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CAMPAIGN GOES DUTCH

2016

600 miles

300 miles

London

Berlin

Milan

Paris

Yes, Holland’s creative industry ranks among the world’s top 10 for trade, jobs and brands. But it doesn’t end there. Dutch creativity bleeds into other areas such as health, security and energy. It even extends to environmental challenges, from the historical, but never-ending, fights against water to cutting pollution in oceans.

A CREATIVE POWERHOUSE

244 million consumers

within 600 miles

170 million consumers

within 300 miles

WHY GO DUTCH

1 You can’t beat its location. The Netherlands is on the Continent,

close to Europe’s 500 million consumers, not to mention your business customers.

2 The infrastructure is first class. Its world-class airport, top-ranked

seaports and high-speed road, rail and broadband networks are second to none.

3 The Dutch are ranked number one globally with regards to English-

language skills for countries with a different mother tongue.

4 The Netherlands has an awesome business climate. Just ask Google,

TOMS shoes, MTV, Tommy Hilfiger, Netflix, Calvin Klein and hundreds of other foreign multinationals thriving in the Netherlands.

5 The Netherlands rolls out the orange carpet. The Netherlands Foreign

Investment Agency offers free, confidential services that make it easy to start up, roll out and expand your company here.

“Back in October 2012, Uber established its international headquarters in Amsterdam. As a European tech hub, Amsterdam has great local and international tech talent, not to mention high living standards, a great transportation infrastructure, and a relatively good housing market. For all these reasons and more, we’re proud to be further building our team in Amsterdam.”

MARLOES VAN DER LAAN, communications manager, Uber

Get in touch at www.investinholland.com

One of top 5 most attractive countries for

digital media and entertainment

investment

Dutch creative industries are worth €12.1bn annually

Dutch design = €5bn+

3rd in the world for creative outputs with ambition to be

Europe’s most creative economy

by 2020

41 Cannes Lions awards

for Dutch agencies and brands

in 2016

3rd-largest exporter

of TV formats globally

Host to the world’s biggest electronic

music festival: Amsterdam Dance

Event (ADE)

No. 1 in English skills outside English-

speaking countries

Schiphol airport:

Europe’s best connected

hub-airport

No.1 digitally connected country in

Europe

47,808 graphic & interaction designers

6,048 product designers1,300 fashion companies 3,744 interior designers

10,500 architects20 km

20 miles

P R O M O T I O N

Erasmus Bridge, Rotterdam

Dutch-designed CCTV building, Beijing

Floating Pavillions, Rotterdam

Eye, Amsterdam

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Starry Night cycling path

The Netherlands is one of the most powerful creative economies in the world, and its liberal and open society dates back to the Dutch

Golden Age. Settling in the most urbanised corner of Europe and below sea level, its pioneering inhabitants have never sought safety but embraced the sort of creative risk-taking that has led to unpredictable outcomes.

It is this sort of divergent thinking that has made it possible for the Dutch to imagine, design and construct workable solutions on a grand scale.

Holland’s open, tolerant and tech-savvy business environment has always been an intoxicating lure for international entrepreneurs. No surprise, then, that such disruptive and forward-thinking brands as Uber, Netflix and Tesla have made the Netherlands their home.

04 CAMPAIGN GOES DUTCH CAMPAIGN GOES DUTCH 05

P R O M O T I O N

There’s an entrepreneurial spirit in the Netherlands, a start-up way of life, that bleeds into business. It’s one reason why so many companies

choose it for a European base and why many brands put their faith – and global accounts – in the hands of Dutch agencies. And it’s why Campaign landed at the Waldorf Astoria in Amsterdam for Champagne, canapés and conversation with those who know it best.

WHO WANTS TO BE AN ENTREPRENEUR?Innovation is the heartbeat of a global marketing economy going through a time-warping period of exponential change. There’s no choice any longer – just an imperative. It’s a new reality that puts huge pressure on marketers and their agencies to be entrepreneurial and agile in their thinking, whether in a multinational corporation or a bike-shed start-up.

Claire Beale, Campaign’s global editor-in-chief, kicked off the conversation, noting that Holland is home to some of the world’s coolest and most disruptive brands and many creative companies. But what does it mean to be entrepreneurial in today’s climate, she asked?

