Knowledge & insights

BPX and VIA call on the Flemish Government and the Wallonia-Brussels Federation to advertise in Belgian media

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 10:33:23 +0200

In his keynote at the State of the Union, Gauthier Elslander, Managing Director of Belgian Publishing Xperience (BPX), called on public authorities to rethink how they allocate their advertising budgets. In his view, a campaign’s reach should not be the only consideration: the quality of the media outlet receiving public money should also count.

The biggest threat to local media is not a lack of quality, but a lack of simplicity

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 10:43:25 +0200

How can Belgium’s media and advertising sector hold its ground in a market where international platforms attract most investment and artificial intelligence raises new questions? At the State of the Union on 28 September 2026, held at the prestigious Villa Empain, CIM and the Council for Advertising brought the sector together around a shared goal: turning cooperation into action and earning consumers’ trust.

Strategic thinking and upskilling as priorities in marketing in the age of AI

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 09:36:39 +0200

AI may be transforming how marketing work gets done, but it is also increasing the value of skills that technology cannot easily replicate. WFA research identifies strategic thinking as the industry’s biggest talent shortage and warns that organisations may struggle more with upskilling their people than with accessing new technology.

UBA welcomes five new members: Besix, Galler, JustEatTakeAway, NMBS, Smappee

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 17:01:57 +0200

Five new companies have joined the UBA community: BESIX, Galler, Just Eat Takeaway.com, SNCB/NMBS and Smappee. Their arrival brings new expertise and perspectives to a community that connects brand builders across a wide range of sectors.

We are delighted to welcome these five diverse companies to UBA!

Presenting an AI vision within your company or team: from strategy to sense-making

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 09:33:33 +0200

Today, AI is no longer a peripheral experiment for many organisations. According to McKinsey’s The State of AI 2026, 88% of organisations now use AI in some form. However, only 7% have succeeded in scaling AI across the organisation in a way that allows them to realise its full value and return on investment.

It is precisely in this context that communication becomes critical. As investment in AI continues to grow, expectations are understandably high. Yet organisations, departments and teams often lack a clear sense of where they want to go with AI and, equally importantly, what that direction means in practice for the people who work there. A strong AI vision helps bridge this gap by translating ambition into a clear and meaningful direction for the organisation and its employees.

Effie 2026: the campaigns that made a difference

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 15:10:36 +0200

23 awards, including two Golds: the Effie Awards 2026 once again put marketing effectiveness firmly in the spotlight. The winning campaigns demonstrate the power of relevant insights, a strong understanding of audiences and a long-term vision. UBA congratulates all the winners and their partners!

Green claims: what has changed since 27 September 2026?

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 09:55:37 +0200

Since 27 September 2026, the new European rules stemming from the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT) Directive apply in Belgium. They strengthen the existing framework on greenwashing and introduce new rules for environmental claims and sustainability labels.

Advertising rules now centralised in one code

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 10:03:32 +0200

The Belgian Advertising Code now brings together the main rules governing advertising in Belgium in one central reference point. For advertisers, agencies, media and other professionals, the objective is clear: to make existing rules more accessible and help users identify the relevant framework more quickly.

New anti-greenwashing rules: is your sustainability communication ready for 27 September?

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 11:10:57 +0200

From 27 September 2026, the European Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT) Directive will become applicable in Belgium. Its objective is clear: to better protect consumers against greenwashing by ensuring that environmental claims are clear, specific and properly substantiated.

The core principles of responsible sustainability communication remain unchanged. However, the ECGT strengthens the legal framework and turns a number of existing best practices into legal obligations, introducing stricter requirements for companies communicating about sustainability.

Les Binet on the cost of small thinking

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 11:10:59 +0200

At UBA Media Date 2026, Professor Les Binet delivered a blunt warning: the industry’s obsession with efficiency, narrow targeting and disposable creativity is producing smaller profits. The route back to growth is scale, supported by better budgeting, broader reach and creative work that compounds over time.

AI in advertising: new guidelines for transparency and responsible use

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 11:37:42 +0200

To help the Belgian advertising ecosystem use AI responsibly, the Advertising Council and its member associations, including UBA, are publishing new guidelines on transparency, disclosure and the responsible use of AI. This new version focuses on two key areas: when and how the use of AI should be disclosed, and 12 principles for the responsible use of AI in advertising.

What 838 brand builders taught us about UBA. And where it should be heading

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 16:47:32 +0200

What does UBA need to offer to remain indispensable in a world where AI is rewriting the rules of marketing, budgets are under pressure, and knowledge is available everywhere?

That question was at the heart of our latest member survey, conducted together with Profacts.

We invited our members to tell us honestly where UBA delivers real value, where we still fall short and what they expect from us in the years ahead.

The response exceeded our expectations. No fewer than 838 professionals shared their views. Their feedback paints an encouraging picture, but it also challenges us to keep evolving.

Here are the insights that stood out most.

When is it mandatory to disclose the use of AI in advertising?

