the

What’s happening in

digital
age
apsbb book v4.indd 1 24-12-09 17:11
We are fascinated b
20,793 music fans, You might have noticed that the world has changed. A wave of communicative freedom has
swept across it. Fueled by the ever ongoing technological revolution which already gave birth
18,059 mobile phones, to the Internet and mobile devices. It’s not about technologies and hardware. Those are just
41,336 pictures and the tools. It’s about what you do with the tools. The digital age is about interaction, sharing and
6,962 movies shared. freedom. It’s about collective thinking, discussing, cooperating and creating. It’s about making
connections and being connected. It’s on-demand and real-time. It’s based on honesty and
respect. It’s neither scary nor super cool. It’s exciting. In both ways.

This book is for everyone that believes that we are at the dawn of a new era. Written as a
reflection, written for inspiration. Written for everyone who embrace the fact that this is our age.

apsbb book v4.indd 2 24-12-09 17:11

d by this digital age.
We help people and brands to change, move, influence, communicate, sell and accelerate.
With brave, bright and brilliant branding concepts that enable them to connect and interact
with people. Creating strong relationships and brand ambassadors. So brands and people
bond - and stay bonded.

We are apsbb, brand agency for the digital age and we are inspired by the future.
We aim to inspire. Create, reveal and touch. By doing. We know nothing is impossible.
Working together with our clients, we shape their future.

Make it happen [email protected]

CEO and founder of apsbb

apsbb book v4.indd 3 24-12-09 17:11

 of c

apsbb book v4.indd 4 24-12-09 17:11

f contents.
6.forget analogue. think digital 18.consumer in the
driving seat 26.stop interrupting. start connecting
34.snuggle up your brand 44.it takes two to interact
46.demonstrate. don’t tell 52.best practices 66.apsbb,
brand agency for the digital age 72.be bright. be
brave. be brilliant. 76.we love innovation 82.dare to
be different 90.ideas become solutions 96.business
model innovation. 102.our spirit of cooperation

What’s happening in the digital age 05

apsbb book v4.indd 5 24-12-09 17:11
forget analogue

apsbb book v4.indd 6 24-12-09 17:11

e think digital. Analogue is history. We live in a digital world now. Some more than
others, but you can’t escape it. Digital affects how you work, how you
use media, how you deal with friends, what you know and how you
live. And it just won’t stop changing – which is precisely what makes
our digital world so dynamic.
The digital rise. Rolling in at breakneck speed.
Everyday, digital developments crash over us That sounds like more fun, but it’s tougher than
like tidal waves: from web to blog to tweet, from you’d think. Every day, there are more and more
uploading videos and photos to sharing music, ways to use new techniques and media – and to
mobile services and augmented reality. It’s just one use old media in new ways. It’s all happening
wave after another. You can do 1 of 2 things. Tread so fast. And people have so many opinions. No
water and hope it passes, or take a wave and enjoy wonder you can’t see the sea for the waves.
the ride!

What’s happening in the digital age 07

apsbb book v4.indd 7 24-12-09 17:11
 [email protected]
the
revo
eefje001.hyves.nl
twitter.com/evelientje-babbelt
youtube.com/nomoregirltalk
forum.hku.nl/evelien-vdl

[email protected]
[email protected]
facebook.com/erikvb
linkedin.com/in/erikvanbeek myspace.com/strouska-1984
last.fm/user/bystrouska
digg.com/users/strouska-1984

[email protected]
angelaoudewater.hyves.nl
flickr.com/photos/happy_angela
partyflock.nl/gekkie_92

apsbb book v4.indd 8 24-12-09 17:11

 social
olution There are more an
consumers. Social
They ’re replacin
experiences, info
d more digital ne
networks, forums,
g old ways of soci

use of it. It’s as sim

rmation and em
tworks – and man
blogs, MSN, Twitt
alizing. Now peop
otions – create co
nt
y more digital
er, Flickr, YouTube.
le can share sim
ent and make go
ple
ple as child’s play od
, and easy to inte
grate into daily lif
e.

[email protected]
plaxo.com/profile/show/mario
http://www.vimeo.com/user320318

[email protected]
annepas.hyves.nl
annepasmans.blog.com
del.icio.us/pasmans01
[email protected]
moontje.hyves.nl
facebook.com/moontje
youtube.com/moonenkatja01
twitter.com/moonblabla

What’s happening in the digital age 09

apsbb book v4.indd 9 24-12-09 17:11
 molblog McDonald’s Is Latest Augmented mjme
Reality Convert with “Avatar” Campaign Comm
robertgaal First seen in the wild: an octopus uses
zy chilling at the internet http://bit.ly/7GQsxO
cafe sitting next to a a coconut as a tool http://bit.ly/4NlnEw Don’t act
surprised when they go for world domination next.
Polledemaagt I fav
girl browsing thru a hanna montana website....
ke 8-10 yrs LOL! sweet!

IKEA - Facebook sh
amcsteenbergen Vind je dubbelganger via Facebook Facial
endandit Microsoft jat broncode van com/watch?v=0TYy
Profiler http://www.cocacolazero.com/index.jsp#/facialprofiler
Twitter-rivaal - http://tinyurl.com/ye6wwfe re_twitter
kennet
(1) tran

Worldwide there Postadvertiser ‘Fiction [in advertising] is dead’, I

(3) intu

Nalden got som

are more than
read in the latest Creatie (Creation in Dutch) mag.
No no no, fiction, rooted in relevancy, lives on!
NikeID app? ht

5,589,965,311 tweets
eveerdonk Vandaag briljante dag geha
positionering intern gepresenteerd. Perfe
enorm enthousiasme. Let’s make it happ
MajaBlauw is reading a great book about online
marketingtools. Everything I always wanted to
on twitter... know: ‘Alle 13 goed’ by Cor Hospes
idealize_nl Conte
met online video!:
nl/2009/12/content
met-online-video/
dijkshoorn Heb vandaag

Frankwatching Nieuw artikel - Corporate molblog

een meter afstand een r
Noord-Zuid lijn in zijn ge

blogging: voor branding, sales en... links! http:// commun

bit.ly/6sEYF7 door @Wiep ...every minute
BuzzDigitalMktg Real-Time Search Results | Google
Displays Social Media Content that
in ...: Dec 8, 2009 ... Google
introduces Socia... http://bit.ly/4Ixpkn #fb GoldenBoyWond
johnlommers Consumenten kijken vooral naar online amount aanbevelingen,increases http://tweetphoto
maar
controleren feiten offline http://bit.ly/516Big
4 Surprising Google Wave Uses
dutchcowboys by 6,912
Video:
the year? http://bit.ly/7KyQT9
tweets.
Best music video of

ching Nieuw artikel - Bouwen aan

we klantrelatie met content marketing WOMENInc WOMEN Inc. zoekt vrouwelijke deskundigen

y/8aEATr door @joery van niet Nederlandse afkomst met media talent:
http://www.womeninc.nl/page/16364/nl dijkshoorn Heb vandaag mijn bakk
een meter afstand een replica van trendwa d
newwork And with the ‘new’ site we
updated
Noord-Zuid lijn in zijn gezicht gesmeC
(Part of

apsbb book v4.indd 10 also have an awesome new logo 24-12-09 17:11
 mjmetekohy RT @ViralBlog Victoria’s Secret delicious50 Retailers Go Nuts for Social Media in Holiday
Marketing - Advertising Age - Digital http://bit.ly/8JWp4I
Commercial By Michael Bay - http://bit.ly/7qxzEQ

