How Douwe Egberts reached 1 in 4 Belgians

When did you last have a real conversation with someone? In an age of digital dominance, Douwe Egberts has long believed in the power of genuine human connection. They wanted to bridge the digital divide and bring the magic of real conversations back into everyday life. The result? They reached 1 in 4 Belgians with a unique, nationwide radio campaign.

The challenge was to keep delivering creative ideas. That was the brief the Integreate team at DPG Media Advertising took on. They devised a unique, warm campaign to build connection and bring people back together.

The coffee brand and the media company launched 'The Biggest Coffee Break of All Time' on 6 November 2023 at 8:40 am, broadcast at exactly the same moment across all DPG Media radio stations in Belgium. The campaign, centred on the importance of real human interaction, invited listeners to step away from their screens during the ad break and have a meaningful conversation.

When developing the media plan, audio advertising quickly emerged as the natural choice. This form of advertising allows companies like Douwe Egberts to reach their target audience during screen-free moments — while cooking or driving, for instance. It fills crucial gaps in the customer journey, making it a perfect fit for this campaign. We firmly believe in the activating power of audio, driven by the direct connection between our radio stations and our listeners.

Maarten Levecque, Senior Strategic Content Manager at DPG Media Advertising: "Audio advertising allows advertisers like Douwe Egberts to reach their target audience during screen-free moments. Not a single listener escaped this activation: from Qmusic to Radio Contact, from Joe to Nostalgie, from Willy to bel RTL, from FUN Radio to TOPradio… Douwe Egberts claimed the ad break everywhere."

The campaign was simple but powerful: a few seconds to spark a real conversation. We strategically chose radio as the platform to reach their diverse audience during screen-free moments — a perfect fit for the campaign's goal. The numbers speak for themselves: 1 in 4 Belgians heard the campaign, and 40% said it changed the way they think about their communication afterwards.

The collaboration between Douwe Egberts and DPG Media was exceptional, resulting in the first national campaign of its kind. The message to prioritise real conversations resonated across the country, making 'The Biggest Coffee Break of All Time' more than an advertising initiative — it became a national conversation about human connection.

Have you already scheduled your coffee moment with someone from the Integreate team to sit down together over a cup of coffee and explore the possibilities for your business? ;-)