Douglas: how a German centenarian became a Gen Z favourite

A 115-year-old German suddenly makes the headlines all over Belgium, attracting long queues wherever he goes. What makes perfumery chain Douglas so attractive for Gen Z?

The power of free

They were queuing for hours last Friday, for the opening of the new Antwerp store, as were they a week earlier for the store in Ghent – with hundreds of people waiting. All of them were young, and hoping for one of the 200 goodie bags that are handed out at every new store opening. For Douglas, the goodie bags – full of coveted make-up products – are a small investment that guarantees attention, both in the traditional media (all the newspapers are talking about it) and on social networks: anyone who was at one of these openings, wants to share that on their channels.