“Don’t ask, don’t tell,” was the slogan used by the Clinton presidency in 1994, to resolve the issue of gay acceptance in the United States military. It seemingly solved the problem, precisely by leaving it unresolved. It’s exemplary for the past decades. In an unprecedented way we’ve seen social, environmental and political problems succeed each other in rapid succession, as […]
This was written two years ago as a answer to the question, ‘What is your favorite scent?’, on Quora, and it still rings true to this day. My favorite smell is that of the Veluwe, the area which I think of as my home ground. I don’t live there anymore now, but every time I […]
The year I was born, my dad passed his motorcycle license, and for as long as I have memories, my dad — wearing a distinctive grey with blue and red jacket — rode a Yamaha FZR400: a lightweight race bike, which screamed loudly as he revved it on our driveway. Recently, my dad got onto […]
One of the things I learned at Vandebron is that nearly all people are willing to help, but barely know how. Whether it’s big subjects like climate change, or slightly, like offering a stranger a ride home, there’s often something holding people back — but there’s definitely a powerless hero hiding in all of us. Once you understand […]
On the Blaak in Rotterdam — dwarfed by modern offices — stands an old bank building. The brick walls carry a red tile roof, under which an art academy nests. In its front two plane trees stand, and there’s a quote above the door that reads: “I have to change to stay the same.” Four years I went […]
Originally on Quora. This is sort of a trick question, as they technically didn’t wear “helmets,” but leather “flight caps” that covered the head and ears. These kept the pilots from getting too cold or going deaf while flying with their cockpit canopies open, which they sometimes did to get a better view when taking […]
All of the universe’s infinite beauty, is created from only three primary colours on the palette, from only twelve notes on the musical scale, from only twenty-six letters in the alphabet, and from only one-hundred-and-eighteen chemical elements. The point is that creativity doesn’t stifle from basic structures: it thrives from a set of parameters in which […]
Not doing what everyone would do, not taking what everybody would take. That’s strategy at heart, and there’s a Chinese tale that tells with surprising truth about a Mandarin who spent years fishing on the riverbanks, using a straight needle instead of a hook. People looked and wondered, and told everyone about that remarkable way […]
Working in the ad industry can be weird, at times. It struck me when our first television campaign went live on national television, for Supradyn, those vitamin supplements. Instead of feeling proud, I felt confused: “Are this pills even working?”, and “Who am I helping here?”. From then on, I saw the ad industry in […]
Some days ago, Vandebron won the Launch of the Year award, from the Dutch Marketing Award. Especially for the marketing team, it’s great — because after all the awards Vandebron received for social and renewable impact, this is also a nod that our marketing is sound. Also, it’s special because what we do, doesn’t per […]