The Brand Purpose
Based on the tactical and strategic gaps that we have identified, our team proposes that Kit Kat focus its activities on a new brand purpose. Kit Kat’s “Have a Break, Have a Kit Kat”, has become one of the most widely recognized brand taglines in the world. We feel that Kit Kat Singapore (KKS) could leverage on the success of this tagline to bring Kit Kat back into the minds of the consumers.
Despite Kit Kat penning the memorable tagline, marketing efforts have not focused on developing a connection between Kit Kat and taking a break in the consumers’ mind. Thus, we propose “Forever Reinventing Breaks” as the new brand purpose.
Despite Kit Kat penning the memorable tagline, marketing efforts have not focused on developing a connection between Kit Kat and taking a break in the consumers’ mind. Thus, we propose “Forever Reinventing Breaks” as the new brand purpose.
“Forever Reinventing Breaks”
KKS aims to target the 18 – 24 year old youth in Singapore – tertiary students and fresh grads. Keeping in mind the increased pressure on this age segment, both in the education and office environment to work long hours, we propose that KKS adopt a focus that emphasizes a message of going against “workaholism”.
As time goes by, Kit Kat’s brand loyal segment seems to be ageing. Our research and feedback from Kit Kat’s brand manager both suggest that Kit Kat’s key customer segment is parents who purchase the chocolate for their children. These customers also have fond memories of Kit Kat from their childhoods, which drive their decision to purchase the brand.
However, today’s youth are indecisive. Brand loyalty is rarely a driver in their purchase decisions; instead “fads” and low prices are what attract these customers to many products. Feedback from quantitative and qualitative research and brand frenzy showed us that many of KKS’s target customers purchase chocolate based on “what they feel like” buying, or “which packaging looks good”. Even if they intend to buy Kit Kat, if they are unable to find it in the shop, they are likely to replace Kit Kat with a different product.
What KKS needs to do in the future is focus on creating a link in the minds of these indecisive customers – when they think about taking a “break”, they should immediately think of “Kit Kat”. Currently, based on quantitative research results, we found that when it comes to breaks, many of the target segments spend time on social networking websites and eating / drinking.
Where in terms of social networking, Facebook has a clearly established role in the consumers’ minds, in terms of eating / drinking, no product has an established role. In fact, we found that many customers, if eating / drinking during a break look to products such as Coffee, Tea, or Kit Kat.
KKS can leverage on this gap in the market where no brand has attempted to establish a position in the customers’ minds when it comes to taking a break and eating. Kit Kat, being a light and small snack has clear potential to be a front-runner in this area.
To communicate this to the target market, KKS should focus on the “Forever Reinventing Breaks” purpose to develop connections in the consumers’ minds from different breaks to Kit Kat. Breaks should no longer just be the normal, “15 minute tea / coffee break”, “movie break”, or “clubbing break”. KKS needs to focus on getting Kit Kat into the minds of consumers when it comes to taking a break from these breaks. The meaning of breaks and when to “have a break, [and] have a Kit Kat” needs to be expanded, not only in KKS’s own marketing efforts, but also in the minds of the consumers.
Since Singapore’s youth are increasingly following the cookie-cutter roles that are expected of them in society, Kit Kat should position itself as a fun brand. KKS consumers should be urged to take a break from their busy schedules to indulge in eating a Kit Kat. Taking Kit Kat Breaks should be depicted as taking a break from the workaholic attitudes of today’s youth, allowing the youth to let their hair down and dance out of sync. Take a break from their monotonous schedule for just a few minutes of quick indulgence that would bring joy to their lives.
Currently, KKS has attempted to reach out to these consumers through the use of Facebook and their social media ticker. Regular updates and giveaways have allowed them to communicate directly with Singapore’s youth, but their social media ticker has gone against their own motto. The social media ticker is set such that if a consumer grants permission, it will automatically like every (e.g.) status that is published by a certain “friend”, or like every other post that appears on the users homepage. Though the idea is fun, feedback from brand frenzy has shown that users think this is “creepy”.
