Nestle Gets Viral … The Kit Kat “Hoax”

Have you seen the Kit Kat “commercial” starring none other than Jesus himself?  Well, not really himself, but something in his image.

It seems that Nestle Amsterdam made a viral “commercial” of an “anonymous Dutch Guy” who took a bite of a Kit Kat bar and an image of Jesus mysteriously appeared in his teeth marks.  They produced this on the heels of a week’s worth of media coverage of multiple Jesus-icon discoveries and sent it to two media outlets in the Netherlands. Look, another Jesus in an inanimate object!

Well, the two media outlets ran it, and subsequently the video was picked up all over the world in a matter of days. This was a year ago on Good Friday, and the hits on YouTube continue, as do comments via Twitter, Facebook and in the media. People are still laughing … still insulted … but still talking.

The success of coverage obtained, the viewership and the online dialog generated by this fake commercial is part of the “digital media will kill traditional” onslaught. Yet, for worldwide viral appeal, there must be an edge, and typically corporate-America is too frightened to produce something this provocative. Making fun of Jesus on Good Friday?  I don’t think so!  Poking fun of religious icons in Europe, particularly in the Netherlands is a big nothing. In the U.S., it’s taboo. Yes, the Web is worldwide … but is it a cultural leveler?  And if not, what is the ultimate fate of U.S. creative?

Interestingly, most of the online discussion isn’t ripping on the sacrilege, but rather voicing offense over faking the image for purposes of marketing (which never happens in the traditional world, right?) and hoaxing the public with a fake news story. 

The case study is fascinating.  View, and use your own judgment.