gt I favorited a YouTube video -- Emerce KPN op weg naar 80 procent RuudvanTendris Heel vroeg o

fact #01
ok showroom http://www.youtube. bereik interactieve tv http://bit.ly/6ElRDe
3 dagen Kopenhagen was zin
=0TYy_3786bo&feature=autosha Schiphol dan snel naar BNR o
ennethlim INTERESTING: Google working on
) translated search; (2) social search; and BarackObama We are on the precipice of big change
) intuitive search: http://bit.ly/5fqVkm the most significant reform of our health care since the
Brightsite De kleinste sneeuwman terpassage of Medicare. http://bit.ly/5z9oXL
wereld http://bit.ly/6r2Dxf
denniestevens Maria Mena at Paradiso
ot some ideas for the Amsterdam - http://bit.ly/5DVrKz
p? http://bit.ly/6XrfRV
martijnreintjes Dikke ellende o
dag gehad. apsbb nieuwe bij Utrecht CS #ns http://moby.
erd. Perfecte opbouw,
e it happen!
This number is rising by 25 million new tweets CtrlF5 Google are mass ad
downloads so i can stop wr
every day. Expectations are that there will be 26
million users by early 2010. Despite those large
numbers, Twitter is not ideal for everyone. With
on_entrepr
Content Marketing: zeg het
ideo!: http://www.idealize. a quit rate of around 60%, seemingly quite a bit Marketing T
ontent-marketing-zeg-het- of motivation is needed to keep tweeting.
ideo/ endandit Bruidegom werkt Facebook e
bruiloft (video) - http://tinyurl.com/yh9tq
eb vandaag mijn bakker van

og Blogpost: Durex komt in 2010 met eigen

stand een replica van de simonvreeman 50 Beautiful Free Icon Sets
jn in zijn gezicht gesmeten. For Your Next Design - Smashing Magazine
http://bit.ly/6UbRZu

munity http://bit.ly/6uiDGO SocialMedia_4u2 Top 2010 Online

communicatwit Gratis: Download nu d
Marketing Trends for UK
hoofdstukken van het boek Brand Flow
Jansen via http://bit.ly/5HT5rA #merker
le
Wonder I am awake now
jourik Boondoggle Labs on TechCrunch: RT
photo.com/6307926 @TechCrunch: Create A Custom Notebook, Featuring
FrankSchuil Your Tweets.
Interesting Seriously.
article http://bit.ly/7yIn27
from Martin Bryant RT @TheNextWeb
Why Google doesn’t want your money http://tnw.to/8Rl5
weloveviral Apple: Dear
mennos Checking out Spot Instances for our approve our app. Guerr
recommendation-engine jobs.
hypednl Sociale netwerk Friendster.com http://bit.ly/5sfVNx
voor 65 miljoen verkocht
n bakker van
a van de 22tracks -- Music site offers curated &
trendwatching

Nalden wants an AVATAR! Go see that mo

updated playlists in 22 genres -- http://bit.ly/888heQ
gesmeten.
(Part of CURATED trend)

MarkidGuru Marketing & Sales : What suggestions

apsbb book v4.indd 11
when it’s out! It’s the Princess Mononoke of
do you have for promoting a newly launched
iPhone App? http://bit.ly/8V4TeX 24-12-09 17:11
 Social recruitment is a hot topic. Social networks like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter have become influential sources for
businesses in their search for new employees. 66% of businesses report that they have been successful in recruiting through
those networks. 72% of businesses intend to invest in this form of cost-efficient recruitment in the forthcoming year.

This success also means that you need to pay more attention to what you say, do and post online. A picture of you lying
drunk on the floor, or bold tweets about your boss could negatively affect your career.

apsbb book v4.indd 12 24-12-09 17:11

 fact #02
...of the
businesses use
social networks
like LinkedIn
as a primary
tool to find new
employees.
What’s happening in the digital age 13
apsbb book v4.indd 13 24-12-09 17:11
apsbb book v4.indd 14 24-12-09 17:12
 Always, now.
Internet only recently found its home – on your desktop. Finally, it’s thriving and growing more social
and responding more quickly. From the comfort of its home, digital communication has now broken free,
become mobile and is growing more relevant. It’s what happens now that matters. Not the past. Now. You
are connected to the world, immediately. You share what’s important with others – and you receive (if you
like) non-stop input from other people’s lives. You motivate each other. Get inspired. Experience and share.
Always, now.

Naked without a mobile phone.

Digital is made of ones and zeros. That means 3 things. You can copy the ones and zeros again and
again, without loss of quality. You can save lots of them in really tiny places. And you can put lots of
different things in one small machine. Exactly. Your mobile phone.

We all have one, and we take it with us everywhere. One last check – wallet… keys… mobile phone – and
you’re out the door. Of course we can use our mobile phone to make phone calls. But it’s also our camera,
music player, internet browser, photo album, diary, navigation system, video player, messenger and
mirror. And soon, most likely, our wallet and keys.

So we just take everything with us. On that small screen. Wherever we lay our mobile phones is our home.
Things we used to only see on TV or a desktop computer, we now watch on small personal screen, and we
carry handy, mobile phones with us wherever we go.

What’s happening in the digital age 15

apsbb book v4.indd 15 24-12-09 17:12
 Estimates suggest that 50% of Dutch people
and 33% of the European population will
use the Internet on their mobile phones
within the next 5 years.
Mobile multimedia phones like the iPhone
and the BlackBerry contribute largely to the
immense growth in the use of mobile Internet.
Immensely popular are the specialised
applications on those mobile phones. For the
iPhone alone, more than 100,000 apps are
available which have been downloaded
more than 2 billion times since the launch of
the iPhone app store in July 2008.

For some news companies, the effects are

very apparent. The Dutch news website nu.nl
saw the traffic to its mobile version multiply
by 10,000 during the past year. This is quite
promising for the future.

apsbb book v4.indd 16 24-12-09 17:12

 fact #03
five
in

Dutch people browse the internet

on their mobile phone.

What’s happening in the digital age 17

apsbb book v4.indd 17 24-12-09 17:12
 consumer in t

apsbb book v4.indd 18 24-12-09 17:12

the driving seat. Digital media changes the way people communicate with brands. Drastically. People
expect equality. They want respect. A chance to chat. Someone to listen. Strange how
so many deaf companies shout at their target audience.
The people formerly known as the audience. with direct, one-on-one consumer contact. Which could be
Consumers are behind the wheel of the digital revolution. very lucrative. But it only works if brands and people know
They decide what to watch, when to watch it, and who each other well and speak each other’s language.
they’re going to share information with. It’s a completely
different mindset – more critical and self-aware than ever. Brands cannot predict how consumers will behave online.
That’s why they are so well informed. And have such finely- People can’t been “steered” or “influenced”. And that takes
tuned bullshit detectors, that can sniff out crap anywhere. some getting use to. Brands have to stop being so pushy. Or
consumers will shoot them right down. “But how do I stay
Success comes is small packages. in control?” we hear brands saying. Well, you don’t. People
Consumers are communications experts. They quickly want to control themselves, make their own decisions.
swerve around banners, commercials and spam – with ease. People want interaction. And to make it more difficult for
Their world shines bright on the small screen. Blackberries, marketers, people don’t act the same online and offline.
iPhones, iPods and mobile phones – people can’t live Brands have to learn to let go, and to listen to how multi-
without them. This means great opportunities for innovative tasking omnipresent consumers create their experiences.
presentations, client relations, brand loyalty and service – And then brands have serve them well.

