| Title | KIPPU KAT |
| Brand | NESTLE JAPAN |
| Product / Service | KIT KAT |
| Category | A02. Corporate Responsibility |
| Entrant | J. WALTER THOMPSON JAPAN Tokyo, JAPAN |
| Entrant Company | J. WALTER THOMPSON JAPAN Tokyo, JAPAN |
| Advertising Agency | J. WALTER THOMPSON JAPAN Tokyo, JAPAN |
| PR Agency | VECTOR GROUP Tokyo, JAPAN |
| Name | Company | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Go Sohara | J. Walter Thompson Japan | Executive Creative Director |
| Keizo Mugita | J. Walter Thompson Japan | Senior Creative Director |
| Shinsuke Sawasaki | J. Walter Thompson Japan | Creative Director |
| Shizu Yamada | J. Walter Thompson Japan | Senior Art Director |
| Kaoru Yabe | J. Walter Thompson Japan | Senior Copywriter |
| Yasuhiko Yuasa | J. Walter Thompson Japan | Account Director |
| Akinobu Toyohara | J. Walter Thompson Japan | Account Manager |
| Hironaga Yai | J. Walter Thompson Japan | Strategic Planner |
| Ryoji Maki | Nestle Japan | Manager/Kit Kat Marketing |
| Ritsuko Watanabe | Ten Graph | Graphic Designer |
In 2014, we launched 'KIPPU KAT' - a special edition of Kit Kat chocolate bar that sells for 108 Japanese Yen and can be used as a railway ticket for up to 190 Japanese Yen. The campaign was built around this to refocus the nation's attention back to the ongoing plight of the Tohoku region, and to encourage people to visit Tohoku, bringing in tourism dollars. Within four short months, the campaign generated impressive PR – the idea of turning a Kit Kat chocolate bar into a train ticket has never been done before. So for bloggers and news channels, the idea was definitely PR worthy.
1.Get 30,000 people to participate in the campaign *After the Tsunami in May 2011, the Japan National Council of Social Welfare estimated that 102,000 people signed up to help with the recovery – our objective assumes an approximate 30% from the number of people who got involved before. 2.Boost visits to the Tohoku region – targeting 10% of campaign participants *For those who take part in the campaign, there's high probability for them to want to visit Tohoku, but taking into consideration how difficult it is for people to travel to Tohoku, 10% is an achievable objective to go after.
The KIPPU KAT idea instantly got the public's attention and reminded the entire Japan that Tohoku still needs help – the campaign was broadcasted on both regional and national TV, generating over 300 million Japanese Yen in PR value in 4 months. During the campaign period, over 70,000 people bought KIPPU KATs as a symbol of support for Tohoku, exceeding campaign target of 30,000 participants.In addition, approximately 150 Million Yen Economic Value Generated for tourism spend. The idea of extending a chocolate bar into a train ticket also became the topic of conversation outside of Japan. The campaign was picked up by international online blogs like PSFK, TAXI, DIGG and news sites like the Wall Street Journal, NBC News, USA Today and Thomson Reuters.
The campaign aimed to refocus the nation's attention back to the ongoing plight of the Tohoku region and to encourage people to visit Tohoku. In 2014, we launched 'KIPPU KAT' - a special edition of Kit Kat chocolate bar that sells for 108 Yen and can be used as a local Sanriku railway ticket for up to 190 Yen. The Kit Kat product packaging was redesigned to look like a train ticket. KIPPU KAT was made available at Kiosks and CVSs in the train station nationwide plus supermarkets in the affected region. The packaging and collaterals were designed to motivate people to visit Tohoku.
For over 40 years, Kit Kat has been offering a sweet treat that put a smile on people's faces when they take a break. Since the 2011 Tsunami, Kit Kat has been involved in the rebuilding of the badly-hit area of Tokoku. However, three years have passed and the nation's support has faded. This is a campaign to re-ignite the nation's helping spirit to support the recovery of Tohoku and get more people to visit Tohoku and rediscover its beauty.
For Japanese people, the word 'Kit Kat' sounds like 'Kitto Katsu', which means 'surely win'. For over 40 years, Kit Kat has played a role in people's lives as a positive symbol of hope and wish. With this campaign, Kit Kat once again wants to continue to be a symbol of hope and positivity by drawing people's attention the Tohoku areas and encourage people to visit the area again.