BRAND:
KITKAT
AWARD CATEGORY:
The Best Event with Social Media Strategy
CAMPAIGN TIME RANGE:
15/12/2025 - 25/02/2026
CREDITS:
ClickMedia (VML), Openmind, Anymind
CASE STUDY VIDEO
STRATEGY
Tet marketing had a formula. KitKat broke it. For years, Tet marketing has been trapped in a repetitive emotional loop of family reunion, expectations, and so-called Gen Z tension. But KitKat asked a radical question: Is there really tension at all?
While most brands reinforced tradition, KitKat uncovered a truth hiding in plain sight: Gen Z doesn’t feel pressured by Tet, they crave me-time, a moment to pause, recharge, and enjoy Tet on their own terms. As the brand behind “Have a Break, Have a KitKat” KitKat was uniquely positioned to own this space, not only by reminding people to take a break but also by showing up with one exactly when Tet takes it away.
To stay relevant, KitKat flipped the script. Instead of pulling Gen Z deeper into Tet chaos, it gave them permission to step out, physically constructing breaks at the exact friction points of their journey.
1. REJECT THE CONVENTIONAL TET NARRATIVE—CLAIM THE UNCLAIMED ME-TIME SPACE: KitKat challenged the dominant narrative of togetherness and obligation, reframing Tet from collective expectation to personal permission and claiming a culturally overlooked space it was uniquely built to own.
2. REVERSE TET BEHAVIOR – OWN THE FULL TET JOURNEY: KitKat spanned the entire Tet journey, from countdown to crowded hotspots, turning high-friction moments into “Break Corners” that transformed chaos into intentional, shareable me-time.
3. BREAK TAKEOVER STRATEGY. BUILT THROUGH BREAK CORNERS: Through a layered influencer system, KitKat sparked mass buzz with top-tier voices, scaled engagement via nano creators, and amplified conversations on Threads, turning Break Corner into a social amplification engine. KitKat didn’t just launch an event; it engineered a system, turning breaks into a movement that Gen Z actively sought out and shared.
INSIGHT
To bring the strategy to life, KitKat needed an insight rooted in Gen Z's real Tet behavior. Tet, for Gen Z, is no longer about emotional conflict. It is about being pulled in every direction at once—the endless queues, the overcrowded spots, and the relentless pace of the most intense week of the Vietnamese calendar. What should be joyful quietly becomes exhausting. Me-time during Tet isn't a luxury. It's what makes everything else worth having—a real break to reset, recharge, and return to the celebration as themselves. The very season that brings Gen Z together is also the one most likely to run them flat. They don't need another brand telling them to cherish every moment. They need someone to actually give them one.
CREATIVE IDEA
The path for KitKat to win Gen Z during Tet is clear: lead the rebellion by showing up at the exact moments the chaos takes over and physically giving the break back. So instead of adding to the Tet noise, KitKat disrupts it from the inside—building real corners that appear right inside Gen Z's most frustrating Tet moments and snapping them out into something genuinely better. From this, the idea was born: KITKAT TẾT TA CORNERS.
To bring the idea to life in a way that resonates with Gen Z, KitKat chose a clear role: a co-pilot, not a narrator. KitKat doesn't amplify the chaos. It doesn't pretend Tet isn't overwhelming. And it doesn't just tell Gen Z to take a break—it builds the break for them. KitKat leads the rebellion—showing up as a witty, intuitive co-pilot that gets Gen Z, anticipates their needs, eliminates their friction, and delivers joy in the most unexpected Tet moments. Not interrupting the holiday—improving it.
CONNECTION PLAN
KitKat didn’t unfold the campaign in phases. It followed Gen Z’s Tet journey, showing up wherever the holiday took their break away.
1. OWN THE PEAK MOMENT. TURN COUNTDOWN INTO A SOCIAL MAGNET
On Countdown Night, the most overwhelming moment of Tet, KitKat created Tết Ta Corners at prime fireworks spots, offering a rare place to breathe. Instead of just announcing, the brand turned it into a city-wide “spot hunt.” From “reserved” reveals to leveraging Ninh Dương’s fandom, real-time nano updates fueled FOMO. The Break Corner quickly became one of the most talked-about moments, amplified through Threads with snackable, live content.
2. EXTEND THE BREAK. TURN MOVEMENT INTO MOBILE BREAK
As the city grew chaotic, KitKat turned transit into rest. Through Grab, every ride became a moving Tết Ta Corner, with KitKat bars and subtle fortune messages reframing travel as an intentional pause. Shared by creators and users, each journey became a relatable, repeatable break moment that kept the conversation moving.
3. CAPTURE HIGH-FRICTION MOMENTS. TURN CHAOS INTO DESTINATIONS
Starting with cinema, KitKat transformed pre-show downtime into engaging breaks through its partnership with CGV, featuring Duy Khánh as Break Ambassador to drive excitement and shareability. The experience then extended to crowded hotspots like Rue Miche and Nhà Văn Hóa Thanh Niên, where Break Corners turned chaos into destinations people chose to stay for. Nano creators and communities amplified these moments, while Threads remixed everyday Tet frictions into content that was relatable and built to spread.
4. BUILD THE BREAK MAP. TURN TOUCHPOINTS INTO A SYSTEM
From countdown to commute to crowded hotspots, KitKat built a connected “break map” of physical and mobile touchpoints. Each activation fed into a system where real-world experiences translated into social momentum. By following real human tension across the journey, KitKat didn’t just show up; it reshaped how Gen Z experienced Tet.
OBJECTIVE-BASE KPI
[1] objective: Drive Talkability | platform: Facebook & TikTok | metrics: Buzz | result: 53.000
[2] objective: Drive Awareness | platform: Facebook & TikTok | metrics: View | result: 220.000.000
[3] objective: Drive Consideration | platform: Facebook & TikTok | metrics: Engagement | result: 819.000
[4] objective: Drive Reach | platform: Facebook & TikTok | metrics: Reach | result: 18.000.000
[5] objective: Gain Sale | platform: Facebook & TikTok | metrics: Sale | result: +67% | compare_with_benchmark: Last Year
