Dare to be a TikTok MISFIT: How KitKat shaped a cultural moment and championed Brand Success
In early 2023, KitKat Japan unveiled its noteworthy KitKat YOKUBARI DOUBLE ad on TikTok. Masterfully adhering to social media codes while injecting a burst of creative brilliance resulted in an authentic Misfits story.
After a year of intensive research and meta-analysis by Ipsos on Brand Success, three essential factors have been identified: shaping peoples’ expectations, acting with empathy, and comprehending the role and context a brand plays in their lives. Recognising and understanding the contexts of consumers is the first stepping stone for successful brands, and nowhere has this been more critical than on digital platforms like TikTok.
But simply blending into the TikTok environment is not sufficient. As with any other digital platform, content is still king! The quality of creativity in advertising remains a timeless factor influencing its effectiveness, and this holds true on TikTok as well.
In a world where capturing the cultural moment is key to brand success, KitKat Japan has discovered how to be a TikTok MISFIT. Their launch of KitKat YOKUBARI DOUBLE creative on TikTok, exemplifies the art of weaving a true Misfit story, beautifully tailored for its context.
In celebration of their 50th anniversary in Japan, KitKat launched a new product named KitKat Yokubari Double (‘double greedy’), a clever fusion of two popular flavors. To propel this launch, their team collaborated with the ad agency Wunderman Thompson Tokyo to evolve a wild, vibrant, and engaging TikTok video. This initiative saw KitKat join forces with Piko Taro, a Japanese celebrity who shot to fame following his smash hit ‘PPAP’ (Pen Pineapple Apple Pen) in 2016.
At Ipsos, we evaluated KitKat Yokubari Double using our signature creative evaluation offer, Creative|Spark. Our validated Key Performance Indicators (KPI's) confirmed that the creative carries significant potency to etch KitKat into memory (brand attention), while also driving impact on the brand (behavioural change). Furthermore, the memorable ad contributed to popular culture, fitting in perfectly on TikTok, and creating an engaging moment for its users.
The partnership with Piko Taro, the relatable tonality, its unique fit in the TikTok environment, and, above all, the charismatic creativity, made this creative a roaring success, as confirmed by the in-market sales results. The distinctive KitKat spirit and nostalgic memories invited by Piko Taro blended brilliantly with an aura of freshness, making a profoundly resonating impact on its audience. This success is truly a celebration of the Misfits culture and a testament to KitKat Japan's ability to perfectly strike the right chord in the hearts of its consumers.
More insights about Consumer Goods
