THE EMPEROR IN THE SERVICE OF BRANDS: NAPOLEON STORMS TELEVISION SCREENS

4. 8. 2026 | 11 min read Napoleon's life offers advertisers almost everything a great story requires: a meteoric rise, military victories, immense power, a carefully cultivated public image, and a dramatic downfall. Brands therefore draw not only on his likeness, but also on themes of great ambition, defeat, exile and return. In the most successful advertisements, Napoleon serves not as historical decoration but as an active participant whose encounter with a product changes a story the audience already knows.

ALZÁK, MONETA’S CAT AND PAT & MAT: ESTABLISHED MASCOTS ARE A SAFE BET IN ADVERTISING, BUT AI IS HOT ON THEIR HEELS

25. 7. 2026 | 9 min read He is green and has a rather unpleasant, squawking voice provided by Bohdan Tůma. Although many consumers would describe Alzák the alien as extremely annoying, everyone knows who he is. And that is precisely the point. Mascots play an indispensable role in modern advertising. The purpose of these personified characters, whether animals, imaginary creatures or animated figures, is not simply to sell products, but to evoke emotions, build brands and develop relationships with consumers.

EINSTEIN WOULD HAVE BEEN AMAZED: TODAY, HIS FACE SELLS BREAD, MOBILE PHONES AND ELECTRICITY

17. 7. 2026 | 11 min read Tousled white hair, a distinctive moustache and a thoughtful expression are all it takes for viewers to recognise Albert Einstein within seconds. For advertising creatives, he provides universal shorthand for genius, intelligence and scientific progress, as well as likeable eccentricity. Einstein has consequently appeared in adverts for all kinds of products – from gluten-free bread and telecommunications services to smart electricity meters.

GIANTS IN ADVERTISING: FAMOUS HISTORICAL FIGURES AS THE FACES OF BRANDS

14. 7. 2026 | 8 min read What do Bedřich Smetana composing My Country, Leonardo da Vinci dreaming of flight and George Washington behind the wheel of an American car have in common? At first glance, nothing. Yet there is a connection: television advertising. Famous historical figures provide an effective form of shorthand. All it takes is a few seconds, a costume or a signature work, and the advert becomes a time machine, transporting viewers into the past.

MASCOTS ARE BACK, BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW THEM

14. 7. 2026 | 6 min read Future-focused brands know that mascots can embody a brand and bring it to life.

AI ADS ARE GOOD ENOUGH — AND THAT’S THE PROBLEM

6. 7. 2026 | 15 min read AI can now produce credible, efficient ads, but human-created ads still drive better business outcomes — for now.

TROJAN, ČERMÁK, KOTEK AND MORE: CZECH ACTORS BRING CHARISMA, HUMOUR AND AUTHORITY TO TELEVISION ADVERTISING

2. 7. 2026 | 8 min read Celebrities are a powerful draw in advertising, and actors are particularly effective. Which actors are favourites with brands, and which of their adverts have proved the most successful?

TOY STORY 5 HEADS TO CINEMAS — AND ITS HEROES ARE BACK AS ADVERTISING STARS

18. 6. 2026 | 9 min read Woody, Buzz and their friends are returning to cinema screens — and with them comes an army of brands eager to harness the power of one of the world’s best-known animated franchises. The release of Toy Story 5 is accompanied by advertising spots, limited-edition products, competitions and experiential events that connect the film world with customers’ everyday lives.

STRONG EMOTIONS LEAD TO STRONG RESULTS, SAYS NEW SCREENFORCE STUDY

14. 6. 2026 | 5 min read The new Screenforce study, entitled Follow the Feelings – Emotional Advertising as an Effectiveness Booster, explores the full spectrum of emotions, their practical significance and a detailed understanding of creative approaches to advertising.

SHREK CELEBRATES 25 YEARS: THE GREEN OGRE REMAINS A GREAT SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS

16. 5. 2026 | 9 min read A quarter of a century has just passed since the birth of the grumpy ogre from the swamp, who won over several generations of fans and remains one of the most recognisable film characters in the world. His distinctive humour and iconic visual style continue to attract the attention of marketers and major brands. The expected return of the series with Shrek 5 also suggests that interest in the franchise will continue to grow within the advertising world.

TOP GUN TURNS 40: THE HIT FRANCHISE HAS INSPIRED A WAVE OF FILM-THEMED ADVERTISING

15. 5. 2026 | 10 min read Forty years have passed since the premiere of Top Gun, yet the film’s iconic aesthetic continues to influence the worlds of advertising and pop culture. Fighter jets, aviator sunglasses, cockpit shots, motifs of speed and adrenaline-fuelled imagery have appeared over the years in campaigns by car manufacturers, fashion brands, airlines and many other companies. Top Gun has grown from a Hollywood blockbuster into a marketing phenomenon that brands keep coming back to.

