2025 Best of Europe: Influencer Marketing

The Don’t Die Bag

Summary: Dr. Max, Slovakia’s largest pharmacy, partnered with iconic meme page ZOMRI to win back attention during Black Friday. Instead of discounts, they launched the “Don’t Die Bag” – a limited-edition tote filled with immunity products and ironic cultural value. With no paid ads, the campaign went viral through memes, influencers, and earned media. It sold out in 24 hours, drove +31% online sales, and proved that even in a conservative category, a bold, culturally relevant idea can outperform traditional campaigns and win over a new generation of consumers.

Lead Agency(s): THIS IS LOCCO

Contributing Agency(s): GROOW DIGITAL

Client / Brand: Dr.Max / Dr.Max Pharmacy

Effie Award(s): Bronze


Unexpected Heroes

Summary: Old Spice turned deodorant scents into mysterious gamer aliases, infiltrated livestreams natively, and created unscripted, real-time entertainment that blurred the lines between gaming and branded content.

Nicknames became media space, chat became the story engine and a native, gamified media channel was born. Old Spice didn’t just use a platform differently: it redefined how brands can live inside gaming culture.

Lead Agency(s): LEO BURNETT BUCHAREST

Contributing Agency(s): Aggero, New View

Client / Brand: Procter & Gamble Romania / Old Spice

Effie Award(s): Silver


The Wavy Cut

Summary: The influencer-led campaign cleverly connected Lay’s Gourmet’s “wavy crisp” to the popular wavy hairstyle, a prominent look during the Christmas season, with influencers showcasing the trend. This approach successfully engaged new audiences, helping the product become part of the seasonal conversation. Reaching 1,4M households and delivering over 28% net sales growth with a 13x PR ROI, the campaign strengthened the brand’s relevance and reaffirmed its leadership in the premium crisp category.

Lead Agency(s): Sips And Bites, OMD Spain

Contributing Agency(s): ( PROBABLY), Firma, 2.10 (TEAM RANDOMK SPORTS), Draft Punk

Client / Brand: PepsiCo Spain / Lay’s Gourmet

Effie Award(s): Bronze