Nestlé replaces Captcha words with KitKat game

Captcha is the security feature that requires web site visitors to rewrite distorted words to prove that they are human and not a computer bot.

However, ‘PlayCaptcha’ adopted by the Nestlé-owned chocolate bar asks users to open a virtual KitKat by swiping along the foil by using either their finger on a touch screen or a mouse on a PC.

Gill Watson, KitKat business unit head at Nestlé UK & Ireland Confectionery, said: "At KitKat we always try to find new and interesting ways for consumers to enjoy our product, so PlayCaptcha is an exciting way to extend our ‘Have a Break’ brand equity."

The campaign was created in partnership with KitKat’s ad agency JWT London and Future Ad Labs. Future Ad Labs has previously launched games for Heinz and Reckitt Benckiser.  

Heinz’s PlayCaptcha asks website visitors to pour a virtual bottle of salad cream onto a sandwich. A total of 91% of respondents found PlayCaptcha to be a better user experience than standard word-based Captchas, with 90% recalling the Heinz product following the completion of the task.

Mastercard and Unilever have also run similar campaigns.

The article first appeared on www.marketingmagazine.co.uk