2023 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

KitKat has long been synonymous with the “break” and its various meanings and interpretations within current culture - the water-cooler break at the office, the serendipitously unplanned break, the mental break. But one break that hasn’t been celebrated enough by brands is the break that happens every evening during the holy month of Ramadan - breaking your fast.

There are almost 2 billion Muslims in the world, and yet brands tend to ignore the most important holiday celebrated by this community. The month of Ramadan is meant to be a time of spiritual discipline, charity, generosity, and reflection. But it’s also a time of celebration and joy. The meal that happens at sundown every day of the month is called Iftar. It’s a time to gather with loved ones, crowd around the table for big meals, and exchange gifts.

There are almost 2 million Muslims residing in Canada who, year after year, are ignored by big brands whose ideas center around national holidays - like Easter and Christmas - despite Canada being home to a diaspora of cultures and religions.

To celebrate Ramadan, KitKat launched a 30-piece bar for 30 days of breaking fast, celebrating the diversity of the break in a community that’s often overlooked.

Chocolate is an important part of any celebration, and as a beloved and iconic brand, KitKat had the power to bring cultural awareness to Ramadan and Eid. To honour this often overlooked holiday in Canada, the brand created the “KitKat Iftar Bar”. A departure from the classic 4-finger bar, the “KitKat Iftar Bar” was a limited-run, extra-long 30-piece bar, designed to help celebrate a very special break - the Muslim community’s daily break at sundown during Ramadan.

Unlike the regular four-piece KitKat, the Iftar Bar is 30 pieces long, designed to be enjoyed piece-by-piece each evening during Iftar. The Iftar Bar is divided into three parts, parallelling the three stages of Ramadan called Ashras (ten in Arabic). The packaging features a minimal tile pattern inspired by the minimalism in iconic geometric patterns found commonly in Islamic architecture.

A calendar detail is included under the physical bar to keep track of how far along people are in their fast, with each day revealed one by one as each piece is broken off. The Iftar Bar also features iconography of the 30 phases of the moon inspired by the Islamic lunar calendar, showcased on the packaging sleeve as cutout moon phases that animate when the inner box is pulled out.

The campaign was designed to target Muslim communities in Canada who participate in and celebrate the holy month of Ramadan, but also to start wider conversation and awareness about the traditions and meaning of the holiday.

Despite no paid media or press release, the KitKat Iftar Bar went viral, with over 2 million impressions after only seven days, and generated overwhelmingly positive responses. Muslims celebrating Ramadan all over the world were sharing their Ramadan traditions with KitKat, with influencers on social media, and engaging in conversation about what the holy month of Ramadan meant to them.

The brand saw engaged audiences talking about how they were appreciative of the initiative and how they finally felt seen by a brand, commending KitKat on a thoughtful approach to celebrating the holy month, and voicing that this was an initiative that truly reflected an understanding of their community and traditions.

Credits

Chief Creative Officer: Aaron Starkman, Mike Dubrick
Chief Strategy Officer: Sean McDonald
Executive Creative Director: Mike Dubrick, Leia Rogers, Morgan Tierney
Creative Director: Skye Deluz, Jacquelyn Parent, Hans Thiessen, Sean O'Connor
Art Director: Liana Mascagni, Mustaali Raj, Skye Deluz
Writer: Jacquelyn Parent
Designer: Mustaali Raj, Liana Mascagni
Associate Director of Integrated Production: Kate A. Spencer
Senior Print Producer: Agnes Gilchrist
Group Strategy Director: Shereen Ladha
Strategic Planner: Jayne Stymiest
Group Account Director: Shar Khursigara
Account Supervisor: Devin Bonin
Account Manager: Dharmisha Mistry
Public Relations Account Director: Sara Lemmermeyer
Public Relations Manager: Chenda McKissick
Public Relations Coordinator: Claire Tam
Production Company: Westside Studio
Photographer: Ryan Szulc
Producer: Meghan Buckley
Stylist: Christina Yang
Photographer: Doaa Jamal
Post Production Company: R&D
Editor: Alijah Monckton, Thomas McKeen
Client Supervisor: Tracey Cooke, Riona Coller, Aseem Gulati, Rachel Choi