Google announced that the next version of Android will be named “KitKat,” after the famous chocolate bars sold around the world on Tuesday earlier this week. This will be the first ever mainstream operating system that has been given a licensed name. However the deal with trademark owner Nestle took time to complete. BBC at a report said that Google director of Android global partnerships John Lagerling first called Nestle about the name in late November of 2012, and that the deal was only finalized at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February of this year. Nestle executive vice president of marketing Patrice Bula further emphasized by saying, “We decided within the hour to say let’s do it.”
Though there will be no exchange of money involved, there is a very big promotional campaign coming up. It will include promoting the android band by marketing 50 million KitKat bars in 19 countries and also offer buyers the chance to win a Nexus 7 tablet and Google Play gift cards. All those wrappers started production two months ago and is expected to be out for promotion soon. Even the Google employees are not aware of its name. “We kept calling the name Key Lime Pie internally and even when we referred to it with partners,” Lagerling told the BBC. Nestle will also be commemorating the partnership with 500 specially-produced KitKats in the shape of the Android logo. The company is also believed to have taken weeks to create a secret location in Europe.
Keeping the secret meetings in Barcelona and commemorative chocolates aside for a while, it is seen that the deal did have some wrinkles. Nestle owns and control the KitKat brand throughout the world, but Hershey’s licenses the brand and manufactures the candy in the United States which is the key market for Google and Android. As the deal started getting serious with Nestle, Google reached out to Hershey’s and work out an arrangement. However sources say that the final deal is entirely between Google and Nestle. Hershey’s KitKats and new KitKat minis in the United States will carry the Android logo and giveaway information.
Google spokesperson puts light on the name change by telling The Verge,” KitKats have long been Android engineering head Hiroshi Lockheimer’s favorite candy bar — his Gmail avatar was a KitKat icon several years ago. At one point in 2010, the Android team even decorated Lockheimer’s entire office door with KitKats.” Considering the wide variety of new wrappers and branding that is suppose to appear on KitKats throughout the world, it seems like another opportunity is on the way.
Akshay Agarwal
Latest posts by Akshay Agarwal (see all)
- Indian Funky Nightwear Brand for Babies and Kids Online - November 11, 2020
- Children’s Boutique Clothing Manufacturers in India - September 25, 2020
- Kids Celebrity Designer – Aastha Agarwal to showcase her collection at India Kids Fashion Week in Jaipur - September 7, 2019
