Sweet Co-Branding: Google and Nestlé Give Us The Android Kit Kat.

To mark the release of Android KitKat, the latest operating system from Google, more than 50 million specially branded KitKat bars shaped like the Android mascot, will be available in 19 countries including Australia, Brazil, Germany, India, Japan, Dubai, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Kit Kat's own website has been redesigned as a parody of a tech site as part of the promotion:

The press release:
Sep 3, 2013 Google and Nestlé announce Android KitKat



Google has ended months of online speculation about the name of the latest version of its Android mobile operating system by revealing it will be called ‘Android KitKat’, after Nestlé’s popular chocolate and wafer confectionery.



The creators of the world’s most popular mobile platform have teamed up with the world’s biggest food and beverage company to name the next release of the platform ‘Android KitKat’.

Android KitKat 4.4 - The Future of Confectionary video:


SWEET THEMES
Android has been developed by the company’s engineers under sweet-themed names ever since the release of Android Cupcake in 2009 and continuing in alphabetical order until the most recent version, Android Jelly Bean.


above: The Android KitKat statue at Google's Mountain View campus along with others representing previous operating systems, such as Gingerbread, Jelly Bean, Ice Cream Sandwich and cupcake

The news that the letter ‘K’ will be dedicated to Nestlé’s KitKat will surprise most technology commentators, who had widely thought the latest version would be ‘Android Key Lime Pie’.

“We couldn’t imagine a better name for our Android K release than the tasty chocolate that’s been a favourite among the team since the early days of Android,” said Marc Vanlerberghe, Director of Android Marketing.

STRONG DIGITAL PRESENCE
“We’re excited to announce this partnership with Android, the world's most popular mobile platform, which will help us to enable even more KitKat fans to enjoy their break,” said Patrice Bula, Nestlé’s Head of Marketing.


above: A small number of Android robot-shaped KitKat bars will also be offered as prizes in addition to the 50 million created.

“KitKat is one of the world’s top ten fast-moving consumer goods brands in social media in terms of fan numbers and engagement,” he continued. “We continue to build on its strong digital presence with interactive, creative branding campaigns.”



To mark the release of Android KitKat, more than 50 million specially branded KitKat bars will be available in 19 countries including Australia, Brazil, Germany, India, Japan, Dubai, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.


above: The Android KitKat robot arrives at Nestlé headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland.

The packs will lead consumers to the website android.com/kitkat where they will have the opportunity to win prizes including a limited number of Google Nexus 7 tablets, and credits to spend in Google Play, Google’s online store for apps, games, music, movies, books and more.

CLOSER TO CONSUMERS
Nestlé’s branding partnership with Google is the company’s latest move in its ambition to leverage digital technology and online content to get closer to its consumers to better understand and cater to their preferences.

Earlier this year, Nestlé acquired its first-ever piece of online content property, the Petfinder website in the United States. The online database, which links prospective adopters with adoptable pets, is visited by more than 100 million pet-lovers annually

all images courtesy of Nestlé and Google

Chocolate On A Chain. Edible Jewelry by Wendy Mahr

Jewelry designer Wendy Mahr has a small sampling of real edible jewelry amongst her other gemstone jewelry offerings. Real chocolate covered malted milk balls are decorated with real edible gold leaf and turned into a ring, a pair of earrings and three different necklaces. The yummy gems are paired with non-edible findings such as wire, cord and chain. And what's really neat is that once you've eaten the chocolate, if you want to reuse/recycle what's left after the chocolate’s gone, you can send it back and for prices from $25-$45 (depending upon the piece) +shipping and they'll replace the chocolate with pearls, or other available stones for you.

Golden Chocolate Ring:


Everything is edible except for the wire and if you hold out and keep it safely tucked away, you can be the hit of the party several times.
For an additional $25+shipping, Wendy Mahr can reuse/recycle the wire into a new ring.
Price: $55

Chocolate Earrings:


Malted milk balls with edible gold leaf on gold-filled earwires. Tested in the mid-day Miami heat, the edible earrings did not melt.
Price: $55

Pretty Chocolate Necklace:


A gold filled chain with one edible real chocolate ball with edible gold leaf. Each additional ball is $10.
Price: $55

Children's Chocolate Necklace on Golden Cord:


The children's version of their Pretty Chocolate necklace.
Order them in bunches for party favors, but don’t eat the cord - it’s the only non-edible part.
Price: $30

Center of Attention Chocolate Necklace:


Gold filled wire and clasp and edible gold leaf make for a great malted milk ball fashion accessory.
Is it real? Yes. Will it melt? No, at least not when they were tested in the sweltering Miami heat. They smell great, look really pretty, and you can wear it several times, or until you eat them. (Please don’t eat the wire).
If you want to reuse/recycle after the chocolate’s days are over, you can send it back and for $45+shipping, they’ll replace the chocolate with pearls, or other available stones.
Price: $150

Packaging:


Ready for gift-giving, their edible earrings, ring or single necklaces come in this clear gift box finished with shimmering gold ribbon. Cost of box is included in shipping charges. Available for all edible jewelry items, except the 9-ball necklace which comes in a white wendy mahr jewelry box (not shown).

Shop for Wendy Mahr's Edible Jewelry here

Eurochocolate Festival Souvenirs: (yes, of course they are chocolate)

If you missed this year's Eurochocolate festival which just ran in Italy from Oct 13th- Oct. 21st, you can still get your chocolate fix thanks to some of the fun products from the festival, now available online here.

Check em out:


Above: Chocprin (chocolate aspirin)



Above: Chocopower (chocolate batteries)


Above: Cazzuola (comes in many flavors)


Above: Tavoletta's Chocolate Cellphones (many different flavors)


A little bit about the festival:

The Eurochocolate festival of Perugia 2007 has its core center in the historic center of the city, from Rocca Paolina up to the squares and the internal areas: Carducci Gardens, Piazza Italia, Piazza della Repubblica, Corso Vannucci, Via Mazzini, Via Fani, The Terrace of the Covered Market, and Piazza November IVth.

The kermis Eurochocolate Perugia 2007 has earned in a couple of years the sympathy of the people asserting itself as the most popular festival of the chocolate and the most followed by Italians, making of Perugia the European capital of the chocolate. For nine days the Umbrian chief town transforms itself for the occasion in a huge open-air pastry-shop for the delight of all the greedy persons and the slaves of cacao.

At Eurochocolate Perugia festival will be organized dozens of big events concentrated on the "food of the gods" with exhibitions, laboratories, internships, cooking classes, tasting, expositions, banquets, celebrations and the final prices: Eurochocolate Awards.
Each year new themes and entertainment are developed like for example "the prisoners of the chocolate" of the 2001 edition, and the activities of the section "Ciok si Gira!" dedicated to the cinema of the 2002 edition.
For all the tourists the occasion is without any doubt a good one to discover the most remote corners of this antique medieval center and to enjoy the famous Umbrian hospitality.

Buy the above chocolate goodies (and more) from eurochocolate here.