Kit Kat’s motto is “Have a break, have a Kit Kat”, and this ticker allows customers to continue working, yet at the same time make it ‘seem’ as though they are on Facebook—indulging in a social media break. However, this is contradictory to the concept of taking a break. These users may not open their Facebook accounts for weeks, yet the ticker would be updating their Facebook activities.
Taking all of this into account, we believe that if KKS focuses on the new “Forever Reinventing Breaks” motto, there is a real potential to establish strong associations in the customers’ minds of Kit Kat in different break situations, which would result in stronger brand resonance.
As time goes by, Kit Kat’s brand loyal segment seems to be ageing. Our research and feedback from Kit Kat’s brand manager both suggest that Kit Kat’s key customer segment is parents who purchase the chocolate for their children. These customers also have fond memories of Kit Kat from their childhoods, which drive their decision to purchase the brand.
However, today’s youth are indecisive. Brand loyalty is rarely a driver in their purchase decisions; instead “fads” and low prices are what attract these customers to many products. Feedback from quantitative and qualitative research and brand frenzy showed us that many of KKS’s target customers purchase chocolate based on “what they feel like” buying, or “which packaging looks good”. Even if they intend to buy Kit Kat, if they are unable to find it in the shop, they are likely to replace Kit Kat with a different product.
What KKS needs to do in the future is focus on creating a link in the minds of these indecisive customers – when they think about taking a “break”, they should immediately think of “Kit Kat”. Currently, based on quantitative research results, we found that when it comes to breaks, many of the target segments spend time on social networking websites and eating / drinking.
Where in terms of social networking, Facebook has a clearly established role in the consumers’ minds, in terms of eating / drinking, no product has an established role. In fact, we found that many customers, if eating / drinking during a break look to products such as Coffee, Tea, or Kit Kat.
KKS can leverage on this gap in the market where no brand has attempted to establish a position in the customers’ minds when it comes to taking a break and eating. Kit Kat, being a light and small snack has clear potential to be a front-runner in this area.
To communicate this to the target market, KKS should focus on the “Forever Reinventing Breaks” purpose to develop connections in the consumers’ minds from different breaks to Kit Kat. Breaks should no longer just be the normal, “15 minute tea / coffee break”, “movie break”, or “clubbing break”. KKS needs to focus on getting Kit Kat into the minds of consumers when it comes to taking a break from these breaks. The meaning of breaks and when to “have a break, [and] have a Kit Kat” needs to be expanded, not only in KKS’s own marketing efforts, but also in the minds of the consumers.
Since Singapore’s youth are increasingly following the cookie-cutter roles that are expected of them in society, Kit Kat should position itself as a fun brand. KKS consumers should be urged to take a break from their busy schedules to indulge in eating a Kit Kat. Taking Kit Kat Breaks should be depicted as taking a break from the workaholic attitudes of today’s youth, allowing the youth to let their hair down and dance out of sync. Take a break from their monotonous schedule for just a few minutes of quick indulgence that would bring joy to their lives.
Currently, KKS has attempted to reach out to these consumers through the use of Facebook and their social media ticker. Regular updates and giveaways have allowed them to communicate directly with Singapore’s youth, but their social media ticker has gone against their own motto. The social media ticker is set such that if a consumer grants permission, it will automatically like every (e.g.) status that is published by a certain “friend”, or like every other post that appears on the users homepage. Though the idea is fun, feedback from brand frenzy has shown that users think this is “creepy”.
Kit Kat’s motto is “Have a break, have a Kit Kat”, and this ticker allows customers to continue working, yet at the same time make it ‘seem’ as though they are on Facebook—indulging in a social media break. However, this is contradictory to the concept of taking a break. These users may not open their Facebook accounts for weeks, yet the ticker would be updating their Facebook activities.
Taking all of this into account, we believe that if KKS focuses on the new “Forever Reinventing Breaks” motto, there is a real potential to establish strong associations in the customers’ minds of Kit Kat in different break situations, which would result in stronger brand resonance.