What’s happening in the digital age 19

apsbb book v4.indd 19 24-12-09 17:12
 If Facebook were a country,
it would be the 3rd largest.
With more than 350 million users in late 2009 it has and in October 2007 it reached 50 million users.
more users then the total population of the USA. At that point, Microsoft paid 240 million dollars
When Facebook was launched in early 2004, it for 1.6% of shares. Estimating the total value of
initially started as a network for university students. Facebook at 15 billion dollars. Two years later they
After just one year, it reached 1 million users. The reached 350 million users. Currently growing at an
network was opened to everyone at the end of 2006 unprecedented rate of 800,000 users a day.

apsbb book v4.indd 20 24-12-09 17:12

 fact #04
1. China 2. India
3. Facebook 4. United States
5. Indonesia 6. Brazil

What’s happening in the digital age 21

apsbb book v4.indd 21 24-12-09 17:12
apsbb book v4.indd 22 24-12-09 17:12
 fact #05
social media
has overtaken
porn as the #1
internet activity.
There is an entrenched relationship even online payment. In a way, porn Social Media, such as YouTube and
between the Internet and funded the Internet we know today. Facebook, have gained the interest of
pornography; it has always been the audience. An interest so immense
the biggest industry on the Internet. But the long reign of porn has that is has overtaken the interest in
Attracting the most attention, users been overthrown. It is no longer porn. The shift experienced by the
and money, it soon grew into a $2.5 most frequently searched for on Internet during the past couple of
billion business. It pioneered new Google. It no longer boasts the years, from a content and leisure-
innovative technologies, such as greatest percentage of content, nor driven platform, to a social platform,

23
file sharing, video streaming and is it the “service” with the most users. has now been unveiled.

What’s happening in the digital age

apsbb book v4.indd 23 24-12-09 17:12

 “Am I dis

apsbb book v4.indd 24 24-12-09 17:12

isturbing you?”
The rules, they are a-changin’.
Old school advertising is actually kind of weird. Consumers are
in the middle of doing something important or that they love
– then advertising butts in and starts shouting. How arrogant,
right? Advertising doesn’t care about the person it’s shouting
at. “Is this relevant?” “Am I disturbing you?” In the past, it didn’t
matter. Consumers couldn’t avoid it. But now they can.

By now we know better. Digital media offers consumers a new

experience – brands are listening to them. Talking and hearing
what they have to say. Consumers demand that everyone treats
them like this. Always. So digital media focuses on reaching the
right people at the right time.

What’s happening in the digital age 25

apsbb book v4.indd 25 24-12-09 17:12
 stop interrupting.
start connecting.
Consumers don’t care about messages they don’t care about. We call,
mail, chat, blog, twitter, sms, google and hyve ourselves silly. And if a
brand wants to talk to us, it has to speak our language (so to speak).
One-on-one, personal, interactive – with the option of telling others.
That’s how consumers force brands to communicate in a different way.

apsbb book v4.indd 26 24-12-09 17:12

 The era of solely focus on mass media Know your audience. And get connected. to create ideas and solutions that the public
communications is truly over. It is better Amazing. Consumers have clearly said that likes. For initiatives that facilitate, begin
for brands to approach people by tuning they don’t want to be the target of unsolicited dialogues, activate. Not by talking about
in on the behavior and needs of others. and unnecessary messages. And still, so the message, but by showing it. Become part
We’re seeing brands communicate more many brands keep on blowing own their of their individual interests, make use
accessibly, intimately, proactively and horns, making a ruckus just to be heard. By of momentary impulses. It you do it well,
interactively. After all, people are eager to as many people as possible – all at once. you’re bound to win.
make brands more personal – and to use But you just can’t buy someone’s attention.
them as they desire. You’ve got to earn it. By setting aside budget

What’s happening in the digital age 27

apsbb book v4.indd 27 24-12-09 17:12
 { Hyves has more
9 million users in
Netherlands.
Reaching more than 86% of the online
population. Every day, 3 million people visit
Hyves for over 200 minutes each month. Hyves
has more than 130 million visits each month.
Generating an estimated turnover in 2009
of 15 – 20 million euros.

Hyves is by far the largest social network in

the Netherlands. However, Facebook is in hot
pursuit with its rapid growth in the Netherlands.

apsbb book v4.indd 28 24-12-09 17:12

 fact #06
e than
in the

What’s happening in the digital age 29

apsbb book v4.indd 29 24-12-09 17:12
 activate people No relevance. No connection.
Digital media is interactive. Which changes everything. With
digital marketing, your goal is to activate people. You get to
know your target audience, where they sit, what they’re doing
there and how you can help them. With this information, you
create memorable experiences – that fit perfectly with your
brand, and that your target audience can use. Digital marketing
is also a battle for information – the smartest idea, the best
technology, the best interactive design, the first implementation.

So stop trying to influence people. Direct your efforts at facilitation

and immediate activation. Find people and make them part of
your brand. Reward them for their responses and actions – and
pay attention to relevance, temptation and sympathy. Then you’ll
get honest attention. Then you’ll hit the spot – and it will stick
because it matters.

apsbb book v4.indd 30 24-12-09 17:12

e

Czech Dream. Filip Remunda and Vid Klusák (two young Czech directors) invented the “Ceský sen”
hypermarket and created a massive advertising campaign around it. Posing as businessmen, the two
film students managed to persuade an ad agency and a public relations agency to create a campaign
for them. Billboards appeared on Czech highways, 200,000 pamphlets were distributed in Prague and
there was a series of television commercials. The filmmakers succeeded in attracting more than 3000
shoppers to an empty plain for their “grand opening” on May 31, 2003. What looked like a huge building
from a distance was actually only a canvas facade backed by scaffolding. The whole hypermarket was
nothing more than a hoax. For more information on the documentary Google “Czech Dream”

apsbb book v4.indd 31 24-12-09 17:13

 if ifyou
ifyou
you
would
would
would like
like
lik
totoview
toview
see
all
allthe
th e
video’s
video’s
video’s
on
onon
YouTube,
YouTube,
youtubeititwould
itwoul
wou
take
take
take
you
you
you
more
more
more
than
than
than
413
413
413
years.
years.
years
apsbb book v4.indd 32 24-12-09 17:13
 like

fact #07
e
YouTube. The largest video community in
the world. Bought in 2006 by Google for 1.65
billion dollar, it has more than 300 million users

ould
worldwide of all ages and nationalities. They
upload more than 20 hours of video every
minute and watch well over a billion videos a
day. They share 58% of the videos with friends.

re
ars. What’s happening in the digital age 33
apsbb book v4.indd 33 24-12-09 17:13
apsbb book v4.indd 34 24-12-09 17:13
 Digital media changes the way people interact with brands, media
and each other. That’s causing a shift in power, and many brands
have to get used to that. It’s all about putting the consumer center
stage. Thinking about the organization first is old hat, and opens you
up to attack. A successful brand strategy is managed by consumers.
What’s happening in the digital age 35
apsbb book v4.indd 35 24-12-09 17:13
apsbb book v4.indd 36 24-12-09 17:13
 fact #08
52% of people who are older
than 50 in the Netherlands
play online games.
The 50+ gamer also spends more time on gaming than on reading newspapers and magazines. For the younger
generations, these numbers are even more impressive. On average, 93% of youngsters play games, both online
and with game devices, such as the Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii. They spend around 10 hours a week on

37
gaming. This is comparable to the time that they spend watching TV and surfing the Internet.