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 09:45:07 +0200

From 2 August 2026, new transparency obligations under the European AI Act become applicable. For advertisers, agencies and other communication professionals, this means that certain advertising content generated or manipulated by artificial intelligence (AI) will have to be clearly identified. Below, you will find the main applicable rules and the situations in which these obligations apply.

Why marketing effectiveness has never been more critical

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 15:04:45 +0200

Despite having access to more marketing data, dashboards and measurement tools than ever before, many advertisers still struggle to translate insights into better business decisions. According to new research from the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) and Ebiquity, two-thirds of brand owners acknowledge they are not yet where they need to be when it comes to paid media measurement.

Is sound the most overlooked brand asset ?

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 12:08:38 +0200

Despite substantial investments in visual identity & media placements, many marketers still treat sound as an afterthought. In doing so, they underutilize one of the most powerful tools available to them: sonic assets.

The UBA community continues to grow: 23 new members join in the first half of the year

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 15:47:38 +0200

Our community continues to grow. Since January, we have welcomed 23 new member companies to UBA. On average, almost one organisation joined our network of marketing and communication professionals every week.

CIM ONE: Belgium is once again becoming a global player in media measurement

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 14:52:51 +0200

Belgium is back on the global map of media measurement. With CIM ONE, the tripartite body comprising advertisers, media, and media agencies is building a system to measure local media and international platforms against a single objective standard. Luc Suykens, CEO of UBA (United Brands Association) speaks of a historic transformation. This has been made possible by something that rarely happens of its own accord: a tripartite body with its governance in place. “Governance is often called politics, but getting everyone on the same page before you start spending money is essential.”

Digital Omnibus : Who controls consent?

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 15:05:10 +0200

In our previous article, we explained why the Digital Omnibus matters for marketers, advertisers and media companies. We examined the concerns surrounding Article 88a and the potential impact on independent audience measurement, transparency and competition. In this article, we turn to Article 88b and examine how industry organisations are working to shape a balanced outcome.

Digital Omnibus : Why audience measurement is at stake

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 13:30:27 +0200

When the European Commission launched its Digital Omnibus initiative, it looked like a technical effort to simplify Europe’s digital rules and boost competitiveness. Many marketers initially overlooked it, seeing a dense debate about privacy rules, consent signals and GDPR changes. Yet behind that legal language is a reform that could reshape audience measurement and the balance of power in Europe’s digital media market.

Les Binet: Why marketing needs to think bigger again

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 13:34:06 +0200

For years, marketers have been told to do more with less. Budgets have come under pressure, accountability has increased, and digital tools have made it possible to measure almost every click, view and conversion. Efficiency has become the dominant language of modern marketing. But what if this relentless pursuit of efficiency is actually making marketing less effective?

Are brands winning attention but losing relationships?

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:25:54 +0200

In today's marketing landscape, grabbing and keeping consumers' attention has become harder than ever. They are exposed to thousands of commercial messages every day. Algorithms optimise campaigns in real time, marketers track clicks and conversions with increasing precision, and media plans can be adjusted at the touch of a button. Yet despite all these technological advances, many brands face a growing challenge: they succeed in capturing attention for a moment, only to be forgotten shortly afterwards.

Data governance as a growth lever

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 13:08:01 +0200

At the UBA Exchange Community Data & Tech session, experts showed why marketing performance increasingly depends on trusted, well-governed data. The key message: brands do not win by collecting more data, but by using it more responsibly.

How to improve personalisation and targeting in a fragmented customer journey

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:49:43 +0200

During the UBA Exchange Community Data & Tech session, experts from iO, Google and Publicis Groupe showed that AI can make personalisation more effective when it helps connect data, content and intent to create more relevant and more coherent customer journeys.

BPX and XMC map audience attention to ads

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 13:34:06 +0200

In addition to reach figures, insights into attention to advertisements provide important information for predicting advertising effectiveness. Until now, little information has been available on this subject. That is why the Cross Mediaal Consortium (XMC), in consultation with the Belgian Publishing Xperience (BPX), decided to conduct an in-depth study. “The classic debates, such as print versus digital or publisher media versus social media, are finally being conducted on the basis of objective behavioural data.”

Blog series - In the age of AI, agencies must become true strategic partners. (2/5)

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 16:40:10 +0200

During two round tables, UBA brought together advertisers from different sectors to explore how their collaboration with creative and media agencies is evolving in the age of AI. The discussions showed that artificial intelligence does not make agencies less important. As asset production becomes more efficient, brands expect agencies to contribute more strongly to strategy, market understanding, customer insight and integrated planning.

What if your pitches are costing you the best agencies?

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 12:06:15 +0200

As a marketer, you ask yourself the same question with every investment: “What’s in it for me?” When it comes to a pitch process, the opposite question is just as relevant: “What’s not in it for me?”

Every pitch requires time, money and focus. The ACC Pitch Report 2026 shows that a fair and well-considered process, aligned with the principles of the Pitch Charter, is not only better for agencies. It also leads to better decision-making for brands.

