VML & Ogilvy Japan (VOJ) has been awarded a Bronze Effie at the APAC Effie Awards in the “Sustained Success – Products” category. The award recognizes Nestlé Japan’s iconic, 20-plus-year initiative, “KitKat = KitKat”su” = Surely Win,” celebrating its continuous marketing effectiveness, strategic evolution, and business impact in the Japanese market since 2003.
In the early 2000s, operating within Japan’s highly commodified chocolate market, Nestlé Japan sought to build unique cultural value beyond KitKat’s global slogan, “Have a break, have a KitKat.”
The turning point came from an organic consumer trend in Kyushu, where people began gifting KitKats as lucky charms because the brand name sounded like KitKatsu – Japanese for “surely win.”
Rather than treating this as a fleeting trend, Nestlé Japan and VOJ uncovered a delicate psychological insight among students’ support networks (parents, grandparents, friends, and teachers): supporters wanted to encourage examinees, but worried that direct, overly enthusiastic words would create unwanted pressure.
Repositioning KitKat from a daily break snack into a “vehicle of silent encouragement,” the brand established a way for people to convey unspoken support without imposing pressure.
The APAC Effie Awards evaluate creative ideation alongside proven business effectiveness. While the “Sustained Success” category requires initiatives to demonstrate clear business results under a unified strategy for a minimum of three years, VML & Ogilvy Japan was evaluated on a 20-year journey starting in 2003, demonstrating how sustained cultural connection directly translates into long-term commercial growth.
Hiroaki Nakanishi, KitKat Marketing Department, Confectionery & Food Division, Nestlé Japan Co.,Ltd., said “We are deeply honored to receive the Bronze award in the ‘Sustained Success’ category at the APAC Effie Awards. We are truly delighted that an initiative nurtured together with so many people—sparked by consumers’ natural association of ‘KitKat = Surely Win’—has received this level of recognition. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the VML & Ogilvy Japan team for believing in the brand’s potential over the years, tackling challenges with us, and continually elevating our vision into forms that resonate with consumers. KitKat will continue to be a brand that stays close to the feelings of those who care about their loved ones.”
Hiromi Omata, Group Account Director, VML & Ogilvy Japan GK, said, “It is a tremendous honor to receive a Bronze award in the ‘Sustained Success’ category, which rigorously evaluates long-term results over two decades, at the APAC Effie Awards. I am deeply grateful to the Nestlé Japan team for sharing our brand vision and running alongside us with profound trust for 20 years. We will continue to contribute as a marketing partner that brings undeniable impact and value to the business.”
■ AWARD DETAILS
Award: APAC Effie Awards
Rank: Bronze
Category: Sustained Success – Products
Entry Title: KitKat = “KitKatsu” = “Surely Win”
Brand: KitKat (Nestlé Japan Co.,Ltd.)
Agency: VML & Ogilvy Japan GK