Lisa Hogg, European marketing director at TOMS, jumped in: “It means taking risks. You have to change and reinvent yourself all the time. You can help people connect with

the risk-takers inside themselves and let them know failure is just information.” Holland embraces such a spirit, said Kerrie Finch, chief executive of FinchFactor. “In this room, roughly half of us aren’t Dutch. It’s incredibly entrepreneurial to live abroad. It’s the spirit of adventure and of discovery.”

Sitting in a large corporation, Eric Kramer, chief executive of GroupM Netherlands, believes the speed of early adoption, and especially tech, among

Dutch consumers spurs the entrepreneurial agenda. “I don’t want a few people on innovation, I want everybody. I want it in the culture. You can’t have an entrepreneurial or innovative DNA just because you have a department for it,” he said.

Kim Dingler is managing director, new media, at Talpa Global. It’s part of Talpa Media, whose founder John de Mol’s hits, from Big Brother to The Voice, have contributed to the Netherlands’ ranking

as the world’s third-biggest exporter of TV formats. The Dutch are entrepreneurial, she said, “but we’re not extreme risk-takers. In the US, if you go bankrupt, that’s embraced. Here, it’s not. We really want to succeed.”

Interestingly, Dutch marketers have become more risk-averse over the past two years, said Marcel van der Heijden, managing director of Dept’s social agency, A Friend Of Mine. It’s the global clients “who have the balls to try something new”.

Entrepreneurship has to come from the bottom, said Nic Owen, chief executive of 72andSunny, “otherwise it’s just a directive. Entrepreneurialism is believing in something so fervently [that] you will make it happen. But you’ve got to instil people with that.”

John van Tuyll revealed that at Adidas, where he is senior director, global brand marketing operations and creative shoot production, “we have to be safe, but there

are little projects bubbling up all the time and you need to create an environment where that’s OK”. For him, “innovation is just doing things, hopefully in an environment where it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t work, if 80% of what you are doing is right.”

That balance between encouraging innovation and managing risk is a large part of research business ADK Insights’ role, said Rob Findlay, its managing

FINDING NETHERLANDSCampaign went Dutch for a conversation about entrepreneurship and innovation

STANDING: Jessica Manchester global senior manager, digital experience, Adidas GroupJohn Van Tuyll senior director, global brand marketing operations and creative shoot production, AdidasOlivier Teepe partner, CloudfactoryKim Dingler managing director, new media, Talpa Global Nic Owen managing director, 72andSunnySEATED: Lisa Hogg EMEA marketing director, TOMSRob Findlay managing director, brand and communications strategy, ADK InsightsGijsbregt Vijn managing director, Lemon Scented TeaEric Kramer chief executive, GroupM NetherlandsMarcel van der Heijden managing director, A Friend Of Mine (Dept)Dan Colgan international account director, BSURKerrie Finch chief executive, FinchFactorArjen Leemburg senior project manager, Invest in Holland, LondonClaire Beale global editor-in-chief, Campaign


Hear more conversation at: campaignlive.co.uk/campaigngoesdutch

P R O M O T I O N

director of brand and communications strategy, “because there is an unpredictability in where trends are going”.

One business trend is agile working. Clients are trying it, said Gijsbregt Vijn, the managing director of Lemon Scented Tea. “But it’s still a struggle.” It can also be misconstrued for “we can do everything more quickly”, added Owen.

Adidas is implementing an agile approach “that encompasses everything”,

said Jessica Manchester, global senior manager, digital experience at Adidas Group. “It is basically mastering continuous change.”

Hogg’s experience of innovation is that companies often want to do too many things. “Sometimes risk-taking is putting a plan together that you focus on and commit to. We want to be creative and innovative, but we still need to know our key performance indicators.”

Owen agreed. One of the worst things to come out of the ad industry was 360º mark-eting, he said. “You want to be about 27º – or 45º, maybe. You have to have a strong point of view, then decide to do four things really well, rather than do 360º badly.”

But the need to be all things to everyone springs from a panic over identity, caused by the destabilising industry shifts, Finch said. “We’ve opened an office in Los Angeles and the convergence of digital,

tech, creative, entertainment and content means a lot of companies are questioning how they position themselves.”

It’s all about confidence and having faith in your decisions, according to Hogg. But brands often end up talking to themselves. “The decision [on what a brand should do] lands with the consumer,” she said.

Brexit could add to Holland’s appeal as a home for international brands, agencies and talent,” said Dan Colgan, international

account director at BSUR. “People are thinking twice about the UK.”

