Kit Kat wants you to give AI a break

The brand’s new spot says giving AI sufficient breaks derives accurate and better results.

Since the past few months, we all have been using Generative AI be it for work, personal projects and even school. However, Kit Kat wants us to give our AI engines a break. The brand’s new commercial begins by highlighting a study from Google that underscores the benefits of letting AI engines take breaks. It proposes that by granting AI a pause, users can unlock more precise and superior results.

 The visual narrative unfolds by presenting AI-generated outcomes based on identical inputs. Astonishingly, the engine afforded a break demonstrates a staggering 70% accuracy, eclipsing the 30% accuracy of its uninterrupted counterpart.

The ad titled ‘Have A(I) Break’ is airing in Canada and was developed with Toronto agency Courage. This campaign not only captures attention but also draws parallels to viral videos depicting individuals, particularly the elderly, displaying politeness by adding words like 'Please' and 'Sorry' when interacting with AI. The ad cleverly weaves together humour and relevance, making it both engaging and thought-provoking.

Kit Kat's foray into advocating AI breaks isn't new. The ad also draws parallels to an earlier campaign by Kit Kat Australia that was executed by VMLY&R. The campaigns showcased a series of films where AI prompts being used as the film itself. “AI made this ad so that we could take a break,” the Kit Kat Australia films had said.

This thematic continuity reinforces Kit Kat's commitment to the idea of breaks, aligning seamlessly with its iconic 'Have a break, have a KitKat' tagline.

Kit Kat has been associating itself with ‘Breaks’ ever since its inception in 1935. It positioned itself as a candy bar that the working class man could take to work to have a ‘break’. However, the 'Have a break, have a KitKat' tagline was introduced in 1957 in London by Donald Gilles, an employee at JWT London.

This tagline has since become a cornerstone of Kit Kat's marketing strategy, paving the way for more than 100 advertising campaigns globally. In India, the brand has adapted the tagline with variations like 'Kit Kat break banta hai,' 'Life Hai, Kit Kat break banta hai,' and 'Breaks for Good,'. Kit Kat has since had a universal appeal and has been able to add versatility to messaging.