On the occasion of my anniversary, 10 years of specializing in positioning and growth strategy, Dutch leading press title Adformatie published a beautiful three-page interview. With quotes from respected peers Wesley ter Haar (MediaMonks), Annemieke Deering (Dutch Digital Agencies), Gert Franke (Clever°Franke), Tijmen Mulder (Robot Kittens) and Liza Enebeis (Studio Dumbar).
Read the full article below:
Bert Hagendoorn: Ambassador of Dutch digital creativity
Bert has worked with more than 80 agencies, including big players like Achtung, AKQA Amsterdam, Momkai, N=5 and XXS Amsterdam.
By: Kim de Klonia, Source: Adformatie
Bert Hagendoorn: ‘an aficionado’, a ‘connector’, and ‘unstoppable ambassador’.
Bert Hagendoorn (48) is an expert when it comes to positioning and developing growth strategies for creative and digital agencies. It was his tenth anniversary last year (2020): more than ten years ago he decided to fully dedicate himself to doing what he’s great at. He knows the creative and digital world inside out. This means he knows exactly what is going on in the industry. Bert has worked with more than 80 agencies, including Achtung, AKQA Amsterdam, Momkai, N=5 and XXS Amsterdam.
Besides being a specialist in positioning and growth strategy, Bert is also founder and chairman of Dutch Digital Design, a collective sharing and celebrating outstanding digital design from the Netherlands. He runs workshops, and is a popular speaker at events. Plenty of friends in the business, no enemies as far as we can see. People refer to him as an aficionado, a ‘connector’, and an unstoppable ambassador.
Let’s start at the beginning. How did you end up in the creative industry?
‘It all started - as for many of my colleagues - with graffiti. That’s how I started to draw. Soon after that I enrolled at the Grafisch Lyceum - a creative college for graphic design and media. After that I started as a creative at agencies. I also had a gap year, travelling to India, Nepal, Tibet, Hong Kong and Japan, where I worked as an art director. I have always been proud of what I made, but didn’t think I would grow any further as a creative. This is why I changed direction, and started focusing on a more strategic role. My first job doing this was as lead editor at design magazine Dzone - a platform for designers, about trends and developments in design. Followed by a marketing role at Adobe.’
Why have you started your own company?
‘There are many amazing creative companies in the Netherlands. Ones that have incredibly high standards. I admire their drive and high quality of work. I have started my own company to help these companies become even more successful.’
You have a large network, and love being around people. That’s tricky right now because of Corona. How important is meeting people for you?
‘Incredibly important. Being able to network does not only create more positioning projects for me, but it also enables me to connect people - I love that! That happens naturally. Because there’s not a big difference between Bert, the strategist, and Bert, the person. Unfortunately, none of that is possible right now. I’m calling around, but this does definitely not replace the physical contact with people.’
Is there a side to you that people don’t know about?
‘I’m positively positive. Of course, I can be grumpy, but most people do not see that side of me. I’m hardly ever in a bad mood. So, when I am, people do notice.’
Tijmen Mulder, founder of Robot Kittens, calls you the ‘biggest industry cheerleader’. Wesley ter Haar, founder of MediaMonks, calls you a ‘panacea’, a cure-all.
Smiling. ‘That’s nice to hear. I do get it that people see me as an ambassador and ‘connector’ within the creative and digital industry. I work for the success of independent companies, but also for the industry as a collective. I believe it’s important to boost and encourage success.’
“I work for the success of independent companies, but also for the industry as a collective.”
Which of your projects has been the most memorable?
‘I have fond memories of working with agencies like N=5, XXS, DotControl and AKQA Amsterdam. You’ll get the best results when you challenge each other strategically. It’s like a chemical process, working with people. If everything goes, well, it becomes a natural flow, process.’
What if there is no flow?
‘I honestly cannot remember one where there wasn’t. Sometimes, when circumstances change, it can be difficult to execute the original strategic plan. That’s a shame. One of the reasons I stay involved long term. A difference in vision can also create difficulties. At one of the agencies, this almost escalated within the management team. Their individual opinions and views were so different, that they could no longer manage to discuss this effectively. Quite an emotional rollercoaster. It all ended well, even though it was a bit of a challenge.’
What has changed since you started?
‘A lot has changed. Digitalisation. The increasing competition between different types of agencies that were not competing before. The involvement of big consultancy firms like KPMG and Accenture, now also active within the industry. And let’s not forget the consolidation of many agencies, the emergence of agency groups like Candid, Dept, Intract, to offer a broader range of services. The choice is between a small, specialist agency or a large agency offering all. There is not much in between. Also, the coronavirus crisis is speeding up digitalisation and the consolidation of agencies.’
