Published by Sue Johns-Chapman
Published Date 26.08.2026 
A well-known brand in one region can still be an unfamiliar choice in another. That was the starting point for Vegeta in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Podravka brought more than 70 years of FMCG heritage and a presence in over 70 markets, but recognition in Central and Eastern Europe did not automatically create trust in DACH.
Our nominated campaign set out to change that. Rather than chasing a short-lived awareness spike, KG Media and Podravka built a 12-month media approach designed to make Vegeta feel visible, credible and relevant in some of Europe’s most competitive FMCG markets.
The Agency Behind the Work
KG Media is a marketing agency creating multichannel strategies across digital and offline environments. Through an international partner network, including CEEDA’s Google Premier Partner agencies, we combine CEE-wide reach with market-specific execution.
Our approach is tailored to each client’s business goals, market conditions and audience. On the Vegeta DACH campaign, KG Media led FMCG execution, working with Full Stack Experts within the CEE Digital Alliance.
The Nominated Work: Building Familiarity Before Asking for Action
The campaign targeted adults aged 25–59 across DACH, with a focus on building broad reach and sustained brand memory over time.
That led to a deliberately premium media strategy. Vegeta became the first CEE brand to launch a Netflix Ads campaign in Germany, without local benchmarks or regional case studies to rely on. Rather than treating Netflix as a standalone test, the campaign used it as the credibility anchor within a broader media ecosystem.
Netflix was supported by:
- YouTube for national reach and frequency
- Connected TV for lean-back attention
- Premium food and lifestyle publishers for contextual relevance
- Audio and selected OOH placements to reinforce offline memory
Creatively, the campaign focused on immediate brand recognition and universal cooking moments, avoiding local clichés and forced humour.
Using Search to Validate Brand Demand
Search played a different role in the campaign. Rather than driving demand, it was used to validate whether the broader media strategy was building brand interest. Branded search demand increased by 20% YoY, while cost-efficiency remained stable or improved and demand was sustained across the 12-month period.
Results That Went Beyond Media Delivery
The 12-month campaign met or exceeded its core objectives:
- 140M+ total impressions
- 25M+ video views
- 75% national reach within the 25-59 target audience in each market
- An annual average frequency of 7 exposures per user
- 98% Netflix video completion rate and 643,000 completed views
- 20% YoY growth in branded search demand, while branded search cost-efficiency remained stable or improved
Alongside the media results, sales grew by 4.3% and volume by 1.6%, indicating positive commercial momentum in DACH.
Why the Impact Mattered
Beyond the media results, the campaign also marked a shift in perception. Vegeta demonstrated that a CEE brand could compete confidently alongside global FMCG players in one of Europe’s most competitive markets.
For Podravka, the campaign supported sales efforts across DACH and strengthened its position among younger consumer segments. For the teams involved, it demonstrated the value of coordinated regional execution, supported by shared measurement and cross-channel planning.
What This Nomination Means to Us
Having this work recognised is meaningful because the campaign was built around a long-term strategic choice rather than a quick performance win. It reflects the collaboration required to coordinate markets, channels and measurement while protecting a consistent brand idea.
| “This was a true cross-market effort – aligning media, retail moments, and consumer behavior across Germany and Austria.” |
| “This nomination represents a benchmark for how brands from Central and Eastern Europe can compete on equal terms in the most demanding European markets.” |
For KG Media, the nomination is also a reminder that brands from Central and Eastern Europe do not need to behave like outsiders when entering demanding Western European markets. With the right strategy, context and consistency, they can compete for the same quality of attention.
Where to Find Us
Author credit and bio
Antonios Ivan Karalazos
Antonios Ivan Karalazos is Performance Marketing Director at KG Media, with more than 15 years of experience in digital marketing, advertising and integrated campaign strategy.
He has worked with 200+ clients and managed over €20M in media investment, leading campaigns across both digital and offline channels in international markets. His expertise spans performance strategy, Google Ads, analytics, SEM/PPC and large-scale campaign management.
Antonios holds a degree in Business Informatics and a postgraduate degree in Marketing Management from the Faculty of Economics and Business Zagreb.
