How Decathlon and KitKat's global outage reactive campaign hit the mark so perfectly

Last week, while the world faced a global outage where tech disruptions grounded airplanes, hit banks, businesses, schools and more, outdoor brand Decathlon and Nestle's chocolate brand KitKat took the opportunity to generate sales and build their brand. 

In reaction to the global outage, Decathlon purchased a digital out of home (DOOH) ad space to encourage consumers to head outdoors and shop. 

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The ad, which mimics Microsoft Window's error screen, flips the sad face emoticon to a happy face and featured a text in white which read: "Outage? Get outside." 

The ad also informed consumers that the brand would be having a sale where shoppers can enjoy up to 50% off on outdoor goods. 

KitKat, on the other hand, took a much more emotional approach. Similar to Decathlon, the chocolate brand recreated Microsoft Window's error screen in its brand colour and reminded users to have a break, as per its slogan "Have a break, have a KitKat." 

The text on the image reads "Your device ran into a problem and needs to restart, aka, it's taking a break. You should have a break and recharge too." 

The image also featured a link to shop for KitKat products and urged viewers to give IT support staff a break too. 

The ad, according to a Nestle spokesperson when MARKETING-INTERACTIVE reached out, falls under one of its longest running campaign - "Have a break, have a KitKat.' 

It also aimed to create a lighthearted moment for consumers while also showcasing the brand's agility and responsiveness. The creative was created by Courage Inc, a Toronto based independent agency and agency on retainer for KitKat and Nestle Canada. 

"The KITKAT outage post allowed us to connect with our consumers during a significant global tech outage and provide them with a light-hearted view on the situation. We received a positive response from consumers and look forward to continuing to surprise them with our moment marketing campaigns," said the Nestle spokesperson.

According to industry professionals MARKETING-INTERACTIVE spoke to, reactive marketing is not new. However, the speed at which Decathlon and KitKat reacted is worth commending. 

"I believe riding on current happenings is not something new. It has been attempted by many brands, especially on social platforms. However, Decathlon did it in a way that is not only creative, but also fast especially for an OOH ad which is equally commendable and impressive," said Joyce Gan, partner and group client services director of Fishermen Integrated. 

Gan is of the opinion that both ads were clever, authentic and highly relevant. This is especially since reactive digital campaigns often add a layer of humanity to the brands. 

"In my opinion, it definitely works to capitalise on these trends or current events to engage with your audience in real time," said Gan.

It works best because it humanises the brand and makes it seem like a person who is part of the conversation rather than just an entity.

This in turn, gives immediate engagement and visibility, explained Gan. 

Shouvik Prasanna Mukherjee, chief creative officer of Golin APAC agreed that it is good for a brand to leverage a moment in culture if its relevant to its customers and is aligned to its brand personality. 

"The Decathlon and KitKat teams demonstrated agility in reacting to this quickly. While there could arguably be tighter copy for the billboard, the OOH insert in this case is ultimately for wider optimisation on the web - and both the brands nailed that," said Mukherjee. 

"Done is better than perfect. More importantly they played on their long-term campaigns “Get Outside" and "Have A Break", making them consistent and credible," he added. 

How to do it right? 

To execute an effective reactive campaign, brands first need to find a relevant cultural moment and react in an authentic voice that is aligned to the brand personality, said Mukherjee. It’s important to also consider any potential sensitivity around the topic

Meanwhile, consistency is key. This is particularly because KitKat had executed a similar activation for a previous Facebook and WhatsApp outage in the past, said Mukherjee, adding that: 

This requires a team clued into the edge of trends, an agile creative development and approval workflow and of course, a bit of risk appetite.

Meanwhile, Gan believes that the success of a reactive campaign depends on timeliness, creativity and relatability. 

"Basically, brands need to be able to cleverly identify what current events, news and happenings are out there that the brand is able to hijack," explained Gan.

"It's something like an improv comedy where it has to be quick, clever and memorable if executed well, so it doesn't miss the mark," she added. 

Photo courtesy KitKat, Facebook and Xavier Blais, LinkedIn

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