Attention America: Twelve tons of stolen Kit Kats are still out there somewhere, and so are 60 tons of publicity.
No. It wasn’t an April Fool’s joke. Indeed, thieves in late March made off with over 400,000 Formula 1-themed Kit Kats from a truck traveling between a factory in Italy and Poland. And the smart folks at Nestle managed to turn it into pure PR gold that the internet keeps on loving.
Not long ago, most companies would have kept silent in a situation like this. They would issue a brief initial statement, making clear that they were aware of the situation and were working with the proper authorities.
Nestle did that and more.
They made a smart move from the start by quickly confirming the theft. Then they leaned into the situation with humor, tying it into their “Have a break” brand platform.
Their initial official statement confirmed the theft, adding “The good news: there are no concerns for consumer safety.” They kept things going in press interviews when a spokesperson said, “We’ve always encouraged people to have a break with Kit Kat, but it seems thieves have taken the message too literally and made a break with more than 12 tons of our chocolate.”
The story was amplified on social media with a YouTube video of a “security convoy” of trucks, playing off the joke even further. That gave other brands and creators the launching pad for their humorous posts and memes.
Everyone from Del Taco to Dollar Tree jumped on this. Hundreds of humorous posts and memes flooded across every platform.
Dominos released an “official statement” sharing their thoughts and condolences, adding, “On a completely unrelated note, we’re pleased to announce we’ll now be selling a new Kit Kat pizza.”
For my money, the best was Ryanair’s post featuring one of their planes with a smiling face stuffed with five Kit Kat bars.
Given the truly random, weird and wonderful nature of this situation, are there any communications lessons the rest of us can glean from it? Or do PR pros just have to wait around for someone else to hijack a truckload of another beloved food?
Nope. There are things to learn.
Lesson No. 1: Tell Your story before anyone else does
Nestle took control of the narrative immediately, confirming the loss and the fact that they were working with the proper authorities. They didn’t leave it to law enforcement to explain the situation. That would have focused the conversation on the crime and possibly on their inadequate security.
Lesson No. 2: Have fun, but show you’re taking the crisis seriously
Here’s where Nestle had the perfect balance. They made it clear that they were taking the theft seriously. They were working with law enforcement and their supply chain partners to solve the crime, find the perpetrators and recover the merchandise.
They emphasized that playing along with the internet fun wasn’t distracting them from the business side of the issue. That helped protect trust in their supply chain and the integrity of their products.
Lesson No. 3: Your brand is your touchstone
The driver for any crisis response must be your brand. Stay true to what your customers know and love about you, and the response will come across as authentic.
Here’s where Kit Kat excelled. If you’re Kit Kat, your brand is “Gimme a Break. A Kit Kat break.” So, it’s fine to have fun with it by saying the thieves took “have a break too literally” in your crisis response.
Lesson No. 4: Using humor in crisis communications is rarely a good idea
The fact is that in most crises, the last thing you want to lean on is humor. Demonstrating concern and compassion are your goals. Not generating memes.
This worked for Kit Kat because it was a chocolate heist right before Easter. Not an oil spill during the peak breeding season for pelicans.
I was once called in to handle a crisis after customers were sickened by food from a local coffee shop. One of their employees tried to make light of it on Facebook with the post “Shi*t happens and it happened to us.”
It didn’t go well, and I spent months repairing the damage to their reputation.
Lesson No. 5: Lighting a fire on the internet could result in a conflagration
It’s easy to think Kit Kat has rewritten the playbook on harnessing the internet in a crisis. This was a unique moment that the company seized well.
But don’t be fooled, memes can, and often do, get out of control. Be careful what you wish for. Virality may not be your friend.
Ask Burger King UK about that. To honor International Women’s Day and encourage more women to become chefs, they launched a social media campaign with the phrase “Women belong in the kitchen.”
The viral firestorm of sexist backlash drowned out the message and generated tremendous antipathy toward the company.
The bottom line is this: This was a rare and wonderful moment for Kit Kat, and they used it well. They reminded us that when a crisis hits, it’s critical to take immediate control of the narrative and use your brand as your North Star.
And when it’s all over, I’d add that you should give yourself a break. Maybe even a Kit Kat break.
Andrea Obston is the president of Andrea Obston Marketing Communications in Connecticut.
