KitKat's Christmas ad is the perfect antidote to other brand's emotional alternatives.

It’s that time of year again. With Christmas fast approaching, you can’t go anywhere without seeing images of happy families acting merry over the dinner table or best friends jumping around in the snow. For those of us in need of a break from saccharine sentimentality, KitKat have produced the perfect antidote.

KitKat’s festive offering, created with JWT, opens with the brooding words ‘Welcome to nothing’, before explaining that this ad won’t have a jingly bell, snowflake or celebrity selling frozen turkeys in site. For the entire 30 second sequence, the screen remains blank, ending with the brand’s synonymous slogan ‘Have a Break, Have a KitKat’.

The ad’s not only a break from the big-budget emotional adverts of the season, but is also part of a larger trend towards a more parred down type of marketing. With companies like REI and Vitsoe closing their stores on Black Friday, brands are realising that by avoiding excessive advertising they can say more with less.