KitKat’s ‘Little Breaks’ campaign rewards those who notice
The campaign transforms the brand's iconic logo into a canvas for hidden, hand-drawn scenes.
For nearly seven decades, KitKat has been encouraging consumers to quit smoking. Now, with its latest campaign, “Little Breaks,” the confectionery brand is reinforcing that legacy once again, turning a pause into a moment of discovery.
Created by VML UK, the new piece reimagines the KitKat brand as a canvas for intricate, hand-drawn illustrations. If you look closely, you’ll find calm, everyday scenes depicting silhouetted figures reading, playing music, or daydreaming, all nestled within the curves of the brand’s iconic logo.
Those small but mighty discoveries in the logo are like a free world around you. You don’t have to look for what is imagined, but after eating a KitKat, you see the world with different eyes.
This campaign marks a continuation of the VML UK brand’s direction. Previous projects have been created with hollow elements – most notably a series of “unfinished” digital posters that look as if the person creating them has decided to take a break during the creation.
One famous advertising slogan at London’s O2 Arena, coinciding with a sold-out Elton John concert, challenged the audience to mentally complete the famous line. The reaction was swift, with passersby recognizing the brand and completing the slogan themselves, both during the evening and on social media.
Little Breaks further develops this thinking, inviting audiences to linger longer and returning to the brand’s roots. The KitKat, introduced by Rowntree’s during the war years of rationing, has always been associated with the idea of creating space for small comforts. The now famous phrase “Have a break, have a KitKat”, first coined in 1957, is rooted in the ritual of the 11 am tea break.
“Most outdoor work is fighting to be the loudest thing on the street,” said Christopher Joyce, creative director at VML UK. “We wanted this campaign to do the opposite – to reward a moment of pause. At first glance, the posters look disarmingly simple, but take a closer look, and they reveal charming little illustrations that bring the brand and the break closer than ever.”
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