The rise of PR, the internet, trend-watching, social media and Artificial Intelligence. Over the course of 25 years, the marketing world has constantly evolved. Trend forecaster and co-founder of HBMEO Vincent van Dijk reflects on 25 years of looking ahead.
“How do you get consumers talking about your product? That’s the question we’ve kept asking ourselves over the years. How do you make sure you get noticed? It always starts with a striking concept, and then you find the tools that fit the moment, the target audience, and the available budget. When we started, that meant using a fax machine—now we use AI. If you want to stay ahead, you have to keep reinventing yourself.”
“All three founding partners studied architecture at Delft University of Technology. A great foundation: whether you’re building a structure or a brand, the creative process is exactly the same. It begins with a strong, all-encompassing concept, and everything depends on flawless execution—right down to the tiniest detail. In 2000, we rented a squat, got a second-hand fax machine from the Municipality of Delft, blagged ourselves an internet modem and a table tennis table—and within three weeks we got a call to run an outdoor campaign for a women’s fashion brand. We found the photographer through the Yellow Pages and learned the terminology from the incomparable Marketing for Dummies.”
“As a young and eager agency, we quickly found ourselves immersed in the financial world. When the global internet boom hit and a rival ad giant simply translated a print concept into a banner campaign by scrolling an A4 advert across a screen, we knew it was time for a new generation of agencies. We threw ourselves into banners and funnels. Then came the opportunity to experiment with many other A-brands. For a broadcaster’s membership campaign, we harnessed the power of Hyves. For a well-known shampoo brand, we tapped into the virtual world of Habbo Hotel. For a traditional shopping street, we developed an innovation lab with robots and dreamed up quirky guerrilla concepts for drinks brands, shopping malls and magazines. Having a specialism is outdated. By the time you’ve become a true specialist, new technologies have already overtaken you.”
“We quickly realised that our strength lay in looking ahead. What will the consumer drink, do, and wear? Whoever can predict trends holds the future. That gets you the full attention of the media, retailers, and the end consumer. We set up a network of international trend forecasters in every field—from fashion to food—and broke open the previously closed world of trend forecasting by sharing every insight. Now, 20 years later, everyone calls themselves a trendwatcher and you’re bombarded with ‘trends’, but predicting consumer behaviour remains an art form. It’s a mix of research, analysis, and above all, a hefty dose of male intuition.”
“We started during an economic crisis, so we’ve always known how to stay agile. Nine years in, when the gleaming skyscrapers of banks and insurers began to topple, we changed course and dived into the world of drinks, luxury brands and hospitality. We brought international trends to the Netherlands ourselves—like prosecco, gin and tonic, and vermouth—created our own drinks brands and pop-up restaurants, and came up with platforms to put hotels and hotel bars on the map. Building a strong brand or setting a trend takes time and passion. Clients don’t always have the time or patience for that, so we often co-invested to make long-term campaigns possible.”
“Other than today, we always prefer looking forward. And looking forward, the marketing world has changed. PR is dead, social media is on the way out, and AI has become the norm. We’re already developing new communication strategies to ensure people keep talking about brands. What would we have done differently over the past quarter-century? Apart from choosing a company name people can actually remember? Absolutely nothing.”
