2 Minutes With … Renée van den Oetelaar of Boomerang FT

Renée is director of next-gen creative agency Boomerang FT, which stands for Future Talent, part of Publicis Groupe. It serves as the link between Gen Z and clients such as Heineken, Nestlé, Desperados and Dutch retail giant Albert Heijn. Since launching in 2022 under Renée’s leadership, the agency has already expanded into Belgium. Boomerang FT’s platform partner Young Ones makes (future) talent sourcing possible for/in multiple markets: besides the Netherlands also Belgium, UK and Germany. It is expecting to onboard France later this year.

We spent two minutes with Renée to learn more about her background, her creative inspirations and recent work she’s admired.

Renée, tell us …

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

I was born and raised in Bladel, a small village in the south of the Netherlands. I always knew that I wasn’t a village kind of person and decided at a young age to live on my own in Breda. That is where my student life and professional development kicked off. For the past five years I have been living in Amsterdam.

How you first realized you were creative.

As a child, I was in drama school, played piano and violin. I did gymnastics and took dance classes. I always had a big imagination, creating plans and dreams. I had a desire to stand out in the crowd.

A person you idolized creatively early on.

Brigitte Bardot. I was so inspired by her appearance and how she turned herself into a cultural icon. She was able to create a vibe around herself as this unique individual.

A moment from high school or college that changed your life.

Experiencing a certain illness at a very young age gave me unconsciously a certain mindset in day to day life. I have a lot of energy as a result and can get very enthusiastic about the smallest things. This enthusiasm is contagious, so I unconsciously gather a lot of positive energy around me.

A visual artist or band/musician you admire.

Rhye, Big Wild, Elderbrook, atanasioart, Nusenu.P.Mawuli ‘any thing for love.’

A book, movie, TV show or podcast you recently found inspiring.

Newsletter: Havermelk Elite nieuwsbrief, Cassandra Daily

Podcast: Schaamteloos randstedelijk , Calm (breath work )

Book: The Xerox Book by Seth Siegelaub    Xerox – Fien Veldman

Your favorite fictional character.

Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City.

Someone or something worth following in social media.

Videorbit, Havermelkelite, visualmediterranean.

One of your favorite creative projects you’ve ever worked on. 

Plan International – wereldmeisjesdag.

A recent project you’re proud of. 

Plan International:

On World Girls’ Day (11 Oct.), Plan International draws attention to the disadvantaged position of girls worldwide and celebrates the courage of all girls who want and force change. For those who fight for equal rights and equal future opportunities. Both for themselves and for the next generation.

Plan wants to join them in rebelling against everything that keeps them from being who they want to be and becoming. 

For World Girls’ Day 2023, Plan was looking for a recognizable activation inviting people to join in and visibly express solidarity with girls worldwide.

The campaign needed to be a social campaign that activates people to share content + an offline translation. 

Insight: In the Netherlands, the disadvantaged position of girls seems less in comparison to other countries.

But that does not mean that they always and everywhere dare and can take their place. One day a year, we in the Netherlands are massively not shy about claiming spots.

Children taping their spots has become such a familiar image that it is inextricably linked to a day that is fully celebrated: King’s day.

But Plan International doesn’t want to celebrate the king, but girls with a plan. 

Concept: On Oct. 11, girls claim their place in our society using the recognizable tape.

Blue tape became the visual guide of this campaign, which we continued throughout the 3 phases.

Our campaign started the night before October 11 on social, digital out of home and in the physical space/streets, the Netherlands was overloaded with the blue tape, claiming a spot for a girl. 

Someone else’s work that inspired you years ago. 

“Calve Pindakaas” (Dutch for peanut butter).

Someone else’s work you admired lately.

Jacquemus.

Your main strength as a creative person.

Translating cultural vibe shifts and generational languages to make these insightful and useful for brands. 

Your biggest weakness.

Being over-enthusiastic! That’s why I also can easily get distracted / or even look around for distractions to let myself distract to think. But then these new impulses also give me inspiration which I make use of at some point. So that’s also how I always talk things up for myself.

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in advertising.

Writing about cultural vibe shifts and generation gaps by finding my inner Carrie Bradshaw tone of voice.