What’s happening in the digital age

apsbb book v4.indd 37 24-12-09 17:13

 70% of the peopl
between 18 and
apsbb book v4.indd 38 24-12-09 17:14
 fact #09
ple aged
d 30 years And with the growth in broadband connections
and fast mobile services, this percentage will
continue to increase. People want to control where
and when they watch their favourite TV shows. Every
month in the Netherlands, more than 11 million TV

39
shows are watched online – and that figure only
takes into account the official public channel.

What’s happening in the digital age

apsbb book v4.indd 39 24-12-09 17:14

 be consu

apsbb book v4.indd 40 24-12-09 17:14

umercentric Your brand is a success if consumers embraced it. You can
achieve this by putting yourself in their shoes, understanding their
desires and problems. Brand communications is nothing without
involvement, identification and loyalty. People are loyal to brands
that are real and communicate with honesty.
Do it. Don’t just think it.
People embrace brands that show that they can you’ve established contact, cherish and maintain
listen, and that actively offer projects that matter. it. Find new ways to liven things up. Not just to keep
Just saying you take the customer seriously isn’t the customer, but to enrich your contact, improve
enough. You’ve got to do it. Be approachable, services and get to know the customer better – to
and give good answers to questions, suggestions, keep on inspiring and surprising them.
compliments and criticism – fast. Once

What’s happening in the digital age 41

apsbb book v4.indd 41 24-12-09 17:14
 82% of rockb
social media to promot
apsbb book v4.indd 42 24-12-09 17:14
 fact #10
kbands use
ote their music
What’s happening in the digital age 43
apsbb book v4.indd 43 24-12-09 17:14
 What do you do when you think you’re
not getting enough attention? Shout!
You probably know it won’t make a big
difference, but.… Brands do the same
thing when they use only mass
media – shout for attention. Which
drives consumers crazy, and
makes it harder for them to make
choices. You can do better than
that! Calm down and listen –
and actually do something.

apsbb book v4.indd 44 24-12-09 17:14

 it takes

Don’t be so pushy.
Let them come to you.
2
First of all, don’t butt your nose into
everything your target audience is
doing. And when they stop by, ask
yourself – what connects you – and
try to do something for them. In your
communications, too. Then your
message will become relevant content
that consumers are looking for. Build
your relationship with dialogue and
interaction (for those who like it). Don’t
Now we’re talking.
to interact.
Regardless of how pretty and sincere
your mass media message is, you’re still
screaming for attention. It’s not what
we’d do. We’d rather start a fascinating
dialogue – and include interaction in
our communications. It’s more effective,
because you’re not only creating a
strong bond, you’ll learn something,
too.
And by constantly communicating,
you’re building trust. You’re creating
a bond the same way they bond –
when it’s convenient to them. Your
brand stimulates, is relevant, activates
and can be shared. Your dialogue is
independent of the medium you use.
A mix of online, offline and real-life. It’s
not just the future of communications
– it’s already determining the power of
be so pushy. But when they need you, your communications.

45
you’ve got to be there for them.

What’s happening in the digital age

apsbb book v4.indd 45 24-12-09 17:14

apsbb book v4.indd 46 24-12-09 17:14
 demonstrate.
don’t tell.
Communication is a dialogue. Now, thanks to digital tools, it’s even easier for you to start
a dialogue. But it’s also become more complex. There are so many consumers, so many
screens – so many ways to contact each other, that a lot of organizations can’t see the
forest for the trees. You need a strong voice and a believable, attractive story. Then you’ll
reach consumers in all walks of life.

What’s happening in the digital age 47

apsbb book v4.indd 47 24-12-09 17:14
 the right people.
at the right time.
What you’re saying is important. But when you say it is also Share their passions.
important. The delivery must be precise – the situation is It’s hard for a lot of brands to talk about anything else
essential. In this case, the receiver is the boss. So brands but themselves. But consumers just aren’t that interested.
have to really and truly know their target audiences. Every brand has a passion – the sneaker maker loves
You’ve got to listen, and communicate at the exact running, the insurance agent appreciates security. These
moment the receiver expects to hear from you. No one are interesting topics. That’s how people and brands
said it was easy. But it’s possible, if you take your time. connect. As a brand, you’ve got to have something to
give. Memorable experiences that touch people’s hearts,
Mass media is not as effective as it used to be. People select inspire and trigger. Experiences have real impact. And if
messages based on relevance. If you offer a solution – make you have the means to share that enthusiasm – at the right
something easier or have interesting content that suits your moment – you’ve taken the first step towards starting a
target audience – they’ll welcome you with open arms. good dialogue.

That doesn’t mean that mass media communications

is totally out of the picture. Just be relevant, authentic,
simple and don’t try forcing anything down their throats.
A good clear message. No need to complicate things,
unless totally necessary.

apsbb book v4.indd 48 24-12-09 17:14

 What’s happening in the digital age 49
apsbb book v4.indd 49 24-12-09 17:14
apsbb book v4.indd 50 24-12-09 17:14
 When a brand acts, the target audience
responds. They can participate, have an
opinion, make a comment, connect with the
brand. Now you’re talking! Now you can start
sharing passions and get to know each other
better. People and brands, brands and people.
The relationship solidifies, grows stronger –
and people feel the brand understands them,
appreciates who they are. And brands learn to
understand what’s important to people, and what
they really like.

You’ve got to give people the power to act.

Facilitate, open new horizons. Give them some
freedom, make their lives simpler, help them
navigate, have fun – or inspire them. Don’t
piggyback on relevant content. Become the
relevant content. Then people and brands will
stay in dialogue, for a long time.

What’s happening in the digital age 51

apsbb book v4.indd 51 24-12-09 17:15
 best
practic
apsbb book v4.indd 52 24-12-09 17:15
ces. Every year there are brilliant cases which set the bar.
Sometimes these may involve a short but smart campaign,
and sometimes these are sizeable platforms that run for a
lengthy period of time. Reflecting on those cases provides us
with a useful insight for future campaigns.
This year, we focus on two platforms, both running for
lengthy periods of time, which have changed the way
those particular brands communicate. These are Nike+
and the Volvo Ocean Race. We also take a look at the social
experiment #BeatCancer, which used new emerging social
media techniques at their best.

apsbb book v4.indd 53 24-12-09 17:15

apsbb book v4.indd 54 24-12-09 17:15
 Nike+. Unleashing the
power of personal metrics.
Harness the power of digital technologies to enhance the sporting experience. With that
thought in mind, in early 2006, the people at Nike’s tech lab created the online running
platform Nike+. A branded community, which, in our eyes is by far the best in the world.
It has an active user base of more than 1.2 million runners, who have collectively tracked
more than 292 million kilometres and burned around 13 billion calories. You could say that
the audience runs off with the idea.

Nike & Apple the product, this time in the form of a Around 75% of runners use their iPod whilst
In 1987, Nike introduced the ‘life monitor’. wristwatch. Again it was highly impractical running. The iPod turned out to be the
This was a system the size of a VHS tape and too large. So large that the former CEO perfect platform for Nike to try again. Nike
intended to be worn around the waist, of Nike named it “the tumour”. Again the therefore teamed up with Apple to create a
which keeps track of the distance and product was unsuccessful. new device which tracks speed, distance,
speed at which someone is running. time and calories burned. Nike+ was born.
The sheer size of the product made it With the rise of Apple iPod, a new
highly impractical and it was therefore opportunity emerged. On average 50%
unsuccessful. In 1999 Nike relaunched of iPod users use their iPod during sport.