Findlay, whose clients are mainly Japanese, pointed to the country’s “amazing platform” in terms of logistics, connectivity and low bureaucracy. For talent, Holland’s attraction was neatly summed up by Hogg: “Where do you get to work on big brands, big companies, do amazing projects and cycle 20 minutes to the office?”

“DON’T MENTION THE BIKES!”It’s hard to find anyone who lives in the Netherlands who is not a superb ambassador for the country, such is their zeal for the culture, the lifestyle, the work – and, yes, the bikes. We challenged guests to sum up its appeal without a whisper of two-wheeled transport


“[It’s] is super-diverse. Having a hub here, we’re able to service digital and other departments where we can’t get the talent [elsewhere]… you eliminate the need to have hubs and spokes across all the other markets” VAN TUYLL

“Not so big, not so small, it’s really the perfect recipe for a creative hub” MANCHESTER

“There is more talent coming to the city because we are a magnet for that” VIJN

“For us, it’s a great base to do international work. The Dutch market is not the focus, the focus is beyond [that]”FINDLAY

“It’s a combination of talent available and infrastructure in terms of connectivity to the rest of the world” LEEMBURG

“There’s a real mixture of smart people from around the world here, so we’re getting a lot of different cultural points of view. That affects everything we do and enables us to act in a smart and innovative fashion, because we are learning, literally, from the world in one place” OWEN

“If you need to network and find someone who is a functional expert in certain things, then it has a wealth of intelligence, creativity and all these things in such a small space” HOGG

“It’s a perfect melting pot of cultures without the limitations of a major city like London” TEEPE

“It’s a lot to do with the ease of reaching the world from [here], combined with the work/life balance” VAN DER HEIJDEN

“It’s a neutral playing field. It’s a very cosmopolitan city and very easy for different nationalities to come and work in English” FINCH

“[It] affects the culture you are able to create. People with different ideals [and] different values bring different things to the table” COLGAN

“[It’s] a great base because Dutch consumers are very open to innovation and pick up new tech fast” KRAMER


P R O M O T I O N

PROGRESSIVE AND PROVOCATIVEFull-service creative company 72andSunny Amsterdam is inspired by the city’s broad- minded outlook to help it produce work that makes brands matter in culture

Campaign “First never follows” Brand adidasClient adidas FootballMedium Film and digital The story adidas wanted to dominate football’s pre-season speculation. So we hijacked sports culture, told creators not to listen to the noise and proved that adidas never follows.

Campaign “Les heures magiques”Brand GoogleClient Google FranceMedium Experiential The story Parisians were invited to rediscover their city at night, with a mobile-first experience at the heart of the campaign.

Campaign “We’re open”Brand Smirnoff Client Diageo

Medium Integrated, including cultural outreach

The story “We’re open” is a platform promoting openness

and inclusivity towards people, experiences and ideas that

make good times better for all.

Campaign “Find your magic” Brand Axe/Lynx Client Unilever Medium Integrated, globalThe story To launch its new grooming range, Axe celebrated the idio syncrasies that make guys attractive, enhancing the campaign with grooming tutorials.

72ANDSUNNY AMSTERDAM IN NUMBERS

AVERAGE NUMBER OF MINUTES IT TAKES STAFF TO GET TO/FROM WORK


NUMBER OF SOCIAL CLUBS INITIATED BY

72ANDSUNNY STAFF

-


OFFICE DOGS (CHEWY, LUNA, ROSA, EINSTEIN AND FAYE)


STAFF

The 72andSunny Amsterdam office staff run a number of cultural and charitable initiatives such as Ride for Amatrice, Sci-fi Cinema and Morning Editions.

NIC OWENManaging director,

72andSunny Amsterdam

Personal growthAt 72andSunny Amsterdam we strive to be a platform for personal growth and creative self-expression. By putting our people first, we believe it will inevitably pay forward to our creative output, benefiting ourselves and our partners creatively and commercially.

We foster a culture that encourages curiosity, generosity and the adoption of a learner mentality. This makes us more open to new ideas and taking risks, while collaboration comes as second nature. We like to get ideas off individuals’ computers and onto our walls as soon as possible. This transfers ownership to everyone. It means we can all use our skills to make the work deeper, broader, better. There is no room for preciousness here. It’s how we get to progressive, provocative work more quickly.

We are also hugely proud that our staff own the culture here – all ideas are welcomed and encouraged. Amsterdam office initiatives include our own rain gear brand, RAYNSIE, the Italian lunch club and the La BeeBeene wine project.

