EDGE_AMSTERDAM A CONSPIRACY CONCEPTS INITIATIVECREATIVE NETWORK | EVENTS | PUBLISHING

Edge Amsterdam is an independent elite sourcing creative network that connects brands, creative and media agencies and governments with our community and team to generate fresh, new insights and creative output. This serves as inspiration to further development and activation.

We are a creative nucleus dedicated to unbiased collaboration with an inspired design and advertising culture that is influencing entire generations, consumers, brands and business models.

edge | ABOUT US

Everything is possible, even things we have not yet imagined. Work in a productive, satisfying and socially responsible way for all partners and never promise what we cannot deliver.

Authenticity is not a brand. Design as art in its most potent form, can be frightening and provocative, until it becomes processed, stripped of its initial violence and prepared for the mass culture industry. In our business, it is vital that we find solutions to support all partners, while developing and educating our community. It is important not to simply transfer design and art into advertising, but to provide a platform, which nourishes, protects, challenges and increases the flow and diversity in design with our clients.

We believe the advertising industry will grow into a model where young creative talent, experienced creative professionals, agencies, governments and brands will come together through community, developing ideas, design and content for the future benefit of clients, brands and the general public a like. Edge supports clients in bridging this gap. We believe in the network economy and open systems, which enables brands to tap into young creative talents, utilizing their knowledge and vision to anticipate change in consumer behaviour and market demand.

edge | VISION

Edge provides companies with new insights into branding, design and product, providing innovative ideas and vision. Via events, workshops, single online assignments and portfolio building with young creatives, while building briefs, pitches and creative ideas in co-operation with brands. Other services include online recruitment, magazines, events, creative sessions and award shows.

We also support brands, governments, designers and agencies by providing management and consultancy services. Offering a vast range of advertising, marketing and promotional opportunities. Clients included brands, governments, agencies, designers and companies, as well as the public at large.

To support the edge platform we have developed other business areas such as the ‘Edge’ design symposium, combined with a bi-monthly magazine focusing on design, technologies, people and brands. Providing provocative and thoughtful content to the industry and a public interested in advertising, design and creativity.

We offer a holistic approach that works bottom to top and spreads back down in a way not yet imagined.

edge | WHAT WE DO

edge | OUR SERVICES

Generate We activate the creative community to generate creative output by working on briefs supplied be the brands we work with. These ideas and concepts are then used for inspiration for your team or developed further and activated into the market.

InvolveEngage and educate the creative community by involving them in the process of product and communication development.

ConsultWe work with our clients on the use of crowdsourcing and co-creation as a tool for their creativity process. Each brief is managed with the support of Conspiracy Concepts who guide the process to ensure an effective outcome for brands, while educating and developing the work of the young designers.

MatchAdvertising, Design and Media Agencies use the creative network to scout for new creative talent. This edge recruitment service matches talent with companies and agencies.

edge | EDGE PRODUCTS

Elite Sourcing Creative Network & Consultancy ServicesWe offer a wide range of services to brands, elite sourcing, original advertising concepts and design, idea generation, publishing, events, product and brand creative.

Human Resources | Job SearchThe Edge open source network and directory offers agencies exposure for their business where they can upload portfolios to inspire. Manage and post open creative jobs online. Search for new undiscovered talent through the edge database of producers, designers, and photographers.

Event Organization ‘Edge’ design symposium, is a bi-annual creative platform bring the world of advertising to the individual, with access to information, developments within styles, technologies and ideas. We also organise Award shows with (crowdsourceawards.com) and Masterclasses (thecreativesessions.com)

Publishing This consists of a bi-monthly magazine and possible catalogues profiling artists, designers, agencies and brands, developing ideas and giving insight into design, technologies, people and brands.

edge | EDGE PRODUCTS

BrandsBrands have access to the next generation of designers, working with and utilizing their knowledge and talents in design concepts and idea generation, giving you an insight into what your end consumers needs and wants are. There are also opportunities within communication and marketing and advertising with our events and publishing.

Creative AgenciesUse the creative network to scout talent, post jobs and generate new and creative insights as an inspirational starting point. They may also use the network for PR opportunities, market surveys and briefings.

Media AgenciesUse Edge to provide their clients with useful, fresh and innovative insights into their products/brands, while generating creative output. They can also use Edge for creative and strategic input when pitching for new accounts.

GovernmentsSocietal issues exist in any country, on crime, violence, environment, traffic, etc. Design thinking can solve these issues. Creative talent, under the guidance of experienced professionals can create new ways of dealing with these societal issues. This may lead to cheap and innovative solutions that can help governments overcome these problems.

Edge has the support and structure of Conspiracy Concepts, giving access to highly experienced creative professionals to guarantee optimal quality output. Conspiracy acts as coach for the talents during the creative process, reviewing work and guiding the creative development to the presentation of final work. This ensures brands receive creative ideas ready for further development and activation.

edge | CREATIVE DIRECTION

Charly Heusschen, Managing PartnerCharly is co-founder and partner of Conspiracy Concepts and Edge Amsterdam. Conspiracy is an independent creative agency in Amsterdam with a client base that includes ING, Samsung, Kempen Capital Management and Nationale Nederlanden. Charly’s roots are firmly entrenched in the advertising industry. He has worked for Young & Rubicam in Amsterdam, Barcelona and Portugal, and subsequently for ON, a joint venture of Heineken and Sony.

Garry Maidment, Stategy and Business Development DirectorGarry holds a broad business knowledge, combined with strategic thinking and understanding of international markets. His experience spans publishing, advertising, design, brand creation and event production with a primary focus on lifestyle and leisure, arts and culture sectors, creating design and communication platforms that inspire and activate change.

