5 Minutes with... Victor Knaap
5 Minutes with…Victor Knaap
CEO and Main Monk at MediaMonks
Interviewed by LBB editor, Gabrielle Lott
LBB > MediaMonks is the biggest independent creative digital production agency in Europe. For the uninformed and unaware, what is it that you do? Who do you work with? What is it about MediaMonks that people love so much?
VK > We help ‘traditional’ agencies with their digital challenges, advise them on technical possibilities and limitations and we help them transform their concepts into amazing digital campaigns. Our main USP is that we do all of our production in-house: that ranges from web-builds, rich media and social to film, mobile and games. We have a very simple rule, which is to create the best work possible in the time available. That can mean working with some impossible deadlines but that comes with the territory.
LBB > MediaMonks has its own in-house production facility. How does this differentiate you from the competition?
VK > Most production agencies work with freelancers, but we believe the best work comes from a dedicated, multidisciplinary team that works together across campaigns. Our way of working means we get smarter with every project we do. Creativity in our line of duty doesn’t exclusively come from the creative team so true innovation in digital production is a team effort between concept, design, animation, technical solutions and the continuous search for new media / platform possibilities. We have all of those elements in-house.
Oh, and in-house production also makes it easier to meet deadlines…
LBB > You opened in London and in NYC and have expanded throughout Europe. MediaMonks is in demand. Why do you think that is and what changes have you seen towards digital production in the last five years?
VK > We opened in London in 2010 and in NYC last January, but still haven’t officially launched yet… The most significant development in the last few years has been the evolution of digital production and its complexity. A few years ago, digital campaigns were relatively simple; nowadays all large campaigns contain many different assets across several platforms. Clients are used to high quality and timely launches. At the same time, we have to deal with a complex, centralized ICT infrastructure, media agencies, banner serving tools and global hosting. In the end, digital work is more complex, more important in the media mix and clients are more demanding.
LBB: In February 2012 you won your first FWA award for the year for your TEDX website. The work featured a living digital brain and was based on TEDx’s slogan ‘ideas worth spreading’. Can you tell us more about the work? How it came to be and what was the inspiration behind it?
VK > TEDX was a nice project to work on. We’re not big on award shows and praise, but the FWA is something we feel is important, as it really focuses on the craft of digital. We’ve had a long run, winning our first FWA award in 2001 for the MediaMonks website right up until 2011, when we won more FWA awards than any other Dutch agency.
We’re really proud of our TEDX recognition. The concept was created by the Amsterdam based communications agency We Are PI and we designed and produced the website. The idea behind the website was to visualize how interesting ideas spread by mapping out the most talked about subjects at the TEDx conference.
LBB > Earlier this year, the US saw congress try to pass PIPA/SOPA to reportedly protect intellectual property and business. Other countries are also re-evaluating their legislation and policy. What do you think are the greatest threats to the internet at present? What are your thoughts on PIPA/SOPA?
VK > I think this type of legislation, to a degree, mimics what happened in advertising. Online has been here for a while, but it’s taken some time for industries to take notice and recognize how much impact it has. It’s a very basic response to try and control it, but the most successful industries and companies have recognized its disruptive nature and have been able to adapt.
LBB > Facebook and Twitter – both MediaMonks interacts with a lot on behalf of their clients; what challenges do you face with these social network sites and your brands and are they as effective as we are told?
VK> With ‘new’ platforms it is always challenging to see how things progress, the challenges are twofold. On the one hand brands and their ad agencies need to think about offering relevance to the user instead of sending a corporate message. On the other hand we’re working on moving platform, with changing specifications and rules. A concept that is reviewed with the client can be useless a few weeks later.
LBB > When clients come to MediaMonks with a project, is it a matter of them telling you what they want or you suggesting to them what is the most applicable to their brief?
VK > Our clients are advertising agencies. Sometimes, they come to us with an idea that is ready to go, and we fill a pure-play production, other times the idea is there but needs tweaking to become a real digital campaign. Sometimes there is just a big idea, clients ask us to come up with the concept and realization. We are there to fill in the gaps and help out, and we enjoy the different roles for different reasons.
LBB > How did you get into advertising? I see that before MediaMonks you worked for a bank and a shipping company?
VK > That’s a long story-- and it was a long time ago…9 years to be exact. Let me think. I worked as a delivery skipper for four years. I sailed boats from Portugal to the Canaries or from Greece to Turkey etc… At some point someone convinced me to become serious and work for a bank. It wasn’t a great move, as you can imagine. With some luck I ran into one of the partners at MediaMonks at Central Station in Amsterdam after a sailing trip. I got fired from the bank, received a paycheck for 6 months and joined MediaMonks… I was the tallest and the only one with a driver’s license, so I became in charge. Please, no sailing metaphor jokes!
LBB > What value do you put on winning awards and what do you aspire too?
VK > Well, it really is not something we brag about but awards are a nice recognition—we see it as a confirmation of the enthusiasm, creativity and keen attention to detail our Monks put into their work. We create work for our clients-- the advertising agencies. Winning a prize is far more important to the creatives at the agencies, we’re just looking to make great work.
LBB > How do you find talent for MediaMonks?
VK > If your goal is to create the best work possible, a lot of people want to join in on the effort. We have the added benefit that we’re by far the largest production agency in the Netherlands and the only agency that is truly internationally oriented.
LBB > Are most of your clients global or do you have some locally-based accounts?
VK > It’s 50-50. We work with some large ‘local’ agencies like TBWA|, DDB, Saatchi &Saatchi, W&K, Taxi for ‘local’ clients like: Philips, McD, Unilever but also typical Dutch brand names as KPN (telecom), and AH (groceries).
LBB > You are Dutch born and bred and you’re based in Amsterdam, but have offices around the world. Have you ever thought of relocating and what is it about Amsterdam that keeps you and inspires you?
VK > Both personally, and for our company, I see Hilversum (…just outside of Amsterdam) as our HQ. We produce most of our work here, even when it comes in from our international offices. Amsterdam is an international creative hub so it’s a great spot to be.
LBB > What has been your favourite project over the last 12 months?
VK > Dufresne Corrigon Scarlett- Heineken France- The Desperados experience. One of those projects where everything clicks, and you hit the sweet spot of high-production values, innovation and fun. We knew it was good while working on it, but it was great to see both the public and our peers react to it so positively. It pulled in more than two million visits (without media spend) and has pulled in a lot of awards and industry praise.
LBB > What does 2012 hold for MediaMonks? Any exciting news?
VK> We’re moving to our new shiny office in London, which we’re really looking forward to. We also have a few amazing new hires to announce and I’m going to be in Brazil later this year to lay the groundwork for our third overseas office.
LBB > As CEO, what does your role require of you and what do you enjoy the most in your working week?
VK > I really like to look at spreadsheets all day… Seriously, I have a very challenging and diverse job. I aim to meet with our clients as much as possible and stay involved in the day-to-day business. But as main Monk I also organize our parties and spend time on setting up our new offices abroad.
