And so it’s happened…………. We have a mobile operating system named after one of the most famous chocolate products on the planet.
But why?
- Firstly both are global brands. Google announced an annual revenue of $50 billion earlier this year and and in 2011, Nestlé was the No. 1 in the Fortune 500 list, with a market value of $233 billion. It’s interesting to note that 1 Billion devices are running the Android OS[1] and that Nestle produce over a billion KitKats a year from it’s York factory[2] . This means that there are enough KitKats produced every year in the UK alone for each and every Android device! That’s without taking into account the The Hershey Company’s own production (who are the US licensed producers of KitKat.
- Secondly both are actually very innovative (in their own way). The recent Google+ announcements about auto enhance & self editing video demonstrate the incredible algorithmic developments that are being made.
- Nestle, believe it or not, also look to innovate. In a recent press release Nestle announced that ;
“it is reformulating its iconic KIT KAT bar, which will result in the removal of 3,800 tonnes of saturated fat from the public’s diet, improving the nutritional profile of the product.”
Whilst this type of innovation is less well publicised than the more technological advancements it shows that each company has within it a culture of innovation & product improvement.
- Thirdly (and perhaps the most tentative link of all) is the fact that both Google and KitKat are designed for sharing. The famous 4 bar KitKat can be easily shared with colleagues, family & friends. This is also true of the Android OS – built around the need to share and collaborate with others.
So it would seem that there are some synergies between the two afterall and this is not merely a commercial cross brand marketing strategy!
With this new approach to naming the Android OS after a commercial branded product, I have a couple of suggestions for future names – these are UK based names so apologies to US readers if these products are not in your region. (please add you own suggestions to the comments section).
- Angel Delight (Whip up with a mobile operating system)
- Mr Kipling Apple Pie (Exceedingly good operating system)
- Ferrero Rocher (oooh Google you are really spoiling us)
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