I t goes without saying that the Brexit referendum result was a real shock for the European community. The impact that the UK leaving the Union will have on business and creativity is still

very unclear. Amsterdam is a leading contender to take up the successful entrepreneurial mantle that London has arguably held within Europe for the past few decades. The city is already a world leader in biotech. In 2015, the start-up scene was worth more than €10bn and the city has created a biotech cluster that hosts almost 300 companies.

Amsterdam’s open-business policy has been attracting international companies and talent from all over the world, enriching the city’s culture and acting as a catalyst of innovation. The city has an inventive heritage with a vibrant trade culture and a solid track record for creative innovation, making Amsterdam the natural choice for 72andSunny’s European office.

PROGRESSIVE WORKInclusivity, diversity, tolerance and innovation. These values are shared and celebrated by Amsterdam and 72andSunny, and are most vividly showcased in the progressive work we have created for brands, such as celebrating tolerance with Benetton, redefining the image of Marseille with Google, smashing male stereotypes with grooming brand Axe and harnessing the power of inclusivity for Smirnoff.

They also feed into the culture of our agency and the talent we attract. We seek people who choose to live in Amsterdam for the right reasons. A healthy mix of local and international talent drives us forward. This means that ambition and growth are always aligned with doing the right thing, by our people and through the work we produce.

So a desire to do good, embedded in the most open city in the world, leads to a spirit of entrepreneurship at 72andSunny Amsterdam that pushes culture forward, rather than merely making an impact on it, giving ourselves and our brands an edge in today’s society.

P R O M O T I O N

GENERATION UNPREDICTABLEInsights consultancy ADK Insights believes that the Netherlands’ creative and technological milieu make it perfect for keeping up with the unpredictability of millennials

Brand De’LonghiClient De’Longhi

(Treviso, Italy) The story This project was

about segmenting coffee drinkers and exploring the potential for the high-end home espresso machine, finding the triggers in the

European purchase journey.

Brand BoschClient Robert Bosch Group

(Stuttgart, Germany)The story This assignment

involved tracking and analysing corporate brand reputation in more than 50

countries worldwide.

Brand NikonClient Nikon Global

(Singapore) The story This task was

about defining the global roadmap of brand futures:

the imaging needs for today’s connected lives; the rise of the smartphone; and

innovation potential.

Brand KikkomanClient Kikkoman Europe (Dusseldorf, Germany)The story This involved tracking European condiment use and consumer insights since 2009 in 25 countries. It helped to make Kikkoman a new force in modern European home cooking.

ADK INSIGHTS IN NUMBERS

LANGUAGES


GLOBAL INSIGHTS HUB


NATIONALITIES


ANALYSTS AND PLANNERS

NIMROD MOYAL Managing director, research design, analysis and innovation, ADK Insights

ROB FINDLAYManaging director,

brand and communications strategy,

ADK Insights

Low barriers to changeEvery project at ADK Insights starts with a clean page. We have our tried-and-tested tools and methodologies, but each project begins with a thorough interrogation of the client’s brief and business context. We then design the research approach to meet these key business challenges.

We specialise in multi-market assignments and frequently work with clients facing significant new challenges. They may be entering new markets, developing new concepts and products, or dealing with fast-changing category dynamics.

The Netherlands is an exceptional place to take advantage of changing circumstances. People are open-minded and constantly looking for new ideas. Barriers to change are low. Adoption of new technology is high.

Sitting at the crossroads of Europe, between the major markets of the UK, Germany and France, we have developed a characteristic agility of thinking that means no one national idea dominates.

One of our biggest challenges these days is navigating the unpredictability of the millennial generation. Insight businesses such as ours have proven

their worth to clients over the years by having an ability to pinpoint hidden consumer needs and translate emerging trends into ideas that help brands grow. We are now faced with a generation that is rewriting the rules of consumerism and redefining how it wants to engage with brands. Buying less and owning less have greater social currency than traditional dynamics based on having the latest and owning the best.

It is having a profound impact on new product development because many sectors, such as automotive and consumer technology, which have relied massively on innovation to grow market share, now face a reality in which consumers are drawn less to new product specifications and are more interested in what brands stand for as a whole and how they can make lives easier and more connected. It is challenging brands to look beyond their established terms of reference and to seek out partners who can contribute to the future needs of their consumers. Disruptive players and newcomers often get a fast track to acceptance and credibility, making it even tougher for established brands to stay relevant for younger generations.

