, it could run forever. First example that comes to mind: The ABSOLUT print campaign.
Big Ideas are hard to come up with. But once you do, advertising becomes much easier. Easier for the agency, easier for the creatives, easier for the client. And Big Ideas work. They sell the shit out of the product. Absolut went from nothing to the most popular premium vodka brand in the world. Very quickly.
Have A Break. So stupidly simple. You “break” a Kit Kat to eat it (unless you’re a fucking Troglodyte). You “break” when you snack. Go—make ads. Run with it til the cows come home, and then feed the cows Kit Kats, and keep running with it.
All of these ads are from the last 20-ish years and were created by offices of JWT, Kit Kat’s worldwide ad agency.
The UK
A fucking “pause” button. One of the most perfect print executions every executed. Production cost: NOTHING. Shove you digital CGI trickery up your analog asshole. Ad agency: JWT, London. (Kit Kats have always been made in York, England).
Mexico
As the campaign gets chugging, you don’t even need the tagline. Just visualize it. From 2012. Ad agency: JWT Mexico.
UAE
Once you have a Big Idea, virtually visit the animal kingdom and the executions will just start popping into your head. See two spots below. Ad agency: JWT, Dubai.
The UK
Have A Break, little Mothra. Ad agency: JWT London.
The UK
20 seconds of Loch Ness. Production Cost: about 20 pounds. Ad Agency: JWT London.
The UK
The name is Kat. Kit Kat. Ad agency: JWT London.
The UK
I hate celebrity ads, unless they’re good, which is almost never. Not-quite-so-famous Jason Statham—and his wonderful gravelly voice—reminding you and me that we are not a salmon is a good celebrity ad. Ad agency: JWT London.
The UK
When your campaign goes super “viral” because it’s so fucking good, you use a billboard like it’s never been used before. No product, no logo, no name. Ad agency: JWT London.
The Netherlands
The oldest form of OOH. Hire a guy (pay him with Kit Kats), hang a sign board on him, Get him to an Apple store early morning of a new product launch. Media cost: Zero. Media exposure: Large. Ad agency: JWT Amsterdam.
The UK
Lastly, a Kit Kat park bench? Perfect. Ad agency: JWT London.
PREVIOUSLY: Best Campaigns Of The Last 20 Years: VW GTI featuring the great Peter Stomare.