Kit Kat is a popular chocolate and waffle confectionery brand that entered the market in 1935. It was originally owned by the British company Rowntree’s. Now the rights of use are shared between the Swiss multinational Nestlé and the American candy maker The Hershey Company.
Meaning and history
One of the reasons for Kit Kat’s phenomenal success is its memorable contrast logo. As a powerful marketing tool, it is present in all product packaging. The design was updated several times, but the basic graphical principles remained unchanged.
1935 – 1937
The first chocolate waffle bars were marketed under the Rowntree’s Chocolate Crisp brand. This name was used in place of the logo on the bright red packaging.
1937 – 1945
In 1937, the brand was renamed Kit Kat Chocolate Crisp. The words “Kit Kat” were inside a yellow oval.
1945 – 1947
Throughout 1945-1947. the wrapper was blue because the manufacturer only used dark chocolate due to a lack of ingredients. This was due to the aftermath of World War II. The oval around the inscription has disappeared. The letters have serifs.
1947 – 1988
The brand returned to the 1937 design, but removed the phrase “Chocolate Crisp.”
1988 – 1995
In 1988, Nestlé bought Rowntree’s and, with it, the Kit Kat brand. After that, the corporate identity of chocolate and waffle products changed. The wrapper turned bright red. It has the white letters “Nestlé” (above) and “Kit Kat” (within a white ellipse with a double outline).
1995 – 2004
The word “Nestlé” has been shortened and moved to the upper left corner.
2004 – 2017
To make the logo more visible, the designers used shadows. This graphic technique gives the drawing a three-dimensional effect. In addition, the developers placed Nestle in the shape of an elongated red heart. Another change has been made to the position of the ellipse, now its right side is slightly elevated along with the inscription “Kit Kat”.
2017 – Present
In 2017, a version of the logo appeared with a chocolate waffle bar split in half.
Symbol font and color
Nestlé and The Hershey Company have different Kit Kat logos. The Hershey version is a brand name written in white letters with black outlines on a red background. The font is similar to Dennis Ludlow’s Kitty Katt.
The Nestlé logo has more original elements. The letters “Kit Kat” are within a slanted double-framed oval. The style of the typeface is reminiscent of the modified Gill Sans font, which was designed by Arthur Eric Rowton Gill.
In terms of color palette, the graphic sign has a lot in common with Oxo, Virgin, and Coca-Cola – they are also based on a combination of white and red. This combination of shades is beneficial from a marketing point of view because it creates a winning contrast.