+65 %

more Millennials (29-44 years)

114 %

increase in viewing volume

16 %

uplift in VTR

Agency
Mediaplus
Serviceplan

Client
ZDF

Year
2025

 

Location
Germany

Industry
Media

Services
Media & Data
Creative & Content

Overview

Mediaplus and Serviceplan activated Millennials with a cross-media campaign for the ZDF dramedy series "Chabos." Based on the principle of "nostalgia as a cheat code," an emotional journey back to the 2000s was created across social media, online video, audio, and OOH. The campaign reached a hard-to-access streaming audience at precisely the right emotional moment.

Challenge

The target audience streams elsewhere

Only 24% of Millennials actively use the ZDF Streaming Portal. This was the starting point Mediaplus and Serviceplan faced for the dramedy series "Chabos": a target audience full of nostalgia, but far removed from the goal.

The series itself is bold: the 36-year-old protagonist Peppi reflects on the mistakes of his youth, constantly breaks the fourth wall, and weaves two timelines into an unfiltered, authentic story. The return of the noughties is omnipresent as a trend, yet it often remains on the surface - in fashion and design - without capturing the raw, unvarnished energy of that era.

The task for Mediaplus:
Generate media attention among a target audience that is nostalgic but, in their everyday streaming habits, goes elsewhere. A campaign that does not merely inform, but convinces emotionally and meets Millennials right in the middle of their memories.

Which media touchpoints awaken noughties nostalgia?

Solution

We build a cross-media time machine

Mediaplus, together with Serviceplan, developed a cross-media time machine - strategically orchestrated and made tangible through creative experience.

The Principle:
Nostalgia as a cheat code. Every measure serves as a trigger for flashbacks: sounds, images, and formats catapult the target audience directly back to the year 2006. Emotions generate attention, attention creates memories, memories shape brand image.

The Time Machine in Detail:

  • Social media flashbacks on TikTok and Facebook
  • High-reach online video and display campaigns with data-driven targeting
  • Online audio featuring the legendary Crazy Frog - smartly targeted and unforgettable
  • In bars and clubs, star posters of the lead actors adorned the walls; on the big screen, they became Bravo cover boys with a direct call-to-action to the ZDF Streaming Portal

The Finale:
A walk-through photo love story on OOH surfaces turned waiting situations into a journey through time. Eight scrolling walls in a row, XXL stretch boards, and a classic print feature in a tabloid magazine.

The Results Speak for Themselves:
Through direct traffic from online and social ads alone, we gained 1.9 million new viewers for the ZDF Streaming Portal. And 65% more Millennials accessed the format compared to comparable ZDF formats.

Provided Services

Let´s Talk

Do you need support for your project? We are happy to provide a no-obligation consultation.

Nostalgia You Can Feel

"With this campaign, we didn't simply want to reach Millennials, we wanted to truly connect with them where their strongest memories reside. The media time machine achieved exactly that: it made the series tangible before the first episode ever aired."


Verena Vogt

Responsible for the Chabos Media Campaign
ZDF

Key Takeaways

#1

Nostalgia as targeting works

#2

Cross-media sensory engagement maximises ad recall

#3

Emotional triggers lead directly to measurable actions

Further cases from Mediaplus

About Mediaplus

Mediaplus is one of the largest independent media agencies in Europe and part of the House of Communication - an integrated communications network headquartered in Munich. Founded in 1983, the agency group brings together approximately 2,300 specialists across more than 20 international locations. Its service portfolio includes Media Strategy & Innovation, Data & AI, Performance Marketing, and Commerce & Retail Media. With its AI framework, House of AI, Mediaplus combines proprietary data models with market expertise to drive measurable brand growth. In 2026, Mediaplus was named Media Agency of the Year for the fifth time at the German Media Awards.

Let's get in touch!
Victoria Wissmann
Victoria Wissmann
Mediaplus
Let's get in touch!

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