Infamous Hostel Hans Brinker Embraces Legendary Reputation in Rebrand Campaign

Hans Brinker is changing its creative course by choosing DDB Amsterdam as its new lead agency. The hostel has invested heavily in quality and service in recent years, and is no longer ‘the worst hotel in the world.’ So, it was time for a new positioning.

'The Infamous' is a new positioning which includes a new corporate identity, website and accompanying campaign all created by DDB Amsterdam and produced in cooperation with 180 Amsterdam. 

Marie-Louise Henny, co-owner and director of Hans Brinker said, "Hans Brinker had been a KesselsKramer client since 1996. Since then, a lot has changed at our company, which created the need to look further afield in terms of agency. Not just the desire for just a campaign, but to tackle the complete rebranding of the brand. We developed a new logo that fits the city of Amsterdam, upgraded the website and also new design in and around Hans Brinker, think soap dispensers, door hangers, bicycles and merchandise. Meanwhile we are also developing the new restaurant that will open on 1st October that will be done in the Hans Brinker way: boldly."

Niels Bredemeijer, creative director at DDB Amsterdam added, "Hans Brinker is every agency's dream to work for. They are small, but big in their prominence. Locally driven with an international character. They have the balls to take the brand further and the ambition to make it even bigger. All with the tone we have come to expect from them: bold and sharp with humour. After all, it's still Hans Brinker. Among other things, we came up with the new positioning, ‘The Infamous.’ This is about the legendary, or rather, the infamous reputation of the hostel. A reputation created by the extraordinary, incredible and exceptional stories of Hans Brinker's guests. Those are the stories through which the hostel gained its reputation. A reputation that we embrace. Because it's nice to be ‘Famous,’ but it's even nicer to be ‘Infamous.’ With this new positioning, we are also shifting the focus from using traditional media channels to online storytelling, making the campaign an always-on campaign with continuous new content."

The new rebranding, with accompanying campaign kicks off from Thursday 20th July. Various activations will be added in the future, all adding up to telling the Hans Brinker story.