Amsterdam Impact

From competition to coalition: Uniting Amsterdam’s creative heart

You feel it, don’t you? That quiet tension in the creative communications world. On one side, the thrill of a brilliant idea, a campaign that doesn’t just sell but sings. On the other, the growing realization that the challenges we face - a warming planet and widening social divides - demand more than just clever creativity. They call for our collective heart.

Many of us in the creative communications sector pour our energy into meaningful work, crafting campaigns that break taboos and champion sustainability.

Yet these sparks of progress often feel isolated within a system built on competition. The relentless cycle of pitches and financial targets can make collaboration feel like a luxury we can’t afford. But what if our greatest impact doesn’t come from winning the next pitch, but from rewriting the rules together? The truth is that individual successes aren’t enough. Systemic problems require systemic solutions. It’s not just about making better ads; it’s about building a better world.

From Competition to Collective Creativity

Amsterdam Impact recognizes this need and is suporting 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 transition toward 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 our teams and campaigns, we shape the values our clients embody. Every story we tell helps shape culture and tilts the balance: will we move toward a more inclusive, sustainable future, or stay stuck in the past?

This initiative recognizes a fundamental truth: the complex challenges of diversity, inclusion, and climate are too big to be tackled by 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 both ambitious and practical. It starts by mapping frontrunners and existing initiatives, learning from what already works and drawing inspiration from other creative capitals such as London and Berlin. The goal is to build 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 of the initiative is co-creation. Through a series of dynamic sessions, the coalition will develop concrete plans for the whole sector. Imagine a joint manifesto to serve as our North Star, a practical toolkit to embed impact into daily practice, or an inspiring event that galvanizes the entire sector.

Powered by People and Purpose

Amsterdam Impact has invited BR-ND People to facilitate this journey. We believe that people are the brand, and our goal has always been to help build organizations where people don’t just survive but thrive. We see our role as creating the space for vital conversations, connecting the dots, and channeling the sector’s incredible energy. “Some global challenges are too big for individual agencies to solve,” says our co-founder, Alexander Koene. “Let’s come together as Amsterdam’s creative industry to accelerate this transition.”

Early conversations are already buzzing with a contagious sense of possibility. The shared drive is palpable. This isn’t about blame or finger-pointing; 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 powerfully, calling for a focus on our “brainprint” rather than just 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

Ultimately, the Coalition of Impact Frontrunners is designed as a grassroots movement. Amsterdam Impact acts as the catalyst, but real, lasting change must come from within the sector itself. This is a collective invitation to lead.

It’s a call to the brave, the optimistic, and the bridge-builders. If you work at a creative communications agency in Amsterdam and believe that 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.

Are you ready to help shape the future of our sector?

For more information or to join the initiative, contact Amsterdam Impact at ayu@br-nd.com or alexander@br-nd.com.