HEMA Wins the Golden Loeki for the Third Year in a Row with Its Iconic Christmas Ad: A Look Back

It's official: the Golden Loeki, the coveted award for the best commercial in the Netherlands, goes to HEMA for the third year in a row. When the winner was announced last week on television, there was hardly any surprise. Anyone who had their TV on at all during the past December knew exactly which ad it would be. The Christmas commercial featuring Takkie and Siepie has once again captured the hearts of viewers, and the professional jury couldn't overlook it either. It’s a massive achievement: making the best commercial three years in a row is something very few brands can pull off.

Why This HEMA Ad Struck Such a Chord

By now, we know the formula. No complicated storyline, no expensive Hollywood effects, just a pure, relatable moment. This year, we see a sick little girl lying on the couch. She feels miserable, and nothing seems to help. That is, until Takkie and Siepie, the two loyal pets, reveal themselves to be true caretakers. With a teacup and a blanket, they manage to put a smile on her face. It’s not a grand gesture, but the small, sincere love that the commercial radiates. That’s precisely what makes the HEMA commercial Golden Loeki a winner. The strength lies in its relatability; it makes us all think of that one time we were sick ourselves and someone, or some pet, took care of us.

Reviews for this HEMA commercial started pouring in from the very first airing. On social media, it absolutely rained praise. People with tears in their eyes, parents who recognised their own kids on the couch, and, of course, the ever-present die-hard Takkie-and-Siepie fans. It’s a guide on how it’s done in the advertising world: focus on emotion, not on product features. You see the dog and the cat, you feel the warmth, and before you know it, you’re transported back to being a little kid who just wants to be comforted. The connection to HEMA isn’t a pushy sales pitch either; it feels like a natural part of Dutch home life.

The Secret Formula Behind the Golden Loeki Series

As far as I’m concerned, the success of this series of commercials isn’t just down to the script or the actors. It’s a how to use of an icon: how to use HEMA commercial Golden Loeki to make a brand timeless. The answer is simple: be consistent and dare to be vulnerable. While many brands try to launch a completely new, often over-the-top, crazy Christmas campaign every year, HEMA has found a line and stuck to it. They build on the success of previous years, but each year manage to tap into that one new, universal feeling. Last year, the theme was loss; the year before, loneliness; and now, it’s the need for comfort and security. All themes that hit especially hard in December—the month of dark days and family time.

• Relatability: The situation is everyday life, but the execution is cinematic. Everyone recognises the comfort of a pet or a loved one.
• Nostalgia: Takkie and Siepie have been icons for decades. By putting them front and centre, they effortlessly tap into the nostalgia of older viewers, while for new generations, they’re also adorable, new friends.
• Simplicity: No complicated message. The commercial shows the products (the blankets, the tea sets) but makes them secondary to the story. It doesn’t feel like an ad; it feels like a short film.

I know people who say the Golden Loeki is just a formality these days, that HEMA just gets it handed to them. But that’s too simplistic. Winning a series like this, year after year, is something only a brand that truly feels like part of the family can achieve. It’s no wonder that this year’s Golden Loeki review was almost unanimously positive. The professional jury praised the 'timeless storytelling' and 'authenticity,' two terms you don’t usually hear in the same sentence when talking about a retail chain. Yet HEMA manages to pull it off: they turn a store chain into a feeling. And that feeling—that’s the real prize they win, even before that little statuette.

So, cheers to Takkie, cheers to Siepie, and cheers to the people at HEMA who understand that the best commercial is one that doesn’t make you feel like you’re watching an ad. Same time next year? The bar, at least, has been set incredibly high once again.