What’s happening in the digital age 55

apsbb book v4.indd 55 24-12-09 17:15
 Built to motivate running level, by offering new options and
The success of Nike+ is not down to the rewards with every improvement. This
small Nike+ tracker made and designed by motivates you to reach the next level.
Apple. It is not down to the special Nike+
running shoes which allow the placement The motivation also comes from the special
of the tracking device. Nor is it down to the training programmes, which focus on
combination with the mighty iPod. It’s not the burning of calories, improvement
because of the hardware; it’s all because of of endurance and even programmes to
the software. provide full marathon training. The sleek
design, easy navigation, broad options and
The real key to the success of Nike+ lies in simple syncing between the Nike+ tracker
its online running community. Each time and the website makes it attractive to
you run using the Nike+ trackers, you amateur runners and competitive athletes.
can upload the information to the Nike+
website. The website then tracks each run, Running around the brand
recording your pace and distance and Nike has created a true community of
comparing these to your past runs, and to runners - all centred around the Nike
other runners. It tracks changes in pace brand. It offers runners the opportunity
and helps you to train by providing trend to connect with other runners throughout
data for your performance over time. This the world, and to compete against them.
allows you to gradually increase your It is possible to set up races with friends, to

apsbb book v4.indd 56 24-12-09 17:15

 share routes and to participate in global with tools and programmes which are their whole running experience.
challenges, such as “The Human Race 10 K”, relevant and fun to use has enormous
where runners will be ranked and countries potential. This really brings the brand It is difficult to say how Nike+ benefits the
will compete – all using the virtual data closer to the consumer and makes it company’s bottom line. Some analysts
entered into the Nike+ website. part of their daily life. Teaming up with support Nike’s claims that the platform has
other giants, such as Apple, proved renewed the popularity of its running shoes.
The Nike brand has associations from equally worthwhile as it unlocked a rapid SportsOneSource, a market research firm,
the start to the end of the process - from connection to the iPod’s vast user base. says that, in 2006, Nike accounted for 48%
the purchase of the Nike+ tracker, to the of all running shoe sales in the U.S. Today,
shoes and the clothing, to the website Nike made the Nike+ service an important it has a 61% share. “A significant degree
facilitating the conversation and tracking part of the marketing and communication of growth comes from Nike+,” says Matt
personal performance. This is brilliant towards runners. The company made a Powell, a SportsOneSource analyst.
integrated marketing as it allows Nike to huge budget available and invested a vast
market directly and indirectly to consumers amount of energy in creating the platform, With its well-balanced online strategy,
through the community website portal, instead of in traditional advertising. smart product integration and excellent
through the race itself, and through all of support, Nike+ set the bar for branded
the products required to participate in the This is a strategy which was refreshing, communities. A bar that, we think, so far
Nike+ running community. bold and highly successful. It created an hasn’t been equalled by any other brand.
immense and loyal user base and these
In the long run people experience Nike not just as a sports Take a look for yourself at
Nike+ has proven that providing consumers gear supplier, but as an important part of nikerunning.nike.com

apsbb book v4.indd 57 24-12-09 17:15

apsbb book v4.indd 58 24-12-09 17:15
 Volvo Ocean Race.
Sailing digital seas.
It is more than 35 years since the first Volvo Ocean Race was held, then named the
Whitbread Round The World Race. Since then it has become one of the world’s largest
professional sporting events. A true global sailing event, with stopovers in Europe, Asia, North
and South America, Africa and Russia. It has numerous participating brands, such as Volvo,
Puma, Telefonica and Ericsson, and with fans from more than 100 countries following the
race on the TV and through magazines, newspapers, websites, mobile phones and games.

The 2008/2009 edition of the Volvo Ocean embedded media crew members on board human endeavour, technology and nature
Race meant a real global step in the history the boats, excessive coverage through - were reflected in extensive TV and print
of the race. Not only did the race set foot on social media channels and an interactive coverage. During the 2008/2009 edition, the
the Asian continent for the first time, it also game which enabled players to compete coverage was intensified using the latest
fully embraced the opportunities presented with the race in real-time. communication techniques and channels.
by digital media in an effort to reach A new member was brought on board
a true global audience. It broadened Embedding the web the boats, responsible for providing these
communications beyond the traditional In the past, the richness of storylines that channels with information. The Media
medium of television and print. With the Volvo Ocean Race conjured up – Crew Member as he/she was called was

What’s happening in the digital age 59

apsbb book v4.indd 59 24-12-09 17:15
 an embedded reporter, equipped with the or more to track the progress. This also
latest technology in high-definition filming demonstrated an interesting growth in the
and satellite communication. mobile channels, where visitor numbers
grew by 150% to 5 million.
These Media Crew Members supplied
the official website and partner websites However, the new technologies didn’t
with a great deal of exclusive and “real- solely work online. Many of the videos and
time” content. This further enriched the articles were perfect for TV, radio and print.
multilingual online and mobile channels This also resulted in an interesting growth
and resulted in communication with 3rd in those channels. In total, the cumulative
parties, such as Google. This allowed users TV audience was 1.3 billion and the print
to hear, read and see what the teams were audience 1.6 billion. This increased the
experiencing onboard each boat as they total media value of those two examples
circumnavigated the oceans of the world. by 52% and 104% respectively. This
The progress could be tracked through demonstrates that the new cross-media
Google Earth, videos on YouTube and “live” strategy, based on special content created
reports via Facebook and Twitter. This by the Media Crew Members, had had the
brought the race closer to the audience desired effect.
than ever before and it resulted in more
than 89 million online visitors and more Sailing the virtual globe
than 1 million fans, who returned 100 times The biggest innovation of the 2008/2009

apsbb book v4.indd 60 24-12-09 17:15

 Volvo Ocean Race was, however, the the Internet. These teams took turns to sail demographics of the players who played
Volvo Ocean Race game. This was an the virtual boats, based on local daytime; the entire game. Fifty percent of the players
online game which allowed players to members in Asia, Europe and North were owners of a sailing boat. They came
sail the Volvo Ocean Race on virtual seas America enabled the teams to have 24/7 from 180 countries and were mostly men.
against individual players and teams control, thus optimising the results. The average age was 27+ and they earned
across the globe. These virtual boats met 3 times the average national income. For
the specification and behaviours of the In total. more than 3.4 million people Volvo, this game means extreme high
real boats. Accurate weather information visited the game, spending more than involvement with a significant percentage
regarding wind speeds, temperatures, 7 minutes on the game on average. But of its target audience.
weather and the sea currents was used. that’s nothing compared to the time spent
This resulted in a realistic race, which actually playing the game. More than And this result hasn’t gone unnoticed. The
demanded a lot of sailing skill / knowledge 240,000 people registered and started the Volvo Ocean Race Game won the 2009
and time for actual participation. game. More than 120.000 people actually Dutch Game Awards for best advergame.
stayed active throughout the entire 9-month According to the jury, this proved that
On average, players logged in twice period of the game, thus spending more “there are no boundaries when it comes to
a night and 15 times during the day to than 42 million hours on the game. This advertising and gaming”.
adjust the heading and sails of their boat demonstrates the enormous involvement
according to the current wind speeds, that was created. Experience the race at volvooceanrace.org
direction, etc. This high-demand type of
gaming resulted in boats being sailed by This is a remarkable and exciting
global teams, who kept in touch through result. Especially when you consider the

apsbb book v4.indd 61 24-12-09 17:15

apsbb book v4.indd 62 24-12-09 17:15
 #BeatCancer. Charity
fundraising reinvented.
In the early days, charity fundraising was a serious business. It required solid
planning, loads of volunteers, extensive TV broadcasting, charity shows and
celebrities to endorse it all. The social media experiment #BeatCancer reinvented
this way of fundraising. This involved the creation of a global fundraising
campaign/movement, raising US$ 70,000 in just 24 hours. This relied solely on
the power of the social web.