FRESH ENGAGEMENTConsumers are not afraid to voice their views and demand change from brands. Our task is to extract insights using techniques that respect how consumers want to conduct a new kind of conversation with brands. Ethnographic techniques, video graphics and gaming-inspired interfaces, video diaries and self-reporting techniques enable consumers, particularly younger ones, to express themselves using the media that are part of their everyday reality. Output needs to be contextualised and prioritised for mid-term feasibility and long-term business planning. So, in addition to stimulating the innovation drive by representing the consumer’s perspective, we develop the metrics to validate ideas, measure impact, and manage risk.

After all, consumer desire is one thing, but the business case still needs to stand up.


P R O M O T I O N

DUTCH INTER DEPENDENCEIndependent international agency BSUR works with clients on a global scale and its Dutch sensibilities of being outward-looking and employing collective thinking inspire its work

School lunches In the Netherlands, there is a traditional decision-making process called the polder model, named after the system of collective responsibility required to safeguard the dykes and dams. Maintaining a flat hierarchy and working collaboratively is central to the Dutch mentality. Throughout this industry, people bemoan the dangers of working in silos. For better or worse, at BSUR you could not work in a silo if you wanted to!

Our offices are in a converted primary school that dates from 1922. It is a beautiful building and has a very non-corporate atmosphere, which clients love when they visit. What is more, we are a 10-minute cycle ride from the centre of Amsterdam and in the middle of a residential area. This brings two unique benefits to BSUR. First, you feel very firmly in the real world: if you want to see your consumer, then just look out of the window. Second, with no shops around, we all sit down together to a proper lunch, cooked fresh every day.

The spirit of entrepreneurship seems to permeate Amsterdam. The Dutch, of course, have a long history as merchants and brokers, and there are many friendly laws

and incentives in this country to encourage entrepreneurs of every kind. But apart from the legalities and logistics, expats new to the city often exclaim: “Things just seem more possible here.” There is definitely something in the air. This is very apparent at BSUR (Be As You Are), a Dutch agency with a very international orientation.

Following its Dutch mercantile roots, BSUR has set up offices in two other port cities: São Paulo and Shanghai. There is a great deal of collaboration between our offices. These deep international connections, especially with economies such as China’s, makes working at BSUR feel like we are at the forefront of things to come. We see trends and market forces coming sooner, perhaps, than people with a purely European or Anglo-American focus. There is a feeling of being able to spot new opportunities earlier – that Dutch entrepreneurial spirit again. But it is not just about short-term enterprise. It is also about deliberately strengthening those bonds of interdependence.

FORGING LINKSCampaign readers will likely have voted against Brexit, in part because we like living in a globalised world. We holiday on every continent and have friends in every timezone. For us, borders are only ever an inconvenience.

But working in a Dutch agency, you get a different sense of what underpins the European project, and a different conception of globalisation in general: that it is just as much about our responsibilities as the benefits. The responsibility to reach out, forge connections and move things forward together.

Owing to their central location, the Dutch have always understood the importance of interdependence. They see it not as a threat, but as bringing richness, opportunity, and a way to solve complex problems. That is a mantra of this country. It is one shared by this company. I think every agency could benefit from going a little more Dutch.

Campaign ”Brand imagery” Brand Moxy HotelsMedium Print

Campaign ”Beat of the moment”

Brand Radio 538Medium TV

Campaign ”The full force of nature”Brand Vigor & SageMedium Packaging

BSUR IN NUMBERS

RACKS FOR BICYCLES

BSUR IN NUMBERS

NUMBER OF BROKEN BONES IN 22 YEARS OF

“SKI AS YOU ARE” COMPANY SKI TRIPS

BSUR IN NUMBERS

YEAR FOUNDED

BSUR IN NUMBERS

EMPLOYEES WORLDWIDE

BSUR IN NUMBERS

HYBRID-ELECTRIC COMPANY CARS

BSUR’s Amsterdam offices are in a converted old primary school in the middle of a residential area. The non-corporate atmosphere is welcoming and keeps staff in literal sight of the very sort of consumers they need to engage with.

DAN COLGAN International account

director, BSUR

Campaign “Signet”Brand Glenmorangie

Medium Print


P R O M O T I O N

BRINGING THE BIG IDEA TO LIFECreative studio Cloudfactory has built itself around using creativity as a force for good and loves to bring campaigns to life through a combination of brand acts and ‘story-doing’

Campaign “Go places”Brand The Heineken Employer BrandClient The Heineken CompanyMedium Online

Campaign “For the love of earth”Brand MUD JeansClient MUD JeansMedium PR and online

CLOUDFACTORY IN NUMBERS

RECORD NUMBER OF FILMMAKERS ENGAGED BY CLOUDFACTORY IN

ONE PROJECT


NUMBER OF NON-HUMAN

EMPLOYEES (A ROBOT CALLED

EDDIE N)

Unhindered thinkingThe photo above is symbolic of our name and it embodies who we are and how we think and create.

