Armed with 20 years of design and advertising experience, KesselsKramer was founded by Erik Kessels and Johan Kramer in 1996. The communications agency was the first of its kind to bring creatives and clients together without the traditional middlemen of account executives. Today, Erik Kessels is the creative director of KesselsKramer and boasts an extensive client list including New York’s The Standard Hotel, Vitra Design, and MTV.
Advertising vs. Communication
KesselsKramer identifies itself as a communications agency but the lines between advertising and communication have long been blurred. Though KesselsKramer’s portfolio includes a long list of ad campaigns, Erik Kessels insists on hating advertising.
Honest is a Luxury
Designing for “the worst hotel in Amsterdam” did not leave room for many options. Instead of fluffing up the Hans Brinker Budget Hotel’s amenities, KesselsKramer designed a campaign that helped double occupancy rates by simply being honest.
Typography & I Amsterdam
Unlike other global cities, Amsterdam does not have a distinctive architectural landmark. Instead, the I Amsterdam project puts its citizens in the limelight and uses a typographic monument placed around the city to combine typography with surrounding imagery and people.