A simple idea. couldn’t we take on a social cause with web. Around 2,200 people attended the
#BeatCancer was thought up by a small the power of social media?” That social 2009 event; these were people with a
social media communications and content cause was beating cancer and the idea of tremendous influence. Estimations are
company named Everywhere, based #BeatCancer was born. that those 2,200 people had around 188
in Atlanta. The idea spawned when million people around the world following
members of the company were travelling Blogworld is the largest event on earth them, through blogs, Twitter and social
to Blogworld in Las Vegas with a few of where bloggers, agencies, global networks like Facebook, thus providing an
their clients. Wondering “If Ashton Kutcher companies, etc. gather to discuss the audience with whom they could instantly
can have one million followers on Twitter, (new) opportunities offered by the social communicate.

What’s happening in the digital age 63

apsbb book v4.indd 63 24-12-09 17:15
 When the people of Everywhere arrived just one day, a campaign platform was
at Blogworld (October 15th 2009) they created, social measuring tools were
immediately contacted the organisers of the implemented and the Blogworld attendees
event with their idea, in the hope of some were informed about and backed the
support. The organisers liked the idea and campaign.
put them in touch with several companies
attending the event, such as EBay and In a 24-hour period, starting on Friday
PayPal. Those companies didn’t hesitate and 16 October 2009 at 9 a.m., lasting until
immediately granted support for the idea. Saturday 17 October 2009 at 9 a.m., all
over the Internet people were asked
All in 24hours. to send tweets (Twitter messages) and
With the support of those companies, Facebook status updates, and to blog using
Everywhere gave shape to the idea. Within #BeatCancer in their posts. EBay, PayPal

apsbb book v4.indd 64 24-12-09 17:16

 and MillerCoors Brewing Company would achievement, which demonstrates the campaign, so posting #BeatCancer
donate a penny ($0.01) for every Twitter the power of the social web and the is still very worthwhile. Whilst writing this
message, Facebook update or blog post opportunities it presents when you want article, more than 674,000 mentions were
that included the phrase #BeatCancer. to get things done. Of course, you would made.
All money would be donated to non-profit then need to have the connections (or find
cancer organisations accredited by The the type of connections/people) that were Check beatcancereverywhere.com for the
American Cancer Society. present at Blogworld. In this particular latest score.
case, the campaign’s greatest asset was the
The word spread and within 24 hours there influence of the 2,200 people who attended
were 209,711 mentions through different Blogworld.
channels. A official world record which
will be included in the Guinness Book of If you are interested, the campaign is still
World Records. This is also an impressive running. EBay/PayPal continue to support

apsbb book v4.indd 65 24-12-09 17:16

 It seems like market is changing so fast, the ad world can’t keep
up. Just ask Darwin. “It is not the strongest that survives, nor
the most intelligent. It is the one that is the most adaptable to
change.” We don’t claim to be the best. But we fully realize we’re
in the midst of the digital age, and what that means to brands.
We understand the behavior and needs of modern consumers.
We can reach them, and if necessary, mobilize them.

apsbb book v4.indd 66 24-12-09 17:16

 We know what’s going on. with new and established brands. They strategic partner, finding opportunities and
We’re curious. Hungry for the latest appreciate a straightforward approach – making them work. We offer brands advice
developments. To understand them, and and a healthy dose of daring – as much as and guidance in the quest for the perfect
use them. We know the networks, we we do. blend of real-life, digital, interactive and
communicate well and aren’t afraid to fight analogue media experiences. So brands
for our ideas. We talk with consumers, and Unlocking opportunities. and people bond – and stay bonded. That
realize that we are also consumers. We pay We’re snug as a bug in a rug in the digital calls for a sharp mind, experience, an
close attention to the market, keep our eyes world. We see the opportunities new awareness of opportunities – and the guts to
and mind wide open. That’s how we work technology bring. We serve our clients as a make good choices.

What’s happening in the digital age 67

apsbb book v4.indd 67 24-12-09 17:16
apsbb book v4.indd 68 24-12-09 17:16
 A connected agency. both brands and people. So they seek each other,
Marketing and media are rapidly developing. stimulate, challenge, activate. We help our clients
Sometimes it’s hard to keep up, and to respond develop attractive brands. That people will want
appropriately. We understand that our clients have to visit time and time again. Voluntarily. By using a
better things to do than keep up with the latest combination of traditional and new networks.
development, and think about the opportunities
they offer the business. That’s what we’re here for. A helping hand. A navigating friend.
To stay up-to-date on everything that’s going on We help our clients find their way in the digital era.
in the digital world, society and media. We do it We share our knowledge of the possibilities offered
everyday. In fact, there’s nothing else we’d rather by online and mobile media – and implement
do. Which is why clients like to pick our brains them in our clients’ overall strategy. Our clients
from time to time. It keeps them alert, and aware learn new ways to think about using tools, content
of opportunities – and helps them avoid pitfalls. and message flow. So together, we can consolidate
We provoke if necessary, and think about smart the advantages of offline, real-life and online
developments together. communications.

Magnetic brands. We act and think from a perspective that is

We build durable brands with our clients. Brands digital, creative and interactive. That doesn’t
that make an active contribution to the lives of mean we refuse to make print campaigns or TV
consumers – and earn their trust and loyalty. We commercials. It just means we choose the media
start by making it possible for brands and their that makes the most sense for a specific target.
public to interact. A dialogue that triggers action in

What’s happening in the digital age 69

apsbb book v4.indd 69 24-12-09 17:16
 brands
that bridge

apsbb book v4.indd 70 24-12-09 17:16

 We challenge ourselves – every day – to come up
with brilliant ideas. Concepts that spring forth from
the heart of the brand, and have meaning for
others. Because brands have to contribute value.
Something surprising, inspiring, entertaining, new,
handy, interesting.

We believe that brands that stay in touch with

their public in a variety of ways – interactively
– will have the greatest success. So we develop
platforms and campaigns that make it possible for
brands to be just as dynamic and alert as the rest
of the world. Experiences that are so useful, or so
fascinating, they interest and activate people over
and over.

Inspire, create, reveal and touch. By doing.

That’s how we think.

What’s happening in the digital age 71

apsbb book v4.indd 71 24-12-09 17:16
apsbb book v4.indd 72 24-12-09 17:16
 Bright, brave and brilliant. Our strapline says exactly how we like
our clients. We work with brands that see the digital age as a sea of
opportunity. They understand; if they want to improve themselves, they
have to communicate and cooperate with their clients and public. And
they know it’s better to meet the needs of one specific target audience
than to try to make everyone happy.

We call them “ballsy brands”. Brands with a strong ambition, a strong

culture – that are brave and dare to be different. Who are not afraid of
taking a close look at their business model. This calls for self-awareness
and ambition – and a lot of guts. These are the type of brands we help.
So they can facilitate, communicate and activate others.

