Electronics Product Review: Where's the Emotion?

Coolblue spends more on media than market leader MediaMarkt. Eighty percent of Dutch people consider the brand. It has everything it needs to lead the market. And yet it remains in second place. Research firm Validators analyzed a year’s worth of ads from the electronics industry using Share of Content and revealed where things are going wrong: in how the budget is spent. Coolblue allocates virtually its entire budget to sales, while Amazon and Bol also invest in building their brands.

Coolblue already holds the second-largest mind share in the market, without actively allocating a budget to it. But if they want to maintain that position or dethrone MediaMarkt, they have their work cut out for them. The solution does not lie in the budget. According to Nielsen data, Coolblue spent €81 million on media in 2025 (note: this refers to gross media spending). And that is considerably more than market leader MediaMarkt (€48 million). The problem lies in how that €81 million is allocated. Marketing data experts Binet and Field demonstrated that the most effective media allocation is 60% branding and 40% sales—the so-called 60:40 rule. Coolblue allocates only 2% to branding. Amazon (48% branding) and Bol (44% branding), on the other hand, do come close to that ideal balance.

And the pattern repeats itself in the tone: 84% of Coolblue's communications are functional, compared to 78% that are emotional at Amazon and 68% that are emotional at Bol.

Emotion is what makes a brand stick in people’s minds. It ensures that a brand is not only noticed but also remembered, so that it comes to mind later when a purchase is being made. Coolblue has a strong mental network, but its primary focus is on making sales today. In the long term, this could significantly erode its brand position relative to competitors like Amazon and Bol, which do rely on emotion.

Amazon and Bol do things differently, and it works

According to Nielsen data, Amazon and Bol collectively spent approximately €290 million on media this year, with significantly more focus on emotion and brand-building than the rest of the industry. Based on their current Share of Voice, both brands are on track to increase their mental market share by approximately one percentage point.

A small number, but a big impact in a market where the differences between brands are marginal. A shift of 1% or 2% can make a big difference; it not only generates profit for one brand but also chips away at the overall pie that the brands share among themselves. So it’s not just about spending more—it’s about spending differently. Budget, balance between branding and sales, and emotion: that combination yields a mental edge.

Image: A still from a Coolblue TV commercial coded by Share of Content under the CEP "Good Deals" category (source: Nielsen, 2025).

Coolblue is already broadcasting at the right pace

There’s one thing Coolblue already does well: timing. The entire industry crams the bulk of its annual budget into the fourth quarter, with a spike in November and December. Bol and Amazon roughly double their budgets during those two months. Coolblue doesn’t. Together with MediaMarkt, the brand runs ads much more consistently, all year round.

Consistent communication gradually builds brand preference—the kind of preference that sticks. Concentrated spending during the holiday season mainly drives short-term effects: a spike in attention around Black Friday and Sinterklaas that fades just as quickly. Coolblue runs its ads at the right time. It’s just not done with any feeling.

A position that no one is taking advantage of

80% of Dutch consumers consider Coolblue at at least one of the measured Category Entry Points. That’s slightly less than market leader MediaMarkt (87%). More importantly, consumers think of the Coolblue brand more often than they actually make a purchase. This is the opposite of what happens with Bol. This means that Coolblue is still leaving growth potential untapped.

Coolblue’s position has also remained remarkably stable across generations. There’s no shift toward younger consumers, as seen with Bol and Amazon. It simply enjoys broad support—a foundation you can rely on.

Is a warranty a gap in the market?

"A good warranty" is, after price, the most important reason for choosing an electronics store. It’s the deciding factor for 47% of consumers. And it’s precisely on this front that Coolblue ranks second, behind MediaMarkt, in terms of mental market share. On paper, a warranty seems like a hygiene factor: European legislation ensures a baseline that every retailer must meet. That’s exactly why there’s an opportunity here. The distinction lies not in the existence of a warranty, but in how comprehensive, straightforward, and visible a brand makes it. “A good warranty” is therefore a CEP (Category Entry Point) that offers many opportunities, precisely because there is currently no brand in the industry that is truly communicating on this front.

Bol and Amazon largely ignore this theme. They prefer to allocate their media budget to “great deals,” “wide selection,” or “electronic gifts.” If these brands knew that “electronic gifts” is a decisive CEP for just 2% of the population, they might make different choices.

Conclusion: Untapped Opportunities

Coolblue’s mental framework is in place. The pace of its messaging is good. What’s missing is emotion—and with it, the mental growth (which Amazon and Bol do demonstrate). The most interesting question in this market isn’t who’s at the top today. It’s who’s getting the most out of the position they already hold. Coolblue has a lead that remains largely untapped: a broad network and the second-best warranty offering on the market. The brand uses communication that sells, but doesn’t stick with consumers. As long as that remains the case, Amazon and Bol will continue to take over an ever-larger share of the mental playing field.

The study

Using Share of Content™ (from Validators), all advertisements from electronics retailers over the past year were analyzed using scientifically trained AI to identify their message, content, and style. This reveals exactly what brands in the electronics industry are communicating and the strategy behind it. For example: Is the emphasis primarily on sales or on branding? And is the tone functional or emotional?

In addition, the mental market position of brands is measured through respondent surveys. This process uses Category Entry Points (CEPs): recognizable purchasing situations such as “I want a good deal” or “with good customer service.” For each CEP, the mental market share is determined: which brand comes to mind more often at that specific moment of purchase? In short: Share of Content™ shows what brands are communicating. Mental market share shows what sticks.

Want more information? Visit: www.validators.nl/share-of-content

This article was previously published on July 7, 2026, on MarketingTribune: https://www.marketingtribune.nl/algemeen/nieuws/2026/07/brandreview-retail-electronics-coolblue-heeft-alles.-behalve-emotie/