Advertising Amsterdam

Creative hub

The Amsterdam Metropolitan Area is an increasingly important advertising hub. Last year, it generated well over € 2 billion, and its annual growth has averaged 6% for the last decade.

Alongside many small and medium-sized offices established here, there are major names like Saatchi & Saatchi, Ogilvy & Mather, BBDO and Young & Rubicam. Wieden+Kennedy's creative head office for Europe is in Amsterdam, as is 180's. Close by are Strawberry Frog (set up by two Canadians and now called Amsterdam Worldwide following a separation from the New York office) and the Miami Ad School (a training venture for talent, set up by Bureau Pindakaas).

Thanks to this high concentration of agencies, more and more prestigious accounts are coming to the region. Campaigns for big brands like Coca-Cola, Microsoft's XBox, Heineken's Amstel, and the Discovery Channel, are being conducted from here.

New climate

Edgar Kasteel's research bureau, ARCUSplus, researched the strengths and weaknesses of the local advertising industry for Amsterdam's City Council. "Here, you get more and more cross-overs with the producers of games and interactive media, TV and film," he says.

In the new climate advertising agencies are operating in, Amsterdam is increasingly seen as a creative incubator," says Peggy Stein, of Bureau Pindakaas.  "From here, you can serve every international market with a specific message.

Finding and inspiring creative spirits in the melting pot that is Amsterdam is relatively simple. From way back, the city has been a platform for nonconformists from all continents. In that respect, in fact, it has only become more attractive."

Fresh inspiration

"Here, living and working are amazing experiences," she says. "Every day, you gain fresh inspiration just by being here. I increasingly hear about young expats who are working here. And for today's talent, living and working surroundings carry more weight in their decision of where to work." 

In addition, the region has a great potential client base. The Netherlands accommodates the global or European head office of 30 Fortune 500 companies. In Amsterdam, there are a further 150 European head offices. All the other location needs of a contemporary advertising network are here. That means a stable climate for investment, and a large network of business service providers. Then there are the excellent broadband connections, and a playing field of 350 million consumers in the backyard. Finally, the local airport has direct connections to all the world's business and creative centres.

"The biggest weakness of the advertising industry in Amsterdam?" asks Kasteel in his research report. "That it doesn't advertise itself well enough."

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For more information: www.ccaa.nl