We’re not just dreamers, we’re doers. We love making things. Getting our hands dirty. Dipping them in soil, cutting them with paper, covering them in glue, cables, flower petals and fabric.

And we like to make things happen. We bring campaigns to life through brand acts and “story-doing”. We think big. We make sure all of our co-collaborators have a seat at the table whether they’re clients, directors, beekeepers, nature artists, industrial designers or porcelain makers. They open our minds to creative solutions beyond making a TV ad. Together, we push, pull and shape until we’ve reached the big idea and brought it to life.

Our world view is unadulterated, uncomplicated and unhindered. We have a big, bright sky-scraping perspective. After all, the sun’s always shining above the clouds.

W ith so much uncertainty and divisiveness in the world today, it’s more important than ever for brands to embrace a higher

purpose. We strongly believe in creativity for good. It’s one of Cloudfactory’s pillars – helping brands harness their power and creativity to make a statement for change and optimism.

We also believe in “story-doing”. Of course, we love making films and beautiful prints, but what we love even more is creating real acts. We like doing stuff that makes a difference. If brands did more and talked less, people would love them for it. We never limit ourselves to a television commercial – we look for the bigger picture. Brand acts are, and will continue to be, more important than ever.

We always bring our clients along for the whole ride. An often-misunderstood species, they are experts on their brands, after all. They can play a major role in co-creating the final creative solution. Chemistry – that all-important and often-elusive “click” – is also critical. “Great work comes out of great relationships ” – a simple but fundamental truth, and one that we live by.

We value craft and bring artists and craftsmen to the table early in the process. Why give a film director a signed-off storyboard when he or she can offer input as soon as we have an idea? Why not invite a photographer to the creative table when the execution of the idea hasn’t yet been shaped?

COLLECTIVE INSTINCTSWe all left the safe shores of corporate advertising and are trying to reinvent what we learned, often “un-overintellectualising,” “un-processing,” and always relying on our collective judgment and intuition rather than long, drawn-out campaign development processes.

So, we manufacture urban orchards, robots, feminine feminists, DIY job interviews, pocket-sized worlds, wonderful secret gardens, cider dens and, occasionally, some ads, sending them off into the world, hoping to make a tiny difference.

Campaign “The awakening”Brand Marlies DekkersClient Marlies DekkersMedium Online, PR and in-store


RECORD NUMBER OF LOCATIONS USED IN ONE CLOUDFACTORY SHOOT

Left to right:SANDRINE HUIJGEN,

JESSICA KERSTEN, OLIVIER TEEPE,

SANDEEP CHAWLA, partners, Cloudfactory

Campaign “Nature remix”Brand StrongbowClient The Heineken CompanyMedium Online, TV, print, out-of-home, POS, events, PR


P R O M O T I O N

HOTHOUSING DIGITAL TALENTDept, an international network of digital agencies, believes that nurturing the brightest talents in their various digital niches will enable it to lead the way with future innovations

Campaign “A complete re-brand”Brand Transavia Medium Visual identity, interactive and web

DEPT IN NUMBERS

CUPS OF COFFEE DRUNK PER YEAR

DEPT IN NUMBERS

WEBSITE VISITORS PER DAY FOR OUR CLIENTS

DEPT IN NUMBERS

NUMBER OF COUNTRIES WE OPERATE IN

DEPT IN NUMBERS

DEPSTERS

DEPT IN NUMBERS

AVERAGE AGE

No sleep until the peak of awesomeness

PAUL MANUELCo-founder, Dept

Campaign ”Clothing with a proud attitude“

Brand Tiger of Sweden Medium Ecommerce platform

Campaign ”Data-driven success” Brand TomTom Medium Online marketing

Campaign “The unsung heroes“Brand Doctors Without Borders

Medium Brand website

No playing it safe Dept combines the most talented data geeks, most colourful designers and the very best tech people in a team that does not sleep before the full potential of digital awesomeness has been reached. The digital pros that fill our workspaces get their pleasure from creating award-winning magic on small screens and the big ones. We don’t play it safe, because we believe stepping out into the limelight is what creates award-winning work.

