Empowering the great people of tomorrow

After several mergers, HefGroep-KindeRdam entered a new chapter: one strategy, one organization, but still without a shared brand or story

The ambition was clear: to move from a collection of parts to a strong, unified network brand. That required a shared strategic foundation: identity, culture and a narrative everyone could rally behind.

For the new organization to succeed, the strategy had to be brought to life. Internally, to create clarity, pride and direction for teams and externally, to build recognition and attract new talent in a highly competitive labor market.

The challenge was not to repair the past, but to build what was missing: a brand that unites people and defines its place in society and the market.

As a new organization, HefGroep-KindeRdam needed a unifying narrative that could turn strategy into a shared identity and position in the market.

Together with Groot Rotterdam, we brought the strategy into action: defining where the organization stands now, where it wants to go and how to get there. By shaping this into a clear narrative and capturing it in a Manifest, we created a starting point for the new brand story to be shared and lived across the organization.

To mark a new chapter, the organization needed a name that could unite everyone under one story. The choice became Groot Rotterdam: a name that reflects both the region it serves and the ambition to help young people grow. With the existing labels remaining, a strong brand foundation was essential to connect everything.

From that foundation we built a full brand strategy foundation with mission, vision, values and a new identity balancing professionalism with playfulness. Together, these elements positioned the organization with clarity and conviction.

The new name, identity and story were unveiled during Groot Rotterdam’s annual study day to more than 1,200 employees. The impact was immediate: renewed pride, a stronger sense of belonging and a shared mission. For many, it was the first time the organization truly felt unified.

With the foundation in place, it was time to bring the brand to life across every touchpoint. Today, Groot Rotterdam shows up as one unified brand. Their digital ecosystem was rebuilt from the ground up for scale, consistency and human-centered experience. 

We built an ecosystem of websites powered by a single tech structure and shared component library. Each sub-brand has its own site with clear goals and tailored journeys, yet all remain connected through one scalable, interoperable, high-performance foundation.

A brand system only works if it performs and evolves. For Groot Rotterdam, we built a performance engine that adapts to their ambitions.

By translating the brand story into targeted campaigns, we connected narrative to impact, strengthening both employer appeal and market visibility. An editorial calendar, targeted ad strategy and phased data-driven activations ensure that every message reflects the brand’s purpose while driving measurable results.

With dashboards, shared frameworks and always-on rhythms, Groot Rotterdam now operates with a performance mindset: storytelling that doesn’t just inspire but delivers growth.

The creation of Groot Rotterdam is not about replacing existing labels, but about bringing different cultures together under one shared brand. That means building a new cultural layer: finding what unites the organization and aligning it with the brand story.

To surface those shared stories, we design an internal engagement strategy that reaches people in ways that resonate with their needs. From podcasts like Een Groot Gesprek to a reimagined intranet (SAM), WhatsApp formats and more, every channel makes the brand tangible in daily life. The podcast gives voices from within a platform and turns abstract strategy into personal stories everyone can relate to.

The result is a brand that is not just seen but lived. Employees carry Groot Rotterdam not out of obligation, but because they recognize themselves in the story and believe in what it stands for.

With a unified brand-led system, Groot Rotterdam now speaks with one voice: driven by purpose, scaled by a digital ecosystem, strengthened by performance and lived every day through its people.

As a strategic partner, we continue to grow the Groot Rotterdam brand, one that evolves with its people and for its city.