LEE CRONIN’S THE MUMMY IS COMING TO CINEMAS: ANCIENT EGYPTIAN MYTHOLOGY ALSO APPEARS IN TV ADVERTISING

16. 4. 2026 | 8 min read It does not always have to be a furious mummy rising from a sarcophagus or a swarm of flesh-eating scarabs. Sometimes a hint of an ancient mystery is enough — a curse hidden in the sand, and the silhouette of a pyramid or a sphinx on the horizon. The symbolism of ancient Egypt has attracted filmmakers for decades, and it works just as reliably in advertising. Pharaohs, mummies, and forgotten tombs can create an atmosphere of adventure within seconds and send chills down the viewer’s spine. It is therefore no surprise that these motifs repeatedly appear in television campaigns for brands seeking to captivate audiences with a story thousands of years old — especially when a brand-new film on the subject is heading to cinemas.

LEONARDO DICAPRIO IS FILMING IN PRAGUE. THE FILM IDOL BEGAN HIS CAREER IN TV ADVERTISING

16. 3. 2026 | 6 min read A global star has arrived in the Czech Republic! Leonardo DiCaprio, one of today’s biggest Hollywood stars, is here because of a new film by Martin Scorsese, which has been filming in Prague and its surroundings since the end of February. Fans of the Titanic hero have a chance to catch a glimpse of the famous actor somewhere and are eagerly anticipating the new film. Few people today, however, recall that the actor, who carefully guards both his film and public image, began his career with small roles in commercial advertisements. What is DiCaprio’s relationship with commercial advertising, and why is his participation in it more the exception than the rule?

HOW L’ORÉAL PARIS AND RTL MADE STREET HARASSMENT HARD TO IGNORE

24. 2. 2026 Context Sexual harassment in public spaces is one of the most common forms of gender-based violence in the world. Two figures frame the issue: 80% of women have experienced street harassment, but 85% of people say they lack training on how to intervene. Ad Alliance and L’Oréal created a campaign to respond to this problem with a practical idea: show what intervention looks like in a situation viewers recognise, then point them to an online training called “Stand Up”. A program against street harassment that L’Oréal Paris and Right To Be launched in 2020.

TURNING PEAK TV SHOW ATTENTION INTO TRUSTED CONTEXTUAL SPOTS AND FAN FOLLOW UP CONTENT

24. 2. 2026 Context A plot cue inside a flagship soap can set the terms of the next ad break, because viewers stay anchored in the same scene and characters. Emmerdale’s familiarity, plus its own show social channels, gave the message a recognisable voice on TV and somewhere to continue after broadcast.

WHEN DISNEY CAME TO DANCING: A LIVE SHOW BECOMES A FAIRYTALE

24. 2. 2026 Inspired by Disneyland Paris’s Disney Music Festival, where performances by Disney-movie characters fill the park with dance and live music, DPG Media’s creative team proactively conceived an unprecedented brand integration: a dedicated Disney-themed episode of Dancing With The Stars. The concept was not driven by a client brief. Knowing the client’s wishes and dreams, and recognizing the natural connection between the Disney Music Festival and Dancing With The Stars, Team Integreate (the creative team within DPG Media) pitched this unprecedented collaboration, which Disneyland Paris immediately embraced.

A SPECIAL CHRISTMAS AD BREAK AS PRIMETIME ENTERTAINMENT

23. 2. 2026 Background In the Netherlands, Christmas commercials hold a special place in television culture. Much like the Super Bowl in the United States is known for its spectacular commercials, the Dutch festive season is the moment when brands showcase their most creative, emotional storytelling. Over the years, several Christmas campaigns have achieved iconic status, moving and entertaining millions of viewers and winning the Ster Gouden Loeki, the public award for best commercial. These campaigns demonstrate how advertising can contribute to the collective holiday spirit.

IT WAS MEANT TO BE A SHOWCASE OF TECHNOLOGY, BUT NOSTALGIA STOLE THE SHOW: WHAT DOES SUPER BOWL LX REVEAL ABOUT THE STATE OF MARKETING?

8. 2. 2026 | 10 min read Super Bowl LX is behind us. The evening at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara was once again more than just a sporting event—it turned into a media platform watched by over 124.9 million viewers in the U.S., peaking at 137.8 million during the second quarter, making it the second most-watched broadcast in American television history. This level of concentrated attention also underpins an astronomical advertising business. A 30-second slot cost around $8 million on average, with some premium placements exceeding $10 million, while total investment per commercial often ranged between $15 and $25 million. This year’s edition delivered the expected dominance of artificial intelligence and tech brands, but also a surprisingly strong return to emotion, nostalgia, and clearly defined values. What truly resonated in these ads—and what inspiration can be drawn from them—is illustrated in the following examples. Lay’s: Last Harvest One of this year’s most remarkable commercials felt, dramaturgically speaking, almost out of place at the Super Bowl. The chip brand Lay’s presented a short indie-style film about an aging farmer facing his final harvest. His daughter is taking over the farm, making it a story of generational transition. Even if it may not seem so at first glance, this was a very bold spot. Snack brands at the Super Bowl typically opt for humorous, celebrity-driven presentations. Here, however, we see an authentic story centred on emotion and a narrative of “real ingredients for real people.” Especially in a year dominated by highly hyped tech showcases, Lay’s offered a moment for genuine reflection and introspection. From the perspective of the evening’s overall structure, it was something of an anomaly—one that, nevertheless, received very positive reviews.