Norbert Pollemans, Managing Partner Norbert is co-founder and partner of Conspiracy Concepts and Edge Amsterdam. His last position was at O’Neill Europe as European PR and Media Manager, responsible for O’Neill’s media strategy, PR/Communications and media buying. He started his career at Leaf Holland as brand manager for brands such as Xylifresh, Bentasil, Lakrisal and Ben Bits.

Val Foster, Creative DirectorVal Foster is an awarded designer with a wide breadth of experience at high-profile design firms, magazines, and most recently in advertsing where she has honed her talents on identity systems, campaigns and brand communications, both in Canada and the Netherlands. Clients include BMW/Mini Cooper, Insigner de Beaufort, TELUS, WestJet and Surfrider Foundation.

Derek Ariëns,Managing Director - Edge AmsterdamDerek started out as marketing manager for the Spanish football magazine Don Balon. After 3 years in Barcelona, he returned to the Netherlands to work for TRIPLE i, a financial publishing company. In 2009, he founded Edge together with Charly and Norbert. Derek is responsible for day-to-day business.

edge | WHO WE ARE

edge | CASE STUDIES

GDR Creative Intelligence

DescriptionGDR Creative Intelligence is a London-based research consultancy that specialises in identifying innovation in design with a focus on the retail and hospitality industries. They publish an exclusive trend research publication - the Global Innovation Report - every three months, which documents their latest research findings and trend analysis.

ChallengeTheir July 2011 issue was themed consumer trends, the consumer is the trend and crowdsourcing is the tool. To practice what they preached GDR asked Edge Amsterdam to take care of designing the cover with the creative network.

ApproachIn co-operation with Volkswagen we designed a briefing for our creative network that then started working on it. After 3 weeks we collected the creative ideas and reviewed them with creative professionals to ensure quality output. The short list of ideas was presented to Volkswagen who then chose 2 concepts to be further developed with their feedback. Finally Volkswagen chose one concept as a winner and they decided to involve Conspiracy and Edge in the further production of samples of the winning gimmick.

ResultsIn total 12 designs were uploaded and on of them, Lennart Gaebel, has won the challenge and has seen his work being printed. GDR have been very satisfied with the result and were pleasantly

edge | CASE STUDIES

Volkswagen

DescriptionSince 1988 Volkswagen is the official supplier of the Dutch Olympic Committee (NOC*NSF) and has a relatively high brand awareness since about 115 Olympic athletes drive a Volkswagen with stickers on the side of the car that say: Olympic Athletes Drive Volkswagen”.

ChallengeVolkswagen will be introducing a new model The Volkswagen UP in 2012. The Up falls with in the so-called A00 segment of the car market. In this segment are amongst others Mini, the Fiat 500 and the Volkswagen Lupo. Volkswagen wanted to use the Olympic Games to create awareness for the new Volkswagen Up and asked Edge Amsterdam to involve their creative network to create a gimmick and activation of that gimmick for their Olympic Sponsorship activation.

ApproachIn co-operation with Volkswagen we designed a briefing for our creative network that then started working on it. After 3 weeks we collected the creative ideas and reviewed them with creative professionals to ensure quality output. The short list of ideas was presented to Volkswagen who then chose 2 concepts to be further developed with their feedback. Finally Volkswagen chose one concept as a winner and they decided to involve Conspiracy and Edge in the further production of samples of the winning gimmick.

Eneco

DescriptionEneco were interested in building 1-on-1 relationships with their clients. This meant connecting as many fans as possible by offering relevant and interesting content, while keeping fans connected on a regular basis via Facebook.

ChallengeMore and more people are active on social networks, sharing information, content and experiences. An increasing number of Facebook users are also utilizing the platform as a communication channel. Eneco believed that a big part of their future was on Facebook. Not only for the increasing number of users, but as well the better possibilities for brands to express themselves. Eneco Facebook as an important medium to connect and bond with their consumers. The Question was how do you communicate sustainable energy via the medium to obtain an increasing fan base?

ApproachEneco set a brief that which we reviewed and adapted for use within the edge network. On completion we collected the concepts ready to presented to Eneco. Once they had chosen their winning idea it then went back to the designer for refinement. The second presentation was pitched by the designers to Eneco’s agency FHV BBDO. The reception and effect was positive with the students then having the opportunity to work and develop the ideas in conjunction with the agency.

edge | CASE STUDIES

edge | CASE STUDIES

Heineken

DescriptionHeineken acknowledges that media consumption is changing and so to the communication mediums towards their target group. So with this and with the decline of ‘’ The BeerTender’’ sales decide to counter act this and look to the development of a social and online campaign

ChallengeTo develop ideas to create interaction with consumers and ultimately increase sales of the ‘The BerrTender..

ApproachBy keeping the brief concise and open we managed to inspire more creativity out of the edge community. We decided to limit the time to 2 weeks as it was the holidays and therefore most students were not attending school. One of our interactive art directors was on hand to work with the students in developing ideas and fast ideas ready for presentation

ResultsWe managed to generate 20 creative concepts in 2 weeks time of which we presented 6. Heineken used the winning ideas as inspiration tools for their own marketing team and to further brief their online agency AKQA. This resulted in a substantial cost saving since Heineken far better knew what they wanted in social media and therefore could brief their agency better.

Edge Amsterdam is a worldwide creative network with offices located in the creative hub of Amsterdam.

For enquiries, please contact Derek Ariëns.

Edge AmsterdamHelicopterstraat 31059 CE, AmsterdamT: +31 20 623 6543E: info@edge-amsterdam.com

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