October 13th, 2026
Amsterdam, 8 October 2026. The winners of the Digital Creative Competition 2026 were announced at a dazzling awards show at Nxt Museum in Amsterdam. WPP Production won gold in the Commercial category with its concept for KitKat, while The Family took the top prize in the Non-profit category with its concept for WOMEN Inc.
This was the sixth edition of the Digital Creative Competition in the Netherlands. Ocean Outdoor’s competition challenges agencies, brands and creatives to explore and push the boundaries of digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising.
Once again, this year’s edition attracted a substantial number of entries. Through their ideas, the participating brands, organisations and agencies demonstrated just how wide-ranging the creative possibilities of digital outdoor advertising are.
After intensive deliberation, a jury chaired by Maira Evers of The Gardeners and Rick Vriesema of Talon Media selected six winners.
The winners
In the Non-profit category, gold went to The Family for WOMEN Inc. ACE won silver with its concept for the Rijksmuseum, and bronze went to Blacklist Agency for its concept for ADE.
In the Commercial category, WPP Production won gold for KitKat. The Family took silver with its concept for Pathé, and Monks received bronze for Chocomel.
Linda Boonman, WPP Production: ‘This is a really special moment. We try to get the very most out of outdoor advertising for our clients, even though passers-by only give it a moment’s attention. With this concept, you see yourself, and that grabs people’s attention. The technology then helps bring the creative idea to life.’
Marije den Breejen, Nestlé: ‘It’s incredible that this idea is now actually going to be seen. Everything we do for KitKat revolves around “Have a break”. This concept translates that into outdoor advertising in a lovely, instantly recognisable way. This win also allows us to show what’s possible within Nestlé.’
Jury chair Rick Vriesema of Talon Media: ‘I thought it was a genuinely successful edition. If you look at the agencies and brands that entered, it was another step up from previous years. The initiative is growing, and that’s tremendously good for creativity in outdoor advertising.’
Xavier Tilman, CEO of Ocean Outdoor Netherlands, also looks back on a successful edition: ‘The level of interest and the high quality of the entries show that OOH holds a unique position in the advertising landscape. It’s one of the few platforms where a brand with a truly surprising idea can make such an impact. Especially with the major technological innovations on the horizon, I expect the DCC to go from strength to strength in the years ahead.’
Human versus Machine
This year’s DCC had the theme ‘Human versus Machine’. Ahead of the prize-giving, the well-attended awards show featured a panel discussion led by host Eva de Mol. It focused on the role of human creativity at a time when AI is having an ever greater influence on the creative process. Where do creators add value, and which human qualities continue to make a difference?
From national winner to international stage
All winners receive advertising space on Ocean Outdoor’s screens in the Netherlands to bring their concepts to life. In addition, the gold winners go on to compete in the international competition, where they will take on winners from the United Kingdom, Scandinavia and Germany.
About Ocean Outdoor Netherlands
Ocean Outdoor Netherlands connects brands and people through (digital) outdoor advertising in eye-catching locations in cities, shopping centres and along motorways. Under the motto ‘Think beyond the screen’, Ocean combines media, creativity and technology to expand the possibilities of outdoor advertising. Through Ocean Studio and Ocean Labs, the company helps brands and agencies turn their ideas into distinctive campaigns in public spaces. The Digital Creative Competition provides a platform to explore those possibilities further.
