2024 Winner
BronzeBest in Niche Targeting
Nestle
"Have AI Break"
Courage
"Have AI Break"
Courage
KitKat, one of the top-selling chocolates worldwide, faced the challenge of staying relevant with younger audiences who engage more with online platforms than with traditional media. The objective was to reignite KitKat’s iconic "Have a Break" tagline with a new, modern take on breaks that would resonate with the tech-savvy audience.
A recent Google DeepMind study on large language model-based AIs detailed how prompting “take a breather” before any request improves the accuracy of the response.
The study found that using human-style encouragement dramatically improved math skills, from 34% to 80%. Researchers believe this works because AI language models like ChatGPT interpret commonly found human sayings, such as “take a breather,” as conveying the importance of carefully
reasoning through the problem.
This works because such phrases, commonly found in human communication, help the AI to access and utilize its training data more effectively, simulating a more human-like reasoning process. This led the agency to the insight that humans aren’t the only ones that perform better after a break.
The similarities between Google DeepMind prompts and KitKat’s tagline, “Have A Break, Have a KitKat”, became the catalyst of the idea.
The agency wanted to see if prefacing AI prompts with "Have A Break, and then…" would lead to better, more accurate responses when compared to the same question without the additional instruction. And if the results did prove to be more accurate after having a break, they would share
their findings with the world.
The campaign took shape as an online video living on KitKat Canada and eventually KitKat global channels, designed to show that even AI benefits from having a break.
The video starts by taking the viewer through the groundbreaking study from top AI researcher Google Deepmind, which shows that asking AI to “take a breather” before answering a question triggers
AI to answer more accurately.
Then the video transitions to show how using KitKat's tagline achieves similar results, with side-by-side comparisons revealing the improved AI responses. Throughout the video, there were multiple AI searches that are noticeably optimized after the "Have a break, and then…" prompt. From a branding perspective, the video leaned heavily into the unmistakable KitKat brand icons. The famous KitKat
red became the backdrop for KitKat-styled typography and the KitKat chocolate bar
made appearances throughout.
Right now, AI is a force poised to change how humans interact with technology and is ever present in their consciousness. In this context, KitKat found a groundbreaking way to hack AI language model prompt functions, with the tech-savvy crowd typing KitKat’s tagline over and over, effectively
inventing a new form of media advertising.
In a business where merely getting people to pay attention can be tough, KitKat managed to get consumers to use a decades-old tagline to interact with the most cutting-edge
media innovation of our times.
Within days, their discovery had everyone, from some of the most influential voices in the tech and AI community, like Allie K. Miller, to university professors and Google employees typing KitKat’s famous tagline over and over again. The video quickly became one of the most shared pieces of content
within the AI community in recent memory.
In a matter of weeks the campaign generated over 80 million organic impressions driving a 280% media return on investment.
With the “Have AI Break” campaign KitKat successfully reinvigorated its iconic tagline by integrating it with the latest in AI technology, reigniting the brand’s relevance with a new, modern take on breaks.
A recent Google DeepMind study on large language model-based AIs detailed how prompting “take a breather” before any request improves the accuracy of the response.
The study found that using human-style encouragement dramatically improved math skills, from 34% to 80%. Researchers believe this works because AI language models like ChatGPT interpret commonly found human sayings, such as “take a breather,” as conveying the importance of carefully
reasoning through the problem.
This works because such phrases, commonly found in human communication, help the AI to access and utilize its training data more effectively, simulating a more human-like reasoning process. This led the agency to the insight that humans aren’t the only ones that perform better after a break.
The similarities between Google DeepMind prompts and KitKat’s tagline, “Have A Break, Have a KitKat”, became the catalyst of the idea.
The agency wanted to see if prefacing AI prompts with "Have A Break, and then…" would lead to better, more accurate responses when compared to the same question without the additional instruction. And if the results did prove to be more accurate after having a break, they would share
their findings with the world.
The campaign took shape as an online video living on KitKat Canada and eventually KitKat global channels, designed to show that even AI benefits from having a break.
The video starts by taking the viewer through the groundbreaking study from top AI researcher Google Deepmind, which shows that asking AI to “take a breather” before answering a question triggers
AI to answer more accurately.
Then the video transitions to show how using KitKat's tagline achieves similar results, with side-by-side comparisons revealing the improved AI responses. Throughout the video, there were multiple AI searches that are noticeably optimized after the "Have a break, and then…" prompt. From a branding perspective, the video leaned heavily into the unmistakable KitKat brand icons. The famous KitKat
red became the backdrop for KitKat-styled typography and the KitKat chocolate bar
made appearances throughout.
Right now, AI is a force poised to change how humans interact with technology and is ever present in their consciousness. In this context, KitKat found a groundbreaking way to hack AI language model prompt functions, with the tech-savvy crowd typing KitKat’s tagline over and over, effectively
inventing a new form of media advertising.
In a business where merely getting people to pay attention can be tough, KitKat managed to get consumers to use a decades-old tagline to interact with the most cutting-edge
media innovation of our times.
Within days, their discovery had everyone, from some of the most influential voices in the tech and AI community, like Allie K. Miller, to university professors and Google employees typing KitKat’s famous tagline over and over again. The video quickly became one of the most shared pieces of content
within the AI community in recent memory.
In a matter of weeks the campaign generated over 80 million organic impressions driving a 280% media return on investment.
With the “Have AI Break” campaign KitKat successfully reinvigorated its iconic tagline by integrating it with the latest in AI technology, reigniting the brand’s relevance with a new, modern take on breaks.
Credits
COURAGE INCDhaval Bhatt - Founder + CCO
Joel Holtby - Founder + CCO
Tom Kenny - Partner + CSO
Niki Sahni - Partner + President
Tommy Yong - Associate Creative Director
Matt Miller - Associate Creative Director
Emma Lorenzi - Writer
Alex Karayannides - Group Account Director
Sacha Alleyne - Account Director
Niharika Chadha - Account Supervisor
Jordan McConnell - Account Executive
Lyndsey Westfall - Sr. Strategist
Clair Galea - Executive Producer
Katie Fowler - Producer
Sunaina Arora - Post Production Coordinator
Marcus Barrie - Editor + Motion Graphics
MEDIA: THRIVE Media
KITKAT
Tracey Cooke - Senior Vice President, CMO
Riona Coller - Marketing Leader, Everyday Confectionery
Aseem Gulati - Senior Marketing Manager
Jenny Chu - Assistant Marketing Manager
Brittany Blow - Corporate Affairs
ANIMATION: ALTER EGO
Edward Deng - Graphic Designer
VFX Executive Producer - Hilda Pereira
VFX Producer - Bobbi Dedman
AUDIO: EGGPLANT
Executive Producer - Nicola Treadgold
Audio Director - Jamie Pennock
Composer - Peter Pacey
Sound Design and Mix - Peter Pacey