An element of Kit Kat’s sponsorship of the Abstract USA show at the Rijksmuseum Twenthe gallery in the Netherlands was meant to be a bit of fun but caused quite a stir in the art world.
Abstract shapes and geometry featured strongly in the exhibition which included works from artists like Frank Stella and Larry Poons. Leveraging this, amidst the works on show was a large red triangle canvas courtesy of the Nestle chocolate brand. The simple work with no underlying meaning had a central position in the gallery. It appears to be part of the main show and aims to offer respite from the more meaningful works on the walls.
The label besides the painting simply had the brand’s tagline “Take a break, have a Kit Kat”.
Comment:
A risky yet witty approach! Improving an experience is one thing, trying to be part of the show is another. Being too invasive is something most sponsors strive to avoid, but Kit Kat’s sense of humour here enables the brand to get away with a tactic most marketing academics would recommend avoiding.