Most important, working with Dept is simply fun. We have an informal way of doing things and don’t hide our process from clients. They can see and smell what we’re cooking. Not taking ourselves too seriously only improves the taste of the dishes we serve. Staying with the culinary metaphor, we’re not afraid to mix and spice things up. We love the new and embrace change, for change is growth. We learn by doing, follow our mission, dream big and are always on the move.

So here’s to tomorrow – we’re ready for it.

These days, the developments in digital and marketing are travelling at an ever-increasing speed, changing the way we all communicate, work, travel, do business,

party and relax. We believe Formula One legend Mario Andretti said it best: “If everything seems under control, you’re not going fast enough.”

At Dept, we are bringing together a special breed of expert agencies. Each agency is a leader in its own field, with its own team and personality. Together, we are privileged to be in the position to help shape this future. We are ready to use all the talent, big brains and energy to build the brands, campaigns, experiences, digital products and services of the future in a positive way for our clients.

In essence, our approach is based on one single thought: treasure the individual talent of people and agencies. Make way for talent, give it responsibility, inspire it, help it find its way. We are also looking at our clients, our friends, our

colleagues, to be open-minded, to be connected, to be willing sometimes to take a jump into the new and unknown, to always be changing and improving. To connect the digital world to the real world.

GROWING SKILLS Is it typically Dutch? You tell me. But it’s a lot of fun. And that’s also why we are looking forward to the coming years. We aim to grow our skills and innovations, our agencies in different countries and our clients. However, first and foremost is the awesome stuff we’re making. Why? Because building Dept is the adventure of a lifetime, and we’re just always looking forward to the next chapter in that Jongensboek (story book).

“Make way for talent, give it responsibility, inspire it, help it find its way”


P R O M O T I O N

CREATIVE SPARKS FROM CULTUREReputation management company FinchFactor settled on Amsterdam for its global base after its founder discovered inspiration in the city’s cultural cornucopia of diverse outlooks

FINCHFACTOR IN NUMBERS

OFFICES


CONTINENTS COVERED, ACROSS

THREE OFFICES


STAFF MEMBERS


LANGUAGES SPOKEN


STAFF NATIONALITIES (ENGLISH, SCOTTISH, DUTCH,

AMERICAN, SOUTH AFRICAN, NORWEGIAN,

KOREAN, NEW ZEALANDER)

KERRIE FINCHCEO, FinchFactor

Cross-fertilisation Our team of 15 staff fly flags from eight countries. With our feet in Amsterdam, London and Los Angeles, we work across borders – cultural, regional, creative and cognitive – to create impact for brands and agencies. This has a healthy effect on both insight and output, because our cross-fertilisation of heritage and hometowns positively influences our collective experience as outsiders on the inside.

Our global footprint within the creative, tech innovator and start-up sectors covers North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australasia. As creative collaborators, we believe in the power of cross-borders thinking to connect the dots. We manage reputations by influencing hearts and minds.

The Netherlands is a vibrant hub of entrepreneurial spirit and innovation. Anchored by Amsterdam’s thriving tech, digital and creative scene, it is little wonder

the country is home to a growing multitude of enterprising individuals, with the Dutch start-up ecosystem having grown by more than 30% in the past year alone.

However, while technological advances contribute, culture plays the most critical role in this small country’s big footprint. With more than 180 nationalities in a pint-sized capital city, which as a Brit, and after 15 years, I call home, you are gifted with an international village brimming with inspiration. Amsterdam is a melting pot of collaboration – and at times collision – between myriad ethnic influences. This culmination fuels entrepreneurial outlets and creative work.

Ideas don’t come out of nowhere. Even the boldest entrepreneur seeks influence from the outside – new learnings are crucial to those “eureka moments”. Stick to what we know and the proverbial Einstellung effect kicks in – and you can be sure Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg et al don’t settle on past experience to fuel the next innovation. When I founded FinchFactor, I absorbed Amsterdam’s cultural cornucopia to

help inspire my next move. Seven years on, we have eight nationalities, speaking nine languages, working from our Amsterdam HQ – as well as having offices in London and Los Angeles.

INVENTIVE THINKINGSuch diverse team DNA helps a fledgling business navigate cultural shifts with an innate ability to question more vigorously what the norm is for any native. This encourages inventive solutions and cross-borders connections, which, in turn, can stimulate growth and success – the entrepreneurial “holy grail”.

