What the summer does to you: Raketje's unique (legendary) campaign

Under the guise of...

Under the guise of being inspired by the lovely weather (and finding a perfect excuse to head to the supermarket soon), I want to say something about a campaign that has fascinated me for years. Purely out of a hobby. Out of brand obsession. And yes, also because I just want to eat a rocket later.

Summer = sun, music, ice cream

When you think of summer — or a festival, an afternoon by the water, a balcony moment — three things come to mind: sunshine, good music, and something cold. Let that be exactly the mix that affects Raketje's campaign. Yes, he's five years old. But he's still in my head. And that says something. That sticks.

So, the campaign?

I was just scrolling through the comments on YouTube. And aside from some cynical jokes and “what's this again” reactions, most of them are genuinely enthusiastic. Many people are calling it a legendary move. And I get that. Because 5 years later, it's still being streamed. It will still be responded to. That is not without reason. That is good work. Brand building, but with humor, timing and cultural awareness.

So what works so well?

Raketje is positioned as the nostalgic summer ice cream that connects generations. The brand focuses on recognition, childhood memory and fun — accessible, familiar and culturally anchored. The focus is on a sense of family, sharing together and reliving summer traditions. It's not forcibly cool. It's just real.

And then came Gerard Joling and Poke

And that — to be honest — just made it an incredibly strong collaboration. A partnership that is really right. Between Gerard Joling, Poke and Raketje van Ola. And you don't see that often: that three brands, artists or worlds complement each other in such a way that it doesn't feel like a campaign, but like something that's just right. And honestly? So for me, this is really what good brand collaboration is about.

So I thought that was really smart. Because where brands often miss the mark when they want “something with young people”, Ola does things differently here. They combine two cultural icons from completely different worlds. Joling for the OGs. Poke for the new generation. It clashes. It chafes. And that's why it works. They don't make a 'young' brand. They are creating a campaign where young and old can laugh at the same time. And that's gold. Especially if you link this back to the positioning of 'Raketje' as a brand. A classic.

For those who think: yes, nice, but what's the use of this?

Well, if you ask me:

• Positioning works if you dare to live in it. No need for a hip rebrand.
• Contrast is strength. Dare to clash. Dare to be surprising.
• Humor + Community = staying culturally relevant

And this is what we often see in our Boiler Room sessions at ODB. Campaigns don't have to be perfect. They have to be right. Working by feeling and by strategy.

Finally: I move myself to the Appie

So I wrote all this down with just one thought: get a rocket later. With summer in my head. And along the way, I'll scroll through my film role, back to that De Cultuur flyer from years ago — the “it looks like summer” tour. Not sponsored by Raketje. But Powered By.

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