Do you work with certified influencers?

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:47:50 +0200

Launched in October 2025, the Influencer Marketing Certificate in Belgium already counts around 200 certified influencers and is already supported by 8 brands in Belgium: L’Oréal, Engie, La Loterie Nationale, Proximus, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Fnac and Alken-Maes.

UBA invites all brands to work with certified influencers, or to encourage them to obtain the certification, and to integrate this requirement into their collaborations.

The social media strategy needs to be better integrated into the customer journey

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 10:52:42 +0200

The Social Media & Influencer Barometer (SMI) Barometer 2026 shows that Belgian consumers increasingly use social media, influencers, podcasts and artificial intelligence in complementary ways. For brands, the challenge is no longer to rely on one dominant channel, but to define the right role for each platform across the customer journey.

Stop Preaching CX. Talk Business.

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 07:03:51 +0200

Why engaging the organisation around CX starts with speaking the language of your internal stakeholders.

Spotlight on Customer Experience 2026

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 07:03:52 +0200

Brands win by turning their promise into experience

Customer experience is no longer just about reducing churn or improving operational performance. As Kantar evidence and thinking have consistently shown. Delivering meaningfully different experiences is one of the most powerful levers for brand growth (Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable Global Brands Study 2026). Experiences shape perceptions, drive preference, and ultimately influence market share. In fact, experiences with brands can contribute up to 75% of brand predisposition, far outweighing the impact of paid media and brands that improve on customer experience are also significantly more likely to grow their market share.

The 2026 edition of Spotlight on Customer Experience reinforces this fundamental truth: brands that do very well in CX are those that succeed in translating a clear, distinctive promise into tangible experiences.

An NPS of 70 isn’t won. It’s earned, every single day.

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 07:03:53 +0200

How three fundamentals shape customer experience at Mobile Vikings.

Most Belgian telcos have an NPS between 0 and 20. Mobile Vikings sits at 70. That gap doesn’t come from a clever campaign or a once-a-year retention push. It comes from a stubborn refusal to treat customer experience as a department — and a relentless focus on making customers feel smart for choosing us.

Designing a customer experience that truly resonates

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 07:03:54 +0200

How bol translates its mindset into tangible impact

In a world where convenience is the norm, it is not the biggest or fastest players that make the difference, but those who manage to provide customers with truly excellent service. Not just once, but day in, day out.

That is exactly what bol is committed to. Behind the platform, which serves 14 million customers and 43,300 partners, lies a clear vision of the customer experience: simple at the front end, well thought-out at the back end.

Efficiency is not the ultimate goal of an AI strategy

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 07:03:54 +0200

What does customer loyalty even mean in a world where AI eliminates every obstacle, compares every price and can handle every purchase?

New Chair, Clear Vision.

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 17:47:16 +0200

UBA's new Chair Aude Mayence on brand building, humanity, and what UBA must become.

How agentic AI reshapes customer support

Tue, 26 May 2026 14:32:41 +0200

On 19 May 2026, the UBA 60 minutes session with Hannah Patronoudis and Michiel Vandendriessche from Raccoons explored how agentic AI can move customer support from answering questions to taking action. For marketing and brand managers, the key question is no longer only what to automate, but what kind of customer experience an autonomous system should deliver.

Content marketing that drives results

Tue, 26 May 2026 09:47:41 +0200

The ACC Expert Center Content Marketing launches a new casebook featuring 19 Belgian cases that demonstrate how content marketing connects brand building with measurable business impact. An inspiring publication showing how brands build trust, relevance and measurable business impact through strong and consistent content strategies.

Cross-platform video measurement: A guide to TOVA Post-Buy for advertisers

Wed, 13 May 2026 13:56:02 +0200

In today’s fragmented media landscape, measuring the true impact of advertising campaigns across both traditional television and streaming platforms is a complex challenge. Enter TOVA Post-Buy, a new CIM initiative designed to provide advertisers with a clearer, more accurate, and unified view of their video campaign performance.

Give AI context to improve competitiveness

Wed, 13 May 2026 13:49:11 +0200

AI is becoming a new intermediary between your customers and your brand. To be found, understood and recommended, your brand needs to provide clear context: structured data, reliable content and more tailored digital experiences.

EU delays AI labelling requirements to 2 December 2026

Tue, 12 May 2026 17:48:19 +0200

The application of AI labelling and transparency requirements under the EU AI Act is expected to be postponed to 2 December 2026.

UMA-UBA Benchmark: collaboration reshapes the media mix

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 16:08:03 +0200

The latest UMA-UBA Benchmark reveals a stabilisation of digital advertising in Belgium, alongside a more transparent and comprehensive view of the media landscape. Expanded collaboration across the ecosystem, including publishers (BPX and Trustmedia) and media sales houses (VIA), provides new insights into how net media investments are evolving in Belgium and underscores the resilience of local players.