The universities of Amsterdam (UvA & VU) and the Academy of Amsterdam (HvA) proposed a plan to create a Technical University in Amsterdam focused on combining science and the practice of city technology. Bohemia Amsterdam was hired to help promote this proposal to key stakeholders in Amsterdam. Their strategy was to highlight the parallels between the proposal and others, while emphasizing the differentiators of their proposal. They created a printed proposal, illustrations, and a promotional video clip to help tell the story of the proposal in under one minute and get stakeholders enthusiastic about it. In the end, the proposal was selected third out of ten, not the hoped for result but keeping the ideas for Amsterdam City Technology active going forward.

1. B2B Campaign Case
Amsterdam City
Technology
Tomorrow Today
Client:
Bohemia Amsterdam:
UvA, VU & HvA
Marco de Boer
Ramiro Amorena

2. Situation
The universities of Amsterdam (UvA & VU) and the Academy of
Amsterdam (HvA) have joined forces and proposed their plan
for a Technical University in the City of Amsterdam. Their
proposal sets forth a new concept for higher education
combining the Science and Practice of city technology in four
labs. Their proposal counts a modest 120 pages. In other words...
“How do you get a complicated story across in one minute?”

3. Target
• To get the board enthusiastic about the proposal.
Target group
• The Mayor of Amsterdam
• The Counsel of Amsterdam
• The Board of Advise

4. Strategy
If the competition is strong but the differences are little it’s
better to point out the parallels first such as “on these points we
offer the same”. This is the We’re As Good As Them-part.
The next part shows the differentiators to support the “Here We
Are Simply Better”.
An important part of the approach is the change of sender:
We’re not the institutes. We’re the students.

5. Concept
Bohemia Amsterdam wrote a ‘prelude’, an introduction
highlighting the most important parts of the proposal. This
saves time reading and helps to focus on the real benefits.
The proposal is presented in serious newspaper style to address
quality, trust and intelligence. The proposal is not hip,
fashionable or temporary. It’s serious, serious ideas supported by
beautiful artwork and graphics.
The five research areas are illustrated by Silvia Celiberti. The
illustrations are build around the map of Amsterdam to
emphasis the research field; the city of Amsterdam.

6. Concept
The fifteen minute presentation to the board started with
a one-minute clip in which upcoming actor Efrayim Sener
unfolds the good and the better parts of the proposal in a set of
construction works.
He ends with...
“We’re not the institutes. We’re the students.
We’re Amsterdam City Technology.
We’re tomorrow today.
Your tomorrow today.”

7. Visuals
Amsterdam City Technology
Tomorrow Today
Media
Illustrations
Printed Proposal
Shots of Promotional Clip

8. Illustrations
‘Care’ for Amsterdam City Technology
by Silvia Celiberti

9. Illustrations
‘Logistics’ for Amsterdam City Technology
by Silvia Celiberti

10. Illustrations
‘Media’ for Amsterdam City Technology
by Silvia Celiberti

11. Illustrations
‘Water’ for Amsterdam City Technology
by Silvia Celiberti

12. Illustrations
‘Energy’ for Amsterdam City Technology
by Silvia Celiberti

13. Printed Proposal
The 120 pages counting
proposal in newspaper layout

14. Printed Proposal
The 120 pages counting
proposal in newspaper layout

15. Printed Proposal
The 120 pages counting
proposal in newspaper layout

16. Printed Proposal
The 120 pages counting
proposal in newspaper layout

17. Shots of Promotional Clip
Shot at the UvA’s renovation site
by de Filmgasten with Efrayim Sener

18. Results
In the end the Amsterdam City Technology proposal by UvA, VU
and HvA was selected third out of ten entries. Not what we
aimed at or hoped for.
The good part: The story did not end here.
The ideas around Amsterdam City Technology are still ACTive.

19. Know your competition.
For more information:
Hugo Kalf hugo@bohemiaamsterdam.com
Kyra Roest kyra@bohemiaamsterdam.com
Bohemia Amsterdam
Sint Pieterspoortsteeg 23a
1012HM Amsterdam, Netherlands
+31 [0]20 42 33 555
bohemiaamsterdam.com