KitKat reimagines packaging as signal-blocking smartphone pouch
Creative agency Ogilvy has created a special edition packaging for KitKat that doubles as a kind of tiny smartphone jail once the biscuit is removed, allowing users to "have a break" from their hyperconnected lives.
Developed by Ogilvy Colombia and KitKat Panama, the Break Mode wrapper essentially acts as a Faraday cage – an enclosure made of conductive materials that blocks external electrical fields.
After removing the biscuits, users can slide their phone inside the protective pocket to isolate it from calls, internet, Bluetooth and GPS.
The promotional campaign plays on KitKat's seminal slogan "have a break, have a KitKat", which was first used in 1958 and references the act of breaking apart the biscuit's chocolate-covered fingers.
"We are immensely proud to have transformed the brand's enduring promise into a tangible, actionable solution," said Kim Waigel, marketing director for KitKat's maker Nestlé in Central America.
"Break Mode goes beyond simply saying 'Have a Break'; it empowers individuals with the physical tool to genuinely achieve it."
The packaging consists of a metallic conductive layer, sandwiched between the fine-gauge polypropylene outer coating and internal layers of copper, nickel and polyester.
A pouch's precision-engineered sealing mechanism ensures the packaging provides a barrier against all kinds of smartphone signals, which was tested using RF signal attenuation, cellular signal strength (RSSI) and electromagnetic isolation.
The packaging is designed with a lifespan of approximately one year, after which its materials can be separated to allow for recycling.
The concept was trialled by presenting it to young people at a range of events, including the Expo Tech trade fair, as well as a major concert and within a university campus.
"What's most thrilling is how deeply we've resonated with countless young people," Waigel said. "It has been a monumental, high-impact and immensely enriching experience for the brand."
Ogilvy is a global agency that operates in the fields of advertising, public relations, health, experience design and consulting. The firm has 131 offices in 93 countries.
Ogilvy Colombia previously developed a water filtration system that can attach to any plastic bottle, providing an affordable source of clean drinking water.
Other examples of well-known brands experimenting with food packaging include Heinz's design for a French fry box with a built-in ketchup compartment, and an understated burger box created for McDonald's by Kanye West and designer Naoto Fukasawa.
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