Phone Break

The chocolate bar is coming for its oblong-shaped rivals

Office: Czech Republic

Client: KitKat

In a world glued to smartphones, KitKat’s iconic “Have a Break” message has never been more relevant.

Enter KitKat "Phone Break" – a playful campaign that highlights just how much time we spend staring at our screens.

The work cleverly uses the iconic tagline without actually showing it, portraying screentime behaviour instantly recognisable for most of us, urging us to put down our phones and pick up a KitKat instead.

Created by VML Czechia, this out-of-home campaign features attention-grabbing scenes in which KitKat bars replace smartphones in everyday situations. From waiting for a bus, to meeting a friend for a drink, to standing in a queue, the campaign highlights how often people reach for their phones during their free time rather than taking a proper break.

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.

Vojtěch Kubricht Marketing Manager, KitKat CEE

Something we’re all guilty of is staring down at our phones and missing out as life happens around us. The "modern break" has become overcome by digital intrusions on genuine disconnection.

With the average person now spending almost 4 hours per day on their smartphone, taste, not tech, might be the answer. Research shows that 91% of people feel better after blocking the internet from their phones for two weeks.

In 1957, J. Walter Thompson copywriter Donald Gilles created the "Have a break, have a KitKat" tagline – a call to unwind with a KitKat. Little did he know that by 2025, in a world glued to screens, people still struggle more than ever to take a much-needed break.

Since handsets and KitKats are both oblong, the campaign swaps phones with KitKats and people staring deeply at their chocolate while waiting for a bus or tram.

KitKat "Phone Break" launched in April 2025 across outdoor advertising spaces, including billboards, subway stations and print media – reigniting one of the world’s most iconic slogans without spending a cent on digital media. It earned widespread coverage across global industry outlets, including Muse by Clio, Adweek, Campaign Brief and LBB, reaching a combined online audience of over 2.63 million.