Amsterdam Impact
From competition to coalition: uniting Amsterdam’s creative heart
You can feel it. The quiet tension in creative communications. On one side, the thrill of a brilliant idea that doesn’t just sell but sings. On the other, the clear truth that the challenges we face – a warming planet and widening social divides – ask for more than clever creativity. They ask for our collective heart.
Many of us already pour energy into meaningful work, breaking taboos and championing sustainability. Yet these sparks often sit isolated inside a system built on competition. The relentless rhythm of pitches and targets can make collaboration feel like a luxury. What if the greatest impact doesn’t come from winning the next pitch, but from rewriting the rules together? Individual wins aren’t enough. Systemic problems need systemic solutions. It’s not about making better ads. It’s about building a better world.
From competition to collective creativity
Amsterdam Impact recognizes this need and is supporting a Coalition of Impact Frontrunners. This isn’t another committee or a talking shop. It’s a movement to unite the city’s creative communications sector in the shift to an economy driven by positive impact, not business as usual. As Gookie Sassen of Closed on Monday puts it: “On sustainability, we shouldn’t compete; we need to collaborate.”
Amsterdam’s creative industry holds the pen that writes the stories our society lives by. We don’t just influence teams and campaigns. We shape the values our clients embody. Every story tilts the balance. Do we move toward an inclusive, sustainable future, or stay stuck in the past?
This initiative starts from a simple truth: the complex challenges of diversity, inclusion, and climate are too big for agencies fighting over the same slice of the pie. It’s time for a new kind of partnership. As Pooja Dindigal of DEPT notes: “Sustainability can be a space for pre‑competitive collaboration, a place where agencies come together and learn from each other.”
A blueprint for better
The coalition’s approach is ambitious and practical. We map frontrunners and existing initiatives, learn from what already works, and draw inspiration from creative capitals like London and Berlin. The goal is a shared knowledge base so we can reach higher together. “If we focus on making sustainability tangible and practical, we can spread impact,” says Dieuwertje Damen of Newkinds.
At the heart is co‑creation. Through dynamic sessions, the coalition will develop concrete plans for the sector. Think of a joint manifesto as our North Star. A practical toolkit to embed impact into daily practice. An inspiring city‑wide event that galvanizes the field.
Powered by people and purpose
Amsterdam Impact invited BR‑ND People to facilitate this journey. We believe that people are the brand, and we help build organizations where people don’t just survive but thrive. Our role is to create space for vital conversations, connect the dots, and channel the sector’s energy. “Some global challenges are too big for individual agencies to solve,” says co‑founder Alexander Koene. “Let’s come together as Amsterdam’s creative industry to accelerate this transition.”
Early conversations carry a contagious sense of possibility. The shared drive is palpable. This isn’t about blame. It’s about unlocking potential. As Rolf Coppens of Norday asks: “Can we use our skills to drive impact, especially in the grey areas where potential is waiting?” Derek Muller of Boomerang reframes the mission with precision, calling for a focus on our brainprint rather than only our ecological footprint: “We’ve spent 10 years focusing on our carbon footprint, but now we need to focus on our brainprint, the socio‑psychological impact of media on what people believe is possible.”
An invitation to build the future
The Coalition of Impact Frontrunners is a grassroots movement. Amsterdam Impact is the catalyst, but real change must come from within the sector. This is a collective invitation to lead.
It’s a call to the brave, the optimistic, and the bridge‑builders. If you work in a creative communications agency in Amsterdam and believe your creativity can be a force for good, this is your movement. It’s a chance to stop working against each other and start working for each other, for something bigger than any single client or campaign. It’s our opportunity to keep building next better, together.
Ready to help shape the future of our sector?
Join the coalition or learn more by contacting Amsterdam Impact at ayu@br-nd.com or alexander@br-nd.com.
