The campaign ‘Everything Tastes Better With Vegeta’ implemented by Podravka in collaboration with the agency Bruketa&Žinić&Grey, set new standards for marketing effectiveness in the food sector of Croatia and the region. This campaign, awarded the Gold Effie for outstanding achievements in market communications, reaffirms Vegeta’s status as a category leader in universal food seasonings and highlights the power of a strategic approach in repositioning a brand for new generations of consumers.
Despite its dominant market position in the Adria region, Vegeta faced challenges related to an aging user base and a stagnating category. More than half of the category’s users were over 40 years old, while younger generations (aged 20–39) preferred specific spices or did not use seasoning at all. With growing competition from private label brands and changes in consumer habits, it became necessary to redefine Vegeta’s relevance for a new target audience and to revitalize the brand’s perception.
The primary business goal was to increase volume sales, while marketing objectives included growth in the ‘Brand Performance‘ and ‘Brand Closeness‘ segments among younger audiences, as well as strengthening understanding of the brand’s key benefits (“made from the highest quality ingredients” and “inspires creativity”). Key performance indicators included sales results, image research, and engagement across digital channels.
The core strategic direction was to reposition Vegeta as a ‘final touch’ – a secret ingredient that can be added at the end of preparation, anytime and anywhere. This differentiation allowed the brand to move closer to younger consumers with a message of simplicity, creativity, and a modern way of use.
The campaign was conducted in three waves through an integrated ATL and BTL approach: TV commercials, digital campaigns, influencer marketing, PR activities, and in-store promotions. Collaborations with relevant influencers and fashion designers further strengthened the connection with younger audiences, while short video formats and contests on social media generated a high level of engagement. The communication platform ‘Everything Tastes Better With Vegeta‘ was present across all key channels, with a strong focus on visual identity and a humorous tone.
During the campaign, the volume market share increased by 8.7%. This means that Vegeta not only maintained but also strengthened its market position. This growth indicates that the campaign successfully attracted new consumers and increased demand for Vegeta, despite strong competition from private-label brands.
While the Vegeta brand grew, private-label brands recorded a drop in market share of -2.2 percentage points in the same period (November 2024 vs. November 2023), confirming the effectiveness of the strategy in building Vegeta’s value and differentiating it from price-based competitors.
In 2024, growth was achieved in both key indicators – volume (kg) and value (€), exceeding planned targets by 9% compared to 2023, which is a positive sign for the category’s performance.
Brand Performance: Significantly higher among those exposed to the campaign (mean score 9.05) compared to those not exposed (mean 8.5).
Brand Closeness: Exposed (mean 9.58) vs. non-exposed (mean 8.99).
Understanding of benefits: ‘Made from the highest quality ingredients’: 71% (exposed), 55% (non-exposed), ‘Inspires creativity’: 65% (exposed), 53% (non-exposed)
Digital reach: Over 1,059,400 video views on Instagram, 917,300+ views on TikTok, more than 37,000 interactions, over 2 million influencer content impressions
TV spots significantly impacted top-of-mind awareness, purchase consideration, and activation among light users, while the campaign overall positively influenced the brand’s key image attributes, solidifying Vegeta’s leadership position and relevance among younger audiences.
Considering all the above, it can be concluded that the campaign ‘Everything Tastes Better With Vegeta‘ is an example of how strategic brand management, innovation, and precise targeting can transform the perception of a traditional product and ensure long-term growth in a challenging market environment. The integrated approach, clearly defined KPIs, and consistent execution across all channels resulted in measurable business success and the creation of new habits among future generations of consumers.
