Skip to cookie banner
Coles 360 Logo
  1. Home
  2. Coles 360
  3. Case Studies
  4. KitKat F1
People shopping at Coles

From track to trolley: how KitKat turned F1 fandom into sales at Coles

KitKat’s global Formula 1 partnership provided a powerful brand platform. In Australia, the opportunity was to bring this platform to life within the Coles ecosystem, connecting brand excitement with shoppers in the moments that matter.

Opportunity

Maximise the impact of KitKat’s global Formula 1 partnership in Australia by translating brand activity into meaningful shopper outcomes.

Objectives

  • Drive incremental sales uplift

  • Build awareness of KitKat’s F1 partnership

  • Drive engagement with KitKat’s F1 consumer promotion

Solution

To unlock the value of KitKat’s F1 partnership in a retail context, the campaign centred on bringing the consumer promotion into the shopper journey.

Leveraging the Coles 360 omnichannel ecosystem across in-store, onsite and offsite, the activation ensured the promotion showed up in high-intent moments, driving measurable commercial impact.

Strategy and tactics

In-Store: Hero store takeovers across seven strategically selected locations delivered an immersive F1 retail experience. Store selection prioritised proximity to key Formula 1 events and high shopper traffic, maximising relevance and ensuring the promotion reached more shoppers  with impact.

 

Onsite: Homepage & search placements captured high-intent shoppers at the point of decision.

 

Offsite: Meta activity leveraged Coles audiences to reach shoppers who might need a break with relevant messaging, extending reach beyond Coles and priming purchase ahead of store and online visits.

Kitkat campaign on laptop and mobile

Key results

15% uplift

in $ sales across Hero Stores

25% incremental uplift

in $ sales from ad exposed customers online

66% lift

in awareness of KitKats partnership with the Formula 1

Source: Nielsen | Coles Synergy | Circana Lift Studies | Coles Circle Survey | Meta | Time Period W/E 10.02.26- 03.03.26
Channel-specific sourcing is outlined below.

Takeaways and learnings

An integrated omnichannel approach was critical in delivering both scale and effectiveness, engaging shoppers across multiple touchpoints and driving measurable sales outcomes.

 

Combining strategic store selection with audience-led media activation ensured the campaign reached the right shoppers in the right moments, strengthening performance across awareness, customer penetration and category growth.

Kitkat ad on phone

Campaign highlights

Kitkat ad in store
Kitkat ad in store
Kitkat ad in store

Explore more case studies

View all

Want to see what your brand can achieve with Coles 360?

Let's connect

Sources:

  • Nielsen Commspoint | Influence | Coles x Nielsen Fused Data | Role of Media and Effect Contribution Reports | Australia 2025 CMV Brand Salience
  • Coles Circle Brand Survey, Chocolate brands Pre = 27/Jan to 3/Feb, Post = 4/Mar to 11/Mar | Pre n=8.8K, Post n=4.9K, Coles Circle Members Only *Lift = Percentage point increase/Pre campaign read % Category & Customers
  • Coles Synergy |%Share of KitKat Brand based on Bars against Sales KPIs Pre: 52 Weeks prior to campaign Launch W/E 11-02 25 to W/E 03-02-26, During: W/E 10-02-26 to W/E 03-03-26 *Lift = Percentage point increase/Pre period read % Incremental Sales
  • Meta PCA
  • Coles 360 Market Lift powered by Coles Synergy