KitKat customises OOO emails for those clocking out over the holidays

KitKat Auto Reply Break

For those of us clocking out for a much-needed break over the end-of-year holidays, KitKat has come up with a new ‘Auto Reply Break’ campaign that creates a customised out-of-office (OOO) email for us.

These clever email auto-replies don’t just apologise for the sender’s absence; they bring a laugh and offer the rest of the desk-bound workers who are not off during the season a ‘sweet surprise’ through an Instashop code for a redeemable KitKat.

Partnering with creative agency Publicis Middle East, the KitKat campaign features a nostalgic twist: OOO emails created entirely using ASCII art, a throwback to the pre-emoji era.

Given that much of the Campaign Middle East team is on holiday over the Christmas break, we had to give this a shot ourselves. Here’s what the Nestlé KitKat OOO email generator offered us.

KitKat OOO email generator

Commenting on the campaign, Deniz Yamanel, Business Executive Officer, Nestle, said, “Out-of-office replies are often a source of frustration for those who are still working. We saw an opportunity here to transform these emails into something fun. KitKat has always stood for breaks in the work place since 1937. This initiative provides better breaks for people who are working over the holiday period. It’s our way of saying, whether you’re out of office or at your desk, remember to Have a Break. Have a KitKat.”

The fact that KitKat is sneaking into corporate offices is so significant for the time of year – and for what the brand stands for. The Auto Reply Break transforms something as mundane as an Out-of-Office reply into a gentle reminder that everyone deserves a break this holiday season.

Bana Salah, Creative Director at Publicis Groupe Middle East, said, “It’s not every day that you find a new media space for your brand to own. Out-Of-Office emails are just the perfect place for KitKat to advocate for having a break, particularly during the holiday season when those who really need a break are employees who are still in the office while their colleagues are away”.

For those who’d like to check out the official KitKat Out-of-Office generator before they go on a break, click here for one way the can tell their colleagues to ‘Take a Break’, too.

Nestlé

Deniz Yamanel
Jennifer Paoli
Bishara Touckly
Omar El Sabban
Mohamad Toukko
Shiju Sahadevan
Mayssa Abed Motaz
Amer Bolbol
Raghad Eid
Motaz Al Halabi
Rania Essam