Spring has sprung, summer time has started and the spring fever is increasing. We certainly saw that in the commercials of March

We start with the Kruidvat commercial, designed by DDB Unlimited, with the theme Fresh & Whistling. This commercial introduces the main character Lies (photo), who will now play a leading role in Kruidvat's commercials. Lies feels the spring fever and arranges a date. In it, she pretends to be somewhat young and when her date arrives, she forgets that she actually had to babysit her children. We get to know her as an average Dutch mother: a typical Kruidvat customer. This is much appreciated by the viewers. This response is a good summary and indicates that interest has been aroused with this regular character(s): 'Funny, fun to watch. Actually curious to see what the date does!'

Spring is also central to the new commercial of the Dutch State Lottery, designed by TBWANeboko with the title 'Garden Center - It can happen on the 10th...'. The main character already imagines herself on holiday in a tropical place while walking around a garden center. This is the feeling that is conveyed: you are already dreaming and fantasizing about what can happen with that money on the 10th, when the mega jackpot is awarded. This reaction well summarizes the feeling that this commercial successfully evokes: 'The commercial makes me happy, nice to dream of a nice prize, especially in these times.'

In the next commercial, the cold is still very central. The Sportlife commercial, designed by Indie, shows a snowboarder in a snow landscape recognizable to Sportlife fans. Even before the snowboarder realizes what challenges await her, the Sportlife Guru appears. He gives her the powers she needs to get the most out of her performance: 'Naabhi', which means focus, 'Oorjah', which stands for energy and 'Ugrata', or recovery. Chewing gum brand Sportlife presents a new concept in the chewing gum market. Based on three product pillars; Focus, Energy and Recovery, with the launch of Sportlife Boost the brand wants to offer more than the 'well-known unparalleled freshness'. Functional ingredients such as vitamins have been added to the chewing gum. This commercial really stands out this month and this reaction sums it up well: 'Typical Sportlife... Nicely exaggerated and therefore fun to watch.'

Then we discuss the Venco commercial, designed by Alfred International. This commercial introduces a new product in a striking way: Venco Choco D'rop. At the beginning of the commercial we see the chocolatier carefully creating a beautiful chocolate work of art, which is rudely disrupted by the introduction of this new product in which Ruben van der Meer plays a leading role. The traditional Dutch flavor and the unexpected combination of flavors means that most reviewers give these commercials a positive rating and are curious about the new product. This response summarizes the general image well: 'The commercial is as special as the combination of the licorice and chocolate. But by presenting it so separately, you become curious about the taste and you want to taste it.'

A commercial that certainly stood out is from Aegon, designed by TBWANeboko. The message of this commercial is: Life can go in any direction. Therefore, prepare yourself now with choices for later. This commercial focuses on 'Thinking ahead': it is important to think about your mortgage, insurance or pension now. The commercial stands out because of the images with different frames and the supporting music and is therefore certainly appreciated. This reaction is a good summary of the general message that this commercial conveys: 'It holds up a mirror and makes you reflect on what is important.'

The next commercial is from BrandMR, designed by XXS Amsterdam. This is the second commercial featuring the somewhat ditzy main character Fred, who has setbacks in his life. This time his TV falls off the wall, which of course causes significant damage. Fortunately, there are BrandMR lawyers who can help him online for a fixed price. In this way, it is made clear in a fun way with this recurring main character what exactly BrandMR is and what it can do for you. That makes this commercial strong for a not yet very well-known brand.

Briefly, we mention a commercial from AFAS Software, further developed completely in-house with the help of WeVoke. Last month we saw Exact Software on TV and this month it is AFAS's turn. We see in the responses that these commercials are good for brand awareness and explanation of what these companies can do, even though this is not relevant for many viewers. We are curious whether other B2B companies will follow this example!

Read the column on MarketingTribune here