What’s happening in the digital age 73

apsbb book v4.indd 73 24-12-09 17:16
apsbb book v4.indd 74 24-12-09 17:16
 get the point?
Together with our clients, we build brands that aren’t afraid
to think about the consumer. That understand that real
added value means offering relevant products, sincere
information and tempting content. The winners are brands
that enter into a dialogue with their customers and public,
and strive for meaningful interaction. These are the true
consumer-oriented, transparent brands. They are sincere,
and understand how consumers want to communicate.

forward

thinking
Our clients realize – the world and audience for their
brand is multi-platform and multi-media. Strong brands
dare to think ahead, in scenarios. They understand – the
key to success is a strategic digital marketing policy. They
dare to think about digital opportunities. For them, digital
is more than a building block. It forms a strategic part of
a healthy organization.

What’s happening in the digital age 75

apsbb book v4.indd 75 24-12-09 17:16
 we inno

apsbb book v4.indd 76 24-12-09 17:16

novation. Change is nothing new. But it’s never happened so fast. No day is
like another. The communications world is changing every day,
too – enriching people’s experiences. To keep up with change,
companies need to include innovations in the very heart of their
business. We believe in the power and necessity of innovation –
and in the energy it generates.
Innovation is the engine.
Thanks to online and mobile communications. Media fragments – about how all these new opportunities
communications, we can snuggle right users are taking control. Innovation will change our lives in the future.
up to consumers. That’s wonderful. But intrigues us. That’s why we keep track How they can be tailored and serve
it makes it more complicated to create of the latest developments, and think our clients and their customers.

What’s happening in the digital age 77

apsbb book v4.indd 77 24-12-09 17:16
 pioneer

apsbb book v4.indd 78 24-12-09 17:16

ering the future.
We confess. We’re crazy about interactive media. Our
heart skips a beat when we discover new technology and
communications. Creativity and innovation put everything
in a different light. We work on interactive concepts, mobile
communications and media-neutral brand platforms - day
in, day out. We know what’s out there. But only apply it if it
truly serves a specific assignment.

We embrace the future and can’t wait to see what will

happen tomorrow. A new way of doing the same old thing?
New technology no one dreamed was possible? Or an
initiative that blows popular sites off the map? Bring it on!

What’s happening in the digital age 79

apsbb book v4.indd 79 24-12-09 17:16
 digital at
heart

apsbb book v4.indd 80 24-12-09 17:17

 Change is a challenge. The dynamic media and technology landscape
demands a new type of agency that is digital (and innovative) at heart.
It’s not about the technical side of things – it’s about practical innovation
– what you can do with it, how people use it. It’s part of our genetic
makeup. And we do our best to share this with our clients. Because we
can only learn, and make progress, if we experiment together.

Everything we do is fully grounded in creativity and technology. For us,

technology is not a hobby – it’s in our blood. We grew up with it. Since our
founding in the late nineties, we have been involved in the development
of innovative online marketing concepts. We consider technology a
creative discipline that plays a key role in interactive communications.
So we are always curious about new ways to connect people with
brands. We are inspired by the future. We aim to inspire.

What’s happening in the digital age 81

apsbb book v4.indd 81 24-12-09 17:17
dare
apsbb book v4.indd 82 24-12-09 17:17
e
to try new things.
to be different!
to make choices.
to make commitments.
to do business.
to be critical.
If you want to be chosen, choose yourself first. We advise brands to expand their
unique qualities. When you are different, people can find you and choose you.
Go with the masses, and you can forget success. Who cares about boring brands
that refuse any attempt to understand this. No guts, no glory! The same holds true
for us. We must also dare to stick our necks out. And we do. So…

What’s happening in the digital age 83

apsbb book v4.indd 83 24-12-09 17:17
 we dare
to make
commitments
We are driven, professional and ambitious. Focused on development and results. This
excitement infects our clients and vendors, because our relationships are far from
superficial. And are built on respect for each other’s expertise. We are proud of our
network of experts, so when relevant, we aren’t afraid to ask for outside assistance.
da
apsbb book v4.indd 84 24-12-09 17:17
 we dare

are to try
new things
To solve issues for our clients, we explore new possibilities. Experiment,
research, try things out for the first time. To know if an idea works, you
have to test it. We learn by doing.

What’s happening in the digital age 85

apsbb book v4.indd 85 24-12-09 17:17
 we dare
to do
business
Focus on growth. Watch out for stagnation. And always look for new opportunities. Our
ideas are exciting, we touch people, inspire, activate. With solutions that make you
think and act. Challenging. For us, the others – and each other.
da
apsbb book v4.indd 86 24-12-09 17:17
 we dare

are to be
critical
and test out new insights. We are critical of our work. We’ll easily break the rules if
we know it will lead to new opportunities. And we don’t shy away from disrupting,
dissecting and discovering (and rediscovering). It generates discussion. And keeps us
alert. And leads to better results.

What’s happening in the digital age 87

apsbb book v4.indd 87 24-12-09 17:17
 we dare
to make
choices
We don’t take the path of least resistance, and may suddenly go right when most others
would go left. We are convinced that this is better for our clients. Call us stubborn,
we don’t care.
da
apsbb book v4.indd 88 24-12-09 17:17
 we always

are strive for

more succes
No strings attached? No us. If the client is willing to take a risk, we are. And will develop
new market-driven ideas and solutions that offer better, smarter solutions for the user.
That’s how we managed to take full advantage of the intrinsic opportunities for our
clients. And we’re proud of it.

What’s happening in the digital age 89

apsbb book v4.indd 89 24-12-09 17:17
 ideas become
solutions.
As an independent agency, we are driven by ideas. Our ability to
guide clients through the digital age is the core of our very being.
We understand how people, society and media are changing. So
we provide solutions that not only improve our clients’ position and
communications – it often changes the way they work. We think,
design, produce and maintain integrated concepts that allow
brands to build valuable relationships, with their customers and
public, by means of interactive networks. We take full advantage
of all the opportunities that modern media has to offer.

apsbb book v4.indd 90 24-12-09 17:17

 Capturing hearts and minds.
It starts with a good idea. Our clients need refreshing
new ideas. That get noticed, stimulate, inspire and
activate. Ideas that work in different formats. But –
we’re not just great thinkers – there’s more to it than
just ideas, strategies and concepts. We make good
on our word, and develop meaningful platforms
and experiences that put a brand directly in touch
with consumers. These are solutions that bring
people and brands together, and make it possible
to build valuable, interactive relationships – by
touching people’s hearts and minds.

Media-free thinking, media-savvy action.

We start with creative ideas, intelligent strategies
and innovative technologies – to develop concepts
from a media-free point of view. In the execution, we
create the ideal balance between real life, offline
and online communications. We select the media
that best suits specific goals. The choice depends on
the right solution for particular situations.

What’s happening in the digital age 91

apsbb book v4.indd 91 24-12-09 17:18
 b r l p r e p e v m l u t a u
t a t e m s a d o l d p p t a
t e t r u e m s i d i t a e p i
c v a t u r a u t q u a b m b
r e r m s o l u t i o n s o b l
a b r e m c x r i d o l u p t
a t i u r e p l i a m r e p b i
a n q i t q u a s d e l i b u
s c i a n s t r l o n s e d i a

apsbb book v4.indd 92 24-12-09 17:18

 We don’t hide behind creativity – we make smart,
integrated strategies platforms and concept that
have an impact. A sensible and intelligent approach
to every project and solution that adds value – and
always serves the goal. That surprise, entertain and
inspire. That tell stories and move people. In a new
way, that’s richer than ever.
Thanks to integrated platforms and concepts, our clients communicate on a personal level with their
target audiences. No matter what the message. So our clients experience what it means to be an
accessible brand. And how to deal with and maintain one’s own platform – with experience and online,
offline and real-life media options. Targeting all the senses.

