iktoon

The Netherlands has over 6 million amateur artists. Why aren’t they more visible? We asked ourselves that question too. We came up with a logical strategy and campaign: let artists join forces! Together we turned June 2016 into the month of the Amateur Arts. In more than a thousand venues in over a 150 different municipalities art was being exposed and experienced. Choirs, theatre, sculpting, rapmusic or vlogging: name it and iktoon was exposing it. The goal was to increase the appreciation of the arts.

We created a corporate identity and various brand materials that Iktoon uses to kick off the annual month of amateur art. With these assets, we ensure that Iktoon is recognizable at every stage of the customer journey, building sustainable brand awareness and reach for Iktoon. Just as you can see the corporate identity in 2020 through the influencer campaign featuring artist Thijs Boontjes and influencer Mandy Woelkers.

GRRR teamed up with PR Agency De Wolven. Together we proposed a campaign with a strong DIY mentality. This turned out to be the number one reason the WAK Foundation (Amateur Artsweek) and the LKCA (National Centre of Expertise for Cultural Education and Amateur Arts) chose us for this assignment. We proposed to create a website as a campaign center; a place where artists find tools to run their own campaign. Hence the name “iktoon” which means ‘I show’. The artist is at the centre and branding has a serving function. The idea is that with over 6 million people we have enough power to draw attention, so no need for expensive poster campaigns!

We have depicted six (groups of) artists. Real artists, no models. On the website they tell more about their passion. We speak from a sense of belonging without losing the individual expressions. By using color, typography and a pink runner, with which we literally put the artists on stage, we create unity and recognizability as we put the artist in the spotlight. Gentle colors look both energetic and friendly, which makes the expressions approachable for amateur arts.

We created a website that stands out in simplicity. The site serves as the central point from which the campaign is conducted. On the website you will find everything necessary to contribute to the Amateur Arts month or how to organise your own Amateur Arts Week: practical information, calendar with all national activities and a bulletin board on which artists can ask each other for help. The success of the website depends on the number of reported activities. Therefore, we invested heavily in a perfect user experience. Creating events is super easy.

On the website you will find tools to make your own campaign posters and other expressions. Campaign images are available for everyone. “In every project you will find a piece of technology or design that is not truly necessary, but very convenient or just fun. We do that because we enjoy the challenge” said Mattijs Bliek, front-end developer at GRRR. Mattijs developed a trick for the ease of use: you can instantly import your Facebook event into the iktoon calendar and the data will be taken over in full. This way you’re just two mouse clicks away from creating your event.

During the iktoon-month, a variety of activities and competitions take place throughout the country. In addition, municipalities, associations and amateur artists also start their own initiatives. For example the biggest art exhibition ever, the Netherlands’s biggest orchestra with jazz formation New Cool Collective and conductor Merlijn Twaalfhoven, it all takes place in June during the Amateur Arts Month.

Design in this campaign serves the amateur artists of the Netherlands. But even the best designs are not just picked up by 6 million people. PR Agency De Wolven specializes in expanding reach through media and influencers. The agency has done excellent work with publications in The Telegraph, Grazia and various local newspapers. The Facebook page has grown by 300% and Mark Tuitert’s commitment proved to be a huge success. The result is a month in which a lot of people showed their arts and received the attention they deserve.

We worked with a large network of national partners. In total, 15 organizations are involved in iktoon. It was a challenge to get all stakeholders in one line.