MIP Year in Review | Who doesn't know the commercials for Coca-Cola, Carglass, Efteling, and Nespresso?
The campaigns with the greatest impact in 2025
Rolling out effective advertising campaigns that really work: that is DPG Media Advertising’s primary mission. Our Research team analyzed the Media ImPact 2025 study. This annual survey evaluated 432 campaigns each week in terms of impact and likeability. Using real-world examples from the northern and southern parts of the country, we assessed the video campaigns that had the greatest impact and won over the public, drawing valuable insights from them.
Top 10 Ads by Impact: Strong Brands, Regardless of the Audience's Region or Language
A glance at the impact rankings in the North and South immediately reveals a striking similarity: 7 out of 10 brands appear in both rankings. The top three are even identical, albeit in a different order. It is clear that the same brands make an impression on consumers, regardless of the language they speak.
Video Coca-Cola Noord
In the North, Coca-Cola can call itself the undisputed number one in terms of ad impact. More than ten years after its initial success, Coca-Cola brought back the iconic “Share a Coke” campaign in 2025. The campaign, in which the brand logo on packaging is replaced with popular names and nicknames, placed a strong focus last year on Gen Z and the importance of offline connections. In terms of media reach, “Share a Coke” was a guaranteed success. With more than 7 in 10 Belgians having seen the campaign and attributed it to the soft drink brand, Coca-Cola leaves all other brands in the North far behind. Achieving a 93% attribution rate with a campaign that essentially removes your brand name from your product is nothing short of remarkable. The bottle’s iconic shape and distinctive red color are strong enough to serve as distinguishing features.
In the south of the country, Carglass is the brand that wins over consumers. For several years now, the brand has been running commercials that emphasize authenticity, as the message is delivered by Carglass employees. And let’s not forget the distinctive jingle, which serves as the brand’s signature sound. Let’s face it, these commercials aren’t the sexiest, but their effectiveness stems from the strong distinctive value of the brand and its message. When the public hears “a chip in a windshield” and a “two-euro coin,” they immediately think of Carglass—and for good reason.
IKEA has been in the top 10 of high-impact campaigns for years. For the first time, the Swedish brand has secured a spot on the podium in both the north and south of the country. IKEA has long stood out for the creative style of its campaigns, but since 2023, the brand has opted for greater creative consistency. Over time, IKEA has expanded on the same concept (“Imagine the possibilities”) with visual variations in each campaign, and it’s working.
Sticking to a single concept while offering creative variations in line with the brand’s style is clearly a winning strategy. Carglass and IKEA excel in this area, as do many other brands featured in our rankings: Dovy Keukens, Red Bull, Mora, and Kruidvat.
Top 10 in likeability: Perceptions of creativity vary more by region
The word “advertising” doesn’t always have a very positive connotation for consumers. That’s why it’s always worth drawing inspiration from the best campaigns to understand how they manage to touch the hearts of their audience. The likeability scores given by consumers to the tested campaigns are an excellent barometer. Surprisingly, while the north and south show many similarities in terms of impact, the differences are much more pronounced when the public is asked about the creative aspect of the campaigns. Cultural differences seem to play an important role.
In the south of the country, the most popular ad is the Nespresso spot. George Clooney, in his role as a detective, has won over French-speaking Belgians. The appearance of French actress Camille Cottin in the ad has also won over our French-speaking compatriots. In Flanders, this campaign is also a success but ranks 11th, just outside the top 10.
In 2025, the industry sector of the campaigns remains a decisive factor in public appreciation. Theme park commercials are generally well-received thanks to the emotions they evoke, which can be easily conveyed in the ads. In this area, the Dutch theme park Efteling is the leader, ranking number one in the northern part of the country. The campaign transports viewers into its magical world, and Langnek, the long-necked character, brilliantly connects with the Efteling brand identity.
When a brand’s industry isn’t the most “sexy,” it’s best to focus on something else. Good storytelling, for example, is always a recipe for success. Nespresso has understood this and proves it. But a special mention must also go to Bosto. Traditionally, the Belgian rice brand has communicated through commercials focused on the product. In 2025, the brand took a radical turn and opted for emotionally charged storytelling. The elderly man who goes to great lengths to learn how to eat with chopsticks, out of respect for his Asian daughter-in-law, melted the hearts of the Belgian public. Thanks to the strong emotional response to this ad, its brand awareness score is significantly higher than before. Daring to take the time to tell a story in a 50-second spot proved to be the right choice. And since Bosto is a well-established brand, it can afford to feature its product only in the last three seconds of the spot.
Do you know the impact of your own campaign? DPG Media Advertising measures the impact of TV commercials every week. To find out if your campaign is making an impact and resonating with your audience, contact us and discover how to make your campaigns even more effective.