And resulting in relevant dialogues, effective branding, optimal experience and – of course – sales.

What’s happening in the digital age 93

apsbb book v4.indd 93 24-12-09 17:18
 As a multi-disciplinary agency, we serve our clients in We don’t work for a specific market or industry. It’s just too
every phase of a project: idea, analysis, strategy, concept, much fun working in different markets and industries. With
design, production, implementation, launch, effectiveness a vast palette of possibilities, we build on experiences that
– the entire chain. These are not separate skills. In our become integrated into the world of people and brands.
opinion, they are a natural combination.

apsbb book v4.indd 94 24-12-09 17:18

 Sometimes, we’re asked to produce a concrete list of
deliverables. The exact things we do. We don’t believe in
lists like this. It doesn’t really mean a whole lot. We’d rather
show you the final results. They speak for themselves.

What’s happening in the digital age 95

apsbb book v4.indd 95 24-12-09 17:18
 innova
business model

apsbb book v4.indd 96 24-12-09 17:18

ation. The digital age is breaking open old business
models. This can be the perfect chance to
reconsider your relationship with consumers,
and discover a new business model. We are
certain this has real potential. That’s why we
work on new, improved business models with
our clients.

What’s happening in the digital age 97

apsbb book v4.indd 97 24-12-09 17:18
 when
opportunity
knocks.

apsbb book v4.indd 98 24-12-09 17:18

 Internet makes it possible for brands and markets to change and
accelerate. Conventional strategies are based on choices people make
online. In contrast, smart digital strategies anticipate the needs behind
the choices. How exactly does the internet excite users? What interests
them, what do they turn their backs on? What are they running into,
what might they find handy? We love this stuff! We expose consumer
needs and digital business opportunities by using consumer research,
analyses and our knowledge of the market.

The Google Story. No other company experienced

such a spectacular rise as Google. Growing from an
office housed in a garage to one of the most powerful
companies in the world. Check the incredible story
on Youtube: youtube.com/watch?v=EjN5avRvApk

What’s happening in the digital age 99

apsbb book v4.indd 99 24-12-09 17:18
 reinventing
business models.
Our clients need strong business ideas. To stay in touch with their public. Our clients
learn to think and act digitally. This gives them a new perspective on their business,
the market and the world. It helps them improve their business – and sometimes
even change it. And we don’t mean just their communication networks – we mean
the in-depth transformations of entire business models. From new and improved
distribution, new and different products – to interior design and the rollout of
communications and services.

Our approach and output strengthens the foundations of new business models.
From the moment we started apsbb, we’ve stood for integrated communications.
That’s how we’ve gotten our best ideas – and solutions in the form of platforms. As
well as new, market-driven products and services, that offer the final user smarter,
more complete solutions.

Since our founding in the late nineties, we have grown into an organization with
twenty-five employers and a vast network. Luckily, we haven’t lost our start-up spirit!

apsbb book v4.indd 100 24-12-09 17:18

 101
What’s happening in the digital age

apsbb book v4.indd 101 24-12-09 17:18

 pr packaging

graphic
design
copy retail
support
brand
strategy
concept
development
mobile brand asset brand
communi- management legal
cation affairs

brand
management
direct
marketing interactive project research
communication management

brand op-
portunities brand corporate
affairs
distribution

police
sales
strategy

ict media

apsbb

third parties

apsbb book v4.indd 102 24-12-09 17:18

 our spirit of

cooperation.
You don’t build a brand on your own. And not in a couple of weeks or months. It’s a project
that begins and never ends. We work closely together with our clients, and keep an eye on
market developments. That takes time, effort and guts. It’s hands-on work. We build brands
together with our clients; we are an extension of our clients. Everyone plays an active role
of this process – a process that is dynamic, with shared responsibilities and determination.
The output is always the result of mutual efforts. We aren’t big fans of agency show-offs.

Making the difference.

Communications is multi-dimensional. and consumers, too. Then our ideas and
Agency, client, public and consumer; solutions come to life. Solutions that make
it’s a symphony of listening, asking, a difference, regardless of the message.
understanding, inspiring, making choices That make it possible for our clients to do
and taking action. Co-creation is essential. business, conscious of today’s realities. And
We go through the process together with that, above all, prepares them for the future.
our clients, and if possible, with the public

103
What’s happening in the digital age

apsbb book v4.indd 103 24-12-09 17:18

 dedicated team
The way we work is a challenge. For our clients and for ourselves. We deliver integrated
strategies that come into being thanks to the intense cooperation of a wide range of
specialists – strategists, concept makers, art directors, designers, account managers and
project managers. Each is driven, creative and ready to push the envelope. The members
of our multi-disciplinary teams are selected to complement one another. These people
fully trust each other, keep each other on their toes – and are full of surprises.
concept
Joined forces for best results
development
We are a group of people who are would rather create good and smart
passionate about working on the best things than have unpleasant stuff just
solutions for clients, every day. And we happen. As energetic, result-oriented
do it with great enthusiasm, because it’s partners, our job is to point clients towards
such fun work. We are obsessed, inspired opportunities and solutions that they never
people and love to share our experiences previously considered.
and skills. Clients notice our pro-active
approach. We are fast learners, thorough Curious to hear what we can do for you?
workers – and deliver smart solutions. We Let’s meet. We are curious about you, too!

apsbb book v4.indd 104 24-12-09 17:19

ams project
management
account
brand
design

brand
strategy

apsbb book v4.indd 105 24-12-09 17:19

 What’s hap

What’s happening...

apsbb book v4.indd 106 24-12-09 17:19

ppening at our agency
We are proud of our agency and proud of our work
We like to experiment with new technologies and media. We treasure our
independence. Love to co-operate. We want to outshine the competition and rise
far above mediocrity. With branding concepts that are open-minded and that get
people moving. That care about people, the society and their needs. Treating them
with honesty and with respect. Whether it’s a surprising strategy, a brilliant concept,
a stunning interactive technique or smashing design. It’s our baby. We’ll fight for it.

The next few pages will give you a taste of recent projects we have worked on. Visit
our website (apsbb.com) or follow our tweets (twitter.com/apsbb) for daily updates.
NL
ROUGHGUIDES

ROUGH
GUIDES
Guatemala

De ROUGH GUIDE voor

NL EDITIE
Guatemala NL NEDERLANSE EDITIE

apsbb book v4.indd 107 24-12-09 17:19

 What’s happening...

apsbb book v4.indd 108 24-12-09 17:19

apsbb book v4.indd 109 24-12-09 17:20
 What’s happening...

apsbb book v4.indd 110 24-12-09 17:20

apsbb book v4.indd 111 24-12-09 17:20
 Special thanks
Kampert Drukwerk Oss, Gino Scheerens Our road towards awesomeness

apsbb supports creative commons

The texts of this book were written by Annemarie Steenbergen, Joris Verhaak and John Lommers.
© 2010 apsbb. All rights reserved.

apsbb, brand agency for the digital age

Mgr. van Oorschotstraat 1
5473 AX, Heeswijk-Dinther
The Netherlands
+31(0)413 29 60 20
[email protected]
apsbb.com
apsbb, brand agency for the digital age is the business name of
Association for Publicity Services BV

apsbb book v4.indd 112 24-12-09 17:20