In a world glued to smartphones, VML Czechia has given KitKat’s famous Have a Break message a most relevant twist to highlight how much time people spend staring at screens.
KitKat Phone Break uses the famous tagline, without actually showing it, by portraying screentime behaviour instantly recognisable for most of us. The out-of-home campaign features attention-grabbing scenes in which KitKat bars replace smartphones in everyday situations – waiting for a bus, meeting a friend for a drink, standing in a queue. The campaign highlights how often people reach for their phones during their free time rather than taking a proper break and encourages them to put down the phone and pick up a KitKat instead.
“As a species, we all look a bit silly sometimes. It’s nice to harness one of the world’s most iconic taglines to make a joke about it,” stated Jake Barrow, CCO, VML Prague.
Science is on KitKat’s side. Research shows that 91% of people feel better after blocking the internet from their phones for two weeks1. With the average person now spending almost 4 hours per day on their smartphone2, taste — not tech — might be the answer.
“Back in 1957, Donald Gilles created Have a break, have a KitKat, a call to unwind. Little did he know that by 2025, we’d be a world glued to screens, struggling to take a proper break. Maybe now, more than ever, we need that reminder,” commented Mauro Fardin, ECD, VML Prague.
“This campaign feels true to KitKat’s heritage of light-hearted marketing – and helps the brand’s slogan – which has been a fixture for almost 70 years now – feel fresher than ever,” added Vojtěch Kubricht, marketing manager KitKat CEE.
The campaign was the winning concept from a VML global internal pitch that attracted over 400 submissions.
KitKat Phone Break will run throughout April 2025 across outdoor advertising spaces, including billboards, subway stations, and also in print.
1: https://www.npr.org/2025/02/24/nx-s1-5304417/smartphone-break-digital-detox-screen-addiction
2: https://prioridata.com/data/smartphone-usage- statistics/
Credits
Global Chief Creative Officer, Innovation & Co-Chief Creative Officer VML EMEA: Bas Korsten
Co-Chief Creative Officer VML EMEA: Jaime Mandelbaum
Agency: VML Czechia
CEO: Iva Welker
Chief Creative Officer: Jake Barrow
Executive Creative Director: Mauro Fardin
Head of Art: Wanslez Quaresma
Head of Copy: Karla Calheiros
Art Director: Carlos Paboudjian
Senior Copywriter: Helena Johnston
Copywriter: Johnny Gaponenko
Senior Digital Designer: Soumik Babuya
Head of Strategy: Kristyna Ochvatova
Communication Manager: Kristyna Hlinakova
Photographer: Miro Minarovic
Producer: Jozef Pavleje
Retouching: B612 Studio
Account Manager: Aneta Jungvirt
Head of OOH Mindshare Czechia: Jana Stoklasová
Senior OOH Planner: Kateřina Pánková
