Nestlé International Travel Retail, a global confectionery leader, aimed to launch and amplify KitKat’s new Formula 1 partnership in travel retail. To support this ambition, the brand partnered with the agency to create an immersive, globally scalable “Break Zone” experience across key international airport hubs.
Context
As digital channels grew and travel retail became dominated by luxury giants, confectionery in airports was increasingly reduced to a functional, last‑minute grab.
Against this backdrop, KitKat was losing share to competitors, despite near‑universal awareness and a powerful new Formula 1 partnership. However, travellers, especially Gen Z fans, expected immersive “retailtainment”, not passive shelves, making the traditional confectionery aisle easy to ignore.
In this context, reclaiming relevance and visibility in high‑traffic terminals became an urgent commercial priority.
Our ambition
We set out to elevate Nestlé International Travel Retail’s KitKat x F1 partnership as the definitive “essential pit stop” in global travel retail, transforming routine confectionery moments into immersive, high-energy breaks that recruit younger travellers and reclaim category leadership.
Our approach
Altavia orchestrated the full global rollout of the KitKat x Formula 1 “Break Zone” ecosystem from concept to in‑store execution:
- Designed a scalable, track-inspired retail concept rooted in “Essential Pit Stop” break culture, with Sense of Place adaptations for each airport.
- Engineered a modular toolkit spanning 50sqm experiential pop-ups to permanent wall bays, with aerodynamic structures and premium F1 finishes.
- Produced detailed blueprints, 3D hero models, interactive reflex walls and digital racing game assets for global markets.
- Deployed and coordinated installations across key hubs, integrating simulators, QR-enabled gaming and cross-merchandising units to dominate high-traffic zones.
Our results
- Significant sales growth at hero airport sites, reversing previous market share decline.
- Stand‑out visibility achieved across key international terminals, elevating KitKat’s travel retail presence.
- “Best in class” toolkit recognition from Nestlé leadership, validating global scalability.
- High-impact trade press coverage driving strong industry talkability and future rollout approvals.
This campaign reinforced Nestlé’s ability to turn brand partnerships into scalable, high-performance retail experiences.
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