Kit Kat Fans Get Their Break with Classic Jingle Remixes

“Gimme a break, gimme a break. Break me off a piece of that…”

You know the rest of the words, and apparently most people do. Since its debut in 1986, the Kit Kat jingle has repeatedly been recognized as one of the most memorable advertising jingles of all time. Over the years, we’ve played with the classic tune by releasing different versions across a variety of music genres. Last fall, we gave it its first celebrity remix when Chance the Rapper re-imagined the brand's iconic jingle, netting more than 22 million video views.

In the early 2000s, a University of Cincinnati study analyzed a selection of “earworms,” defined as songs that frequently get stuck in our heads. The Kit Kat jingle was named among this selection. From generation to generation the Kit Kat jingle has been among the world’s most popular which is why we continue to leverage it in our marketing tactics. After evaluating these insights the team decided to take the original Kit Kat commercials from the 80s and modernize them for a new audience. Now you can enjoy the Kit Kat jingle as you’ve never enjoyed it before.

Earlier this month Kit Kat’s iconic “Give Me a Break” jingle was given a remix from music influencers from a variety of genres to kick off the campaign. Renditions include New Wave, 90’s Hip Hop, Metal, Reggae, Country, EDM, Oldies/Soul and Latin beats by artists such as Nikki Lane and the Suffers. These artists then took their customized renditions and shared them via social channels to inspire fans and spread awareness of the contest. 

The team also partnered with The Ellen DeGeneres Show to ensure the Kit Kat brand is top-of-mind at Halloween and add to the remix fun. They asked members of her audience to perform the Kit Kat Jingle during which they got a classic Ellen-style Halloween scare when they least expected it. The Ellen DeGeneres Show then shared the hilarious video throughout the Ellen Digital Network.

Beginning October 9 through November 8, Kit Kat is hosting the first annual “Breakie Awards,” its very own contest to honor fan versions of the beloved jingle. The #KitKatRemix contest is giving consumers the opportunity to become a part of the brand’s evolution and legacy. Contestants are invited to create a mix in their favorite music genres and submit their original song for a chance to win a “Breakie” Award. All entries will be featured on the site and once submitted the Kit Kat team will be interacting with fans about their entries on Twitter and Facebook. At the end of the campaign period, Kit Kat will select 10 favorites to feature on a “Best of Jingle” vinyl album and award each winner a gold-painted “Breakie” Award trophy.   

The Kit Kat jingle has been synonymous with the brand and its iconic “breakable” bars for decades and will continue to remind consumers of the delicious wafer filled chocolate candies. Our goal for the #KitKatRemix campaign is to transcend generations and culture to celebrate the spontaneous and uplifting fun of a Kit Kat break. Find more information and to upload a jingle remix visit the #KitKatRemix page www.hersheys.com/kitkat/en_us/remix.html