2026 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

On March 26th, 12 tons of KitKat’s were stolen off a truck in Italy. That’s 413,793 bars. Within hours, the story took on a life of its own. Headlines spread globally, social feeds lit up, and what could have been a routine logistics issue became something far more cultural.

In the wake of the truck being stolen, KitKat released an “Official Statement” confirming the heist. Within hours, dozens of brands including McDonald's, Amazon, and even Tinder, flooded feeds with their own “Official Statements” parodying KitKats. Suddenly the narrative evolved from a story about KitKat to a story about how the internet – and specifically other brands – responded. First our truck got stolen, then the story did too.

They needed to put KitKat back in the driver's seat. And beyond just keeping the story going, they wanted to use this opportunity to create real brand value.

KitKat isn’t missing; it's the most valuable chocolate in the world. KitKat turns a public delivery into a security convoy to make it heist-proof. If KitKat was valuable enough to steal, it is valuable enough to protect. So, they gave it a presidential escort.

The agency started with a simple job post, putting the look-out for a security team to “guard high-profile assets”. The post instantly generated attention and anticipation. But with everyone else making social posts, they needed to up the ante and do something in the real world.

So just days after the story broke, a Toronto shipment KitKat was delivered alongside a presidential-style convoy of black SUVs, heavy security, and tight formations designed to make it heist-proof. Our delivery truck was wrapped in bold red with KitKat branding on both sides. Once the delivery was made, our security detail even guarded the bars on the shelves.

Videos of the KitKat security detail were posted online and became an instant sensation, generating reaction videos, memes, and a flurry of press coverage.

When something gets stolen, people don’t just read it as missing. They read it as desirable. By reframing KitKat as the most valuable chocolate in the world, they turned stolen product into an opportunity to redefine the perception of the brand and the quality of the product. Especially in a category where most brands show up in the same ways.

Most CPG brands use the same semiotics. Think big product shots, claims, and imagery that signals taste and texture. To change the story, they decided to veer away from traditional CPG codes and into those of high-value assets.

The security convoy didn’t just deliver chocolate; it delivered internet gold. The act redirected the narrative back to KitKat and kicked off a new wave of conversation. Both UGC and brand content instantly became the source of countless headlines, shares, and memes. Within days, the KitKat Security Details was covered by USA Today, India Today, the Independent, ABC, CNN, Complex, TMZ, and many more..

A two-hour drive in Toronto garnered 5.1 billion earned impressions, $122 million in earned media, a 2,700% increase in social engagement, and more than 820 news stories. All with zero media dollars spent.

In less than a week, we helped turn 413,793 stolen KitKat’s into the biggest marketing win of the year for the brand.

Credits

Founder, CCO: Dhaval Bhatt
Founder, CCO: Joel Holtby
Partner, President: Niki Sahni
Partner, CSO: Tom Kenny
Partner, Executive Producer: Clair Galea
Partner, ECD (MTL): Marilou Aubin
Partner, ECD (MTL): Maxime Sauté
Partner, Head of Strategy (MTL): Rafik Belmesk
Head of Strategy: Rami Dudin
Strategy Director: Derek Mollenhauer
Social Strategy Director: Alex Wapia
Group Creative Director, Writer: Hemal Dhanjee
Group Creative Director, Art Director: Steve Ierullo
Art Director: Arman Sadrzadeh
Copywriter: Loraya Hrynkiw
Art Director: Raha Bakhtiari
Sr. Copywriter: Zac Smith
Copywriter: Kushal Lalvani
Art Director: Aleguandra Vallejo
Social Media Specialist: Grace Lu
Group Account Director: Alex Karayannides
Account Director: Niharika Chadha
PR Director: Natalia Banoub
PR Coordinator: Valerie Mettias
Talent + Traffic Manager: Catharine Piccioli
Producer: Rachel D’Ercole

Nestlé (KitKat)
Senior Vice President, CMO: Tracey Cooke
Vice President, Everyday Confectionery: Carm DaSilva
Senior Marketing Manager: Noel Spencer
Marketing Manager: Erin Reesor
Assistant Marketing Manager: Danielle Weiss
Social Media Marketing Specialist: Mackenzie Taylor

Production The Deli
Co-Founder & Managing Director: Kevin Saffer
Partner & Executive Producer: Ben Robinson
Executive Producer & Head Of Production: Cia Mellegers
Producer: Michael Ren
Art Director: Brendan Callaghan
Production Assistants: Randy Moore & Michael Race