In Amsterdam, the creative communications sector is at the wheel of stories that reach millions of people — and therefore also at the wheel of social change. An agency influences not only how its own team works or how campaigns take shape, but also the values that clients champion and that ultimately seep into the public sphere. With every story and every campaign, they thus contribute, consciously or unconsciously, to the question of whether we're moving towards an economy driven by impact — or holding on to business as usual.
"Particularly in a period of highly challenging social and technological developments, creative communications agencies can make all the difference in the transition to a fair, inclusive and sustainable economy. They are the link between brand and society and can exert their influence on both the advertiser and the consumer. The way in which you, as an agency, shape this transformative role within the daily reality of pitches and financial targets is no easy feat. Collaboration strengthens the social impact you make as an agency and as a sector."
Ellen Oetelmans – Amsterdam Impact, City of Amsterdam
For this initiative, Amsterdam Impact is working with creative change agency BR-ND People. With their extensive network in the creative communications sector and expertise in the field of positive change, they form the ideal partner for this project:
"Every agency feels the tension between commercial objectives and social responsibility. The question isn't whether we should make an impact, but how we organise it. This initiative is on track to provide the answer. Our role is to help translate 'good intentions' into something workable and collective, with the mission in mind."
Alexander Koene – BR-ND People
In November, we set out with a central question: how can the creative sector make a real impact? Working alongside lecturers and students from the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HvA), and organisations including VIA — the industry platform for media, data, creativity and tech — and the Foundation for Scientific Research on Commercial Communication (SWOCC), changemakers from the creative sector went in search of an answer.
During the January session, the group also turned to a broader question: what should this coalition ultimately be — and what could it ultimately become? The precise answer is unfolding through the co-creative process, but the shared ambition is clear: to grow into a lasting movement. A movement that demonstrates the strength of Amsterdam's creative communications sector — creativity that generates both economic and social value.
In March, the working groups came together again, this time to present their developed concepts and give shape to the coalition as a whole. Three mixed teams of agencies, each approaching the challenge from a different angle, showed what collaboration can look like in practice:
Inspiring Agencies — a shared model for talent development and collaboration between agencies. How do we connect emerging talent from education with the reality of impact-driven work? And how do we create an environment in which agencies share knowledge and capacity rather than compete?
Inspiring Clients — an approach to deepening the relationship between agency and client, with impact as the starting point. From writing the brief together to making social value measurable — not as an add-on, but as a core part of every project.
Inspiring Citizens — an initiative that connects the creative sector directly with the city. How do we put our skills to work to share neighbourhood knowledge and strengthen civic engagement?
The session also made clear that the coalition is more than a collection of projects. The group worked on a shared identity: who are we, what drives us, and how do we want to present ourselves to the world? The shared values are clear — collective, inclusive, open and connecting — and the ambition reaches beyond Amsterdam: the coalition wants to demonstrate that the creative sector can play a leading role in the transition towards an impact-driven economy.
Over the coming weeks, the three plans will be developed further, so that the right partners and alliances can be identified — from education to clients, from industry bodies to social partners and funders — to work together within ecosystems towards positive impact.
The coalition has no intention of becoming an exclusive club: any agency with serious impact ambitions is welcome to join and get involved. The frontrunners are firing the starting gun, with the ambition of growing the coalition until impact becomes the norm — and we are, in effect, all frontrunners.
"Together we could organise a one-off activity or event. But it's more powerful to think strategically and ask ourselves: how can we influence our entire sector so that we ultimately help our clients make more impact too?"
Leontine Gast — The Terrace
Are you working at a creative communications agency in Amsterdam and do you want to contribute to more positive impact? The initiative is open to agencies that want to lead the way in the transition to a more sustainable and inclusive sector. For more information: impact@amsterdam.nl
This initiative is part of Amsterdam Impact's broader mission to help entrepreneurs within and beyond the municipality to increase their social impact and contribute to a fair, social and sustainable city.
