BRANDING
THE CHANGE,
HOW DO I WORK?
BRANDING
THE CHANGE,
HOW DO I WORK?
BRANDING THE CHANGE
BRAND STRATEGY / BRAND CONCEPTS / BRAND POSITIONING / BRAND PURPOSE / EMPLOYER BRANDING / CREATIVE DIRECTION / CAMPAIGN CONCEPTS / CREATIVE BRIEFS / MANIFESTO /
example cases below
what do I do?
I work with companies, brands & institutes that need creative brand strategies & impactful campaigns. Combining my superpower skills of writing, creative direction, brand strategy, and HR, just to do one thing:
Branding the Change!
To value people & purpose over profit.
I strongly believe in the people that make your brand. Believe in change within. I’m the soul finder of your company. From manifestos to employer branding, from strategic blueprints to creative direction, from campaign activations to brand architecture. I give you actions that speak.
how do I work?
I listen, let’s start with that. I listen and ask questions. I'm asking you questions till I meet the point of becoming annoying and finding your core.
Then I shift perspectives.
Turn insights around, do some proper desk research, adding urgencies, specific needs, current (brand) values, and future opportunities. I’m hacking paradigms, changing ephemera thoughts into strategic concepts, and we start formulating a common message. I align with stakeholders, the users, the employers, and the consumers. I encounter bottlenecks, observe barriers, we find solutions, start visualizing, create manifestos, think about the implementation trajectory, and foster your message to a voice. A voice that resonates, a voice that acts, a voice that walks the talk!
Cases
I did numerous cases, all with the need for change, all a force of good. Here are 3 examples of Branding The Change, actions that speak in the broadest sense: 'walk the talk’.
Dentsu Creative
Challenge:
Creative agency Dentsu Creative Amsterdam (born from the acquisition of Achtung!) introduces itself in the market with its vision 'We value modern creativity, to create culture, to change society and invest in the future’. A rather bold statement that requires some investment in execution, not only for the accounts Dentsu Creative works for, but also within the company.
Solution:
Dentsu Creative AMS agrees that 'invest in the future' can therefore be taken quite literally. Start from scratch and invest in the future generation, the young talent. They understand that to attract the target group of young talent, they need to do two things; be visible in the right places. and offer an inviting and welcoming environment. An open playing field where (young) employees have a safe place to play, fail and learn.
This 'within' strategy led to fruitful actions; introducing DC to the young audience through structured guided tours and student workshops. Setting up collaborations with diverse studies, and levels (including Secondary Vocational Education). Teaming up with D&I and young talent platforms. Creating new organizational structures with room for multiple interns and their internal mentors. Adding junior teams to existing teams, implementing their needs, and guiding them. Making technology attractive to young women. Nurturing and feeding crisp creative minds.
In return, Dentsu Creative AMS receives fresh ideas, growth, trust, curiosity, an open mind, and an understanding of the needs of the now.
G STAR RAW
Challenge:
Denim brand G- Star Raw faces challenges around its environmental impact. The company invests a lot in sustainable denim, it wants to grow in sustainable consciousness, but doesn’t want to lose its commercial value.
Solution:
To create sustainable awareness, G Star Raw embraces the idea that they need to nourish this mindset among their own employees too. Once you really believe in something, you spread this message differently, you spread it strongly, you spread it from your heart. To get this consciousness seed growing, we start a pilot project among the employees: a Swap Shop.
During employment at G Star, each employee is entitled to a certain amount of items from the current collection. Every month new items are filling the wardrobes of the employers, and soon their closets are packed. To promote circularity and cherish what’s already there, we launched a Swap Market. In the beginning a bit hesitant, because it all depends on the input of the employees, and it doesn't meet the criteria of new fresh clothes or the latest styles. In the end, it turned out to be a great success. Yes, the seed was planted.
The Sustainable Ambassadors group soon started. A group of global employees, all with a drive to do good, be an inspiration to others, and make an impact. This brand strategy resulted in beautiful projects. Within the company, it realizes meatless Mondays, sustainable packaging, climate-conscious travel, cleaning beaches in collaboration with primary schools, etc. Outwardly, this strategy was (and still is) the blueprint for many successful marketing campaigns such as a 'lifelong repair subscription’, 'raw denims that last', and it created awareness of Cradle-to -Cradle innovations.
AMFI
Challenge:
AMFI is an educational fashion institution that faces challenges in terms of security, communication, and relevance. This translates into a stuck organization, unclear educational innovation, incoherent communication, and a lack of attention for students.
Solution:
AMFI takes over the insight that it has to sharpen its core values, but most of all start listening to its audience in a broad sense. Not only listening to its students and staff, but also listening to the needs of future industries, society & beyond.
To act on this insight, several constructive meet-ups are arranged, the organization gets mapped, and blank spots and missed expertise are defined. What follows is a new clear, broadly supported Manifesto that meets the needs of students of today, the current (and new) employees, and society & the changing landscape of tomorrow. This leads to a distinctive brand strategy targeting the all-round fashion maker of tomorrow.
AMFI is not there yet, but impactful change has started. For example, a phased educational renewal has been chosen, workshops & alignment sessions are being implemented, and investments are being made in the growth of the D&I culture in all facets. A student-only council, an industry advisory committee, and a platform for the invisible group of alumni and freelance lecturers will be added. The appraisal structure of employees has changed. Students know where to find trust persons, department leads opening their doors. And a coherent communication plan is drawn up.
In other words; put your money where your mouth is. Share the same message, the same vision, and be honest, relevant, and inviting to students and staff.