11 October 2007

Friends In The Netherlands

In The Netherlands I made many new friends, and finally met up with a handful of folks I'd been in contact with for some time.

Among other things, Arjan in't Veld heads up InTheField Marketing en communicatie and runs the Mokka Marketing Blog. One of his clients is PLUS Magazine. Arjan has been helping with the redesign and implementation of their web site - adding interactive sections like this one.

View the site through Babble Fish to get an idea of what's being done (although don't completely trust the quirky translation).

The Mature Market Interview with Arjan in't Veld.

Martijn de Haas and Michel van den Bosch own the marketing firm Active Development:
Active Development is a consultancy/participating company in the marketing and communication to the 50+ market. We advise and/or participate in efforts of companies in entering the market and effectively reaching the 50+ consumers. This could be in thinking up new marketing strategies, new communication, online activities, and product development. We have a growing database of 50+ consumers who are providing us information in all these activities and who are actively taking part in our panels.

We have developed a small local fair called "the fair for people who enjoy life", or short in Dutch "de Levensgenietersbeurs": www.levensgenietersbeurs.nl

This a fair that is held in relatively big cities in Holland and holds about 30 exhibits. The textual marketing is ageless but the target is attracting the 50+ consumer who has money to spend on luxury articles. From our experience and backed-up by psychological research we found that as people get older they tend to value local socials networks more and more. They want to build close relationships with local entrepreneurs who give them optimal service and a feeling of being a 'friend' rather than a customer.
Here is Active Development - and their Fair - stuffed in the Babble Fish meat grinder.

We can learn a lot from the Dutch about how to market to the 50+ demo. In some areas they're way ahead of us.

2 comments:

  1. Thank you Chuck for the kind words. Do not forget that we use your book and the books of your colleagues for insight and further refinement of our activities.
    Like (and with) Arjan, we try to show people new ways by doing them ourselves. So much has been researched in Holland and other countries. Insightful books have been published in the USA and UK. The next logical step is to apply the knowledge.

    As to your readers, if they have any questions they now know how to contact us. The Babblefish translator is a bit off but gives funny read.

    Thank you for your support and I
    hope we'll exchange knowledge for a long time to come.

    Martijn

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree with Martijn. The work you and your colleagues (like Brent and many others) did has been very inspiring to us. Babyboomermarketing comes from the US after all. You were first.

    Maybe it has to do with the Dutch directness that we have a drive to 'do things'. Like Martijn said, a lot of research has been carried out, now it is time to take it into action, make ads, run campaigns, etcetera. Translation of knowledge into practice.

    And, as Martijn concluded, I also hope to be in touch. All the best!

    ReplyDelete

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