They Didn’t Expect Us to Belong: How KG Media Helped Vegeta Enter DACH

Being shortlisted for the European Search Awards is more than recognition of results. It reflects the strategy, risk, and execution behind a campaign that challenged how FMCG brands from Central and Eastern Europe compete in DACH markets.

At KG Media, we believe that visibility alone is not enough. Brands need to earn attention in the right context.

Our work with Podravka and Vegeta in the DACH region is an example of that approach in practice.

The Agency Behind the Strategy

At KG Media, we develop multichannel strategies that connect digital and offline environments, helping brands reach global audiences with measurable impact.

Our work is built on a strong international network of partners, including the CEEDA network of Google Premier Partner agencies, allowing us to operate across the CEE region while maintaining local relevance in every market.

We take a tailored approach to every client, combining modern marketing technologies with strategies designed around specific business goals and market conditions.

For this campaign, KG Media led FMCG execution across DACH markets, working in partnership with Full Stack Experts as part of the CEE Digital Alliance.

The Challenge: Entering the Most Competitive FMCG Market in Europe

Podravka is a heritage FMCG brand with over 70 years of presence and operations in more than 70 markets.

However, in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, that heritage did not translate into recognition.

The DACH market is:

• Highly saturated
• Dominated by global brands
• Resistant to unfamiliar or “imported” products

Vegeta was not launching a product. It was asking for trust.

And the real question behind the campaign was:

Can a CEE FMCG brand earn premium attention in the most judgmental market in Europe without being treated as a curiosity?

The Strategy: Earning Trust Through Premium Positioning

Instead of pursuing low-cost reach, the strategy focused on behaving like an already established brand.

This meant:

• Consistency over bursts
• Premium context over cheap reach
• Frequency built over time, not forced

Search was not used to drive demand. It was used to validate it.

If the strategy worked, search behaviour would reflect it.

Execution: A Netflix-First Approach Without Benchmarks

The defining decision of the campaign was entering Netflix Ads in Germany.

This was:

• The first Netflix Ads campaign by a CEE brand
• Executed without local benchmarks
• A strategic, reputational move rather than a test

The risk was clear: if the brand felt out of place, the market would respond immediately.

What happened instead:

• 98% video completion rate
• 643,000 completed views

More importantly, Vegeta did not appear as an outsider. It felt native to the environment.

Netflix acted as the credibility anchor within a broader ecosystem:

• YouTube for national reach and frequency
• Connected TV for lean-back attention
• Premium food & lifestyle publishers for contextual relevance
• Audio and OOH for offline reinforcement

Creatively, the campaign avoided overstatement and local clichés.

The focus was on universal cooking moments and immediate brand recognition.

Overcoming Challenges

The campaign addressed several key challenges:

1. Entering premium media as a CEE brand

There were no precedents for this type of campaign in the region.

• Standing out in saturated markets

Global FMCG players dominated attention.

• Managing multi-market complexity

The campaign required coordination across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, as well as multiple channels.

These challenges were addressed through:

• Coordinated execution led by KG Media
• Strategic and technical support from Full Stack Experts
• Unified measurement and frequency logic across channels

This enabled the teams, as part of the CEE Digital Alliance, to operate as a coordinated regional unit, delivering multi-market scale without reliance on global holding networks.

Results: From Visibility to Measurable Impact

The campaign met or exceeded all defined objectives:

• 140M+ total impressions
• 25M+ video views
• 75% national reach within the target audience
• Annual average frequency of 7 exposures per user
• 98% Netflix completion rate

Search data confirmed the effectiveness of the strategy:

• Branded search demand increased by 20% YoY
• Stable or improving branded search cost-efficiency YoY
• Demand sustained over a 12-month period 

Beyond media metrics, the campaign delivered business results:

• Sales growth: +4.3%
• Volume growth: +1.6%

These results indicate that premium visibility translated into real commercial impact.

The Impact: Changing Market Perception

The most significant outcome was not purely numerical.

Vegeta shifted from being perceived as a regional brand to a brand capable of competing with global FMCG leaders in DACH markets.

This shift in perception is difficult to quantify, but critical for long-term growth.

What This Nomination Means to Us

Being shortlisted for the European Search Awards reflects a strategic approach built on consistency, context, and long-term thinking.

“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 our team, this nomination confirms that premium positioning, when executed correctly, can deliver both brand and business results.

Where to Find Us

• KG Media website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram

Conclusion

This campaign was built to earn trust, not just visibility.

By combining premium media, consistent exposure, and validation through search, it delivered both brand and business impact.

More importantly, it demonstrated how a Central and Eastern European brand can compete in DACH markets.

Author credit and bio

Antonios Ivan Karalazos

Experienced Performance Marketing Director with 15+ years in digital marketing and advertising. Currently leading teams and managing large-scale campaigns at KG Media, with a strong focus on strategy, performance, and growth.

Throughout his career, he has managed over €20M in media budgets, worked with 200+ clients, and delivered integrated campaigns across digital and offline channels. His expertise includes Google Ads, analytics, SEM/PPC, and campaign management in international environments.

He holds a degree in Business Informatics and a postgraduate degree in Marketing Management from the Faculty of Economics and Business Zagreb, Croatia.