What are the consequences of the crisis for you and the agencies you work for?
‘Most digital agencies are incredibly busy due to the crisis. Because a lot of companies are not digitally well-organised yet. Something that really surprises me. Businesses need to re-focus, revise their objectives and strategies. When the world is changing, you need to re-look at what you are doing. This is something I find truly inspiring: how adaptive we are in a crisis like this. Certain agencies have done just that. They have adapted to work around the new situation. The coronavirus crisis has accelerated what was already happening, digitalisation.’
You are also chairman of the Dutch Digital Design collective.
‘This initiative was started in 2014, with a group of leading digital agencies. We share the best digital design from the Netherlands, as well as insights and opinions about the industry - through our own channels, events, national-and international media. By collaborating we strengthen our position globally to attract potential clients, as well as talent - within the Netherlands and internationally. Since 2019 we are officially a foundation, with a great board, an amazing team and almost 30 partners.’
How do you separate your job as a growth specialist and being chairman of Dutch Digital Design?
‘People might think there could be a conflict of interest. But I do everything I can to keep them separated. However, it is unavoidable to not mix one with the other at all. I believe in karma, and my ultimate goal is to help people as best as I can. That attitude works much better than to favour one client over another.’
More than ten years ago, Bert decided to fully dedicate himself to his areas of expertise: positioning and growth strategy.
Do you ever worry about what you do?
‘I am very excited about the opportunities right now. But if I worry at all, it’s about the fact that clients focus a lot on numbers and data. Everything is about sales, especially in times of crisis. Understandable, however, you no longer utilise the added value of creativity. I also worry about short-term solutions, to focus only on the now, being totally crisis-driven. Again, understandable, because many businesses are losing revenue right now. But it isn’t smart.’
What advice would you give agencies?
‘When the crisis is behind us, and the economy healthier again, the question beckons: have you, as an agency or brand, continued to focus on your objectives and strategies? Now is the time to work on your business. It is essential you take care of your own business, right now and in the future. The ability to adapt will continue to play an important role for all agencies. If there is another crisis, you can bet your life that the companies who continue to focus on doing just that, will be the ones with a much bigger chance of survival.’
“The ability to adapt will continue to play an important role for all agencies.”
Bert’s six-step-plan
Bert runs through his six-step-plan during a series of sessions with creative businesses:
Current situation: an internal and external analysis of the business
Business objectives: to review and refine these on all levels
Growth strategy: to define strategies to achieve objectives, for marketing and new business
Positioning: to determine and define choice of positioning, a brand positioning statement and brand identity
Communications strategy: to determine and define team required, thought-leadership topics, channels, KPIs and budget
Planning, monitoring: to determine and define communications calendar, to-do list, monitor results and refine if necessary
All steps together result in a strategy document. With this document all departments can continue to work on the growth of the business
‘The biggest ambassador of our industry’
You cannot help but like Bert Hagendoorn. This much became clear when writing this article. When chatting to colleagues, compliments came flying in. Here are some of their responses:
Wesley ter Haar (MediaMonks):
‘Bert was the first person who noticed something interesting was going on in a cellar somewhere in the Netherlands, and wrote an article about this for Dzone: ‘MediaMonks, an unknown entity in their own country’. That is typically Bert. He’s always interested in anything to do with our industry. Always looking for new talent. Forever connecting people. His is the panacea - cure-all - of our industry.’Annemieke Deering (DDA):
‘Bert’s efforts, tenacity and enthusiasm have put Dutch Digital Design on the map. Agencies are proud to be part of the collective. He’s been a true ambassador for years now. He’s great at keeping in touch with his network, and is always thinking of the next steps. I respect the way he’s done all of this.’Tijmen Mulder (Robot Kittens):
‘He is the biggest cheerleader of our industry. His limitless knowledge and enthusiasm are contagious. Without his ambassadorship a lot of great campaigns wouldn’t get the attention they deserve.’Gert Franke (Clever°Franke):
‘Bert is like the Erica Terpstra (a Dutch retired, Olympic medal-winning swimmer, former secretary of state, and now ambassador of anything Dutch) of the Dutch digital design industry: a mascot we can be very proud of. His neat haircut and enthusiasm are remarkable. His easy-to-talk-to personality, drive and incredible network enable the Dutch digital design industry to connect with the whole world.’Liza Enebeis (Studio Dumbar):
'Bert is the unstoppable ambassador of Dutch digital creativity. Always there, always initiating, always positive. He supports, promotes and inspires the creative community both nationally and internationally.’