“Culture plays the most critical role in this small country’s big footprint”


P R O M O T I O N

STORYTELLING AROUND CONFLICTAmsterdam-based creative agency Lemon Scented Tea specialises in storytelling and uses the idea of conflict associated with a brand to engage audiences and stir their emotions

LEMON SCENTED TEA IN NUMBERS

OWNERSHIP STAKES IN PLASTIC WASTE

COMPANIES


RATIO OF MALE-FEMALE IN THE MANAGEMENT TEAM


TO CHARTER NON-STOP FLIGHTS FROM THE

NETHERLANDS TO ÅRE (AND BACK)

Lemon Scented Tea’s offices are designed as a great place to share thoughts and ideas. The entrance is styled as a neighbourhood café, with a bar instead of a reception, as a symbol of its relaxed company culture.

GIJSBREGT VIJNManaging director

and partner

ROGIER HEIJNINGCreative director

and partner,Lemon Scented Tea

Open-door policy Situated on one of the city’s most beautiful canals in the heart of Amsterdam, Lemon Scented Tea’s offices, with their huge windows, overlook the city’s most unorthodox shopping street. The entrance is designed as a small neighbourhood café with a bar top and a housedog. Tourists often accidently enter the office, grab a seat and order a cup of “hello sunshine” tea. “Sometimes they’re even served” says Gijsbregt Vijn, managing director and partner. “We like things this way.”

“After working in the ivory towers of New York’s Madison Avenue, I wanted to create an agency that has both feet on the ground,” adds Vijn. “We are figuratively and literally a transparent and open agency with a relaxed, informal and eclectic culture. Like most small international agencies, we function as a hub for an extensive network of international freelance specialist and partner agencies. Our team is a mixture of young talent and experienced thinkers with various backgrounds. The bar is the place where everyone comes together.”

Lemon Scented Tea is an independent Amsterdam agency known for its creative work for brands like Nuon/Vattenfall, K-Swiss and Visit Sweden. Its creative portfolio is diverse,

but every campaign it produces shares a similar characteristic: conflict. It uses the power of conflict in storytelling to move people, transform businesses and reinvent brands.

NO CONFLICT, NO STORY“All compelling stories have a crystal-clear conflict in common. Whether it is the Bible, a great novel or a film, a good story is always rooted in a conflict. Without it, it’s just not interesting,” says Rogier Heijning, creative director. Based on this universal storytelling structure, the agency has developed the Brand Conflict Model: a powerful tool that helps companies identify their central conflict and lays the foundation for a unique and compelling brand story.

STORYTELLING IN A SPECIAL MOULDIsolating a brand’s central conflict and defining its story is the foundation for all Lemon Scented Tea’s creative work. “We use this information to structure brand communication and create compelling campaigns and content,” says Gijsbregt Vijn, managing director and partner. More specifically, the agency uses three key methods: story mining, story creating and story doing.

STORY MININGA brand’s central story is often hidden just underneath the surface. The agency works like journalists, digging up beautiful and often lost stories floating around a company.

STORY CREATINGAs a creative agency, it is a specialist in conjuring up new worlds. By projecting brands into these fantastic new worlds, it gives them new context. And with this comes unexpected ideas.

STORY DOINGWe live in a time where brands need more than a story to tell. So Lemon Scented Tea actively involves employees and customers in achieving a brand’s goal. In doing this, the campaign unfolds.

Ever wondered how your brand becomes really engaging? Lemon Scented Tea is the place to go.

Campaign “You gotta know your classics”

Brand K-SwissMedium Global blog,

PR and retailThe story The rebel shoe

that revolutionised the tennis industry.

Campaign “Åre and Östersund. Fit for the Winter Games. Since 1986.”Brand Visit Sweden Medium Fully integrated The story Putting Sweden on the winter sports map by showing the unrelenting enthusiasm of the people of Åre and Östersund to host the Olympic Winter Games.

Campaign “Creating tomorrow“Brand Amsterdam University of Applied SciencesMedium Fully integratedThe story Unifying seven schools under a single brand umbrella by finding a shared point of pride for the future.

Campaign “The world’s first professional plastic fishing company” Brand Plastic Whale Medium Fully integrated The story How one man’s focus on building a boat from plastic waste turned into a successful, sustainable company.

Lemon Scented Tea’s Brand Conflict Model uses the ancient structure of storytelling to help brands find their story. There is always a hero with a goal, means and an adversary, which creates a conflict – the foundation for a compelling brand story.


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