While the Netherlands is known for its tolerance, subtle forms of racism still permeate society. This becomes especially evident when people from migrant backgrounds apply for jobs, as they are statistically less likely to be hired.
Manpower, a global staffing agency, decided to confront this issue head-on with a powerful campaign. Their film sparked a nationwide debate, highlighting the importance of equal opportunity. It’s the kind of work I’m most proud of—human, insightful, and deeply meaningful.
Directed by Dutch filmmaker Allard Bekker, the campaign also included a press series featuring individuals of Moroccan and Turkish descent. The message was clear: talent, skills, and ambition—not ethnicity—should determine one's opportunities. The headlines cleverly emphasized that our destinies are shaped by choice, not circumstance, which aligned seamlessly with Manpower’s global brand message: ‘What do you do?’
This impactful campaign was created in 2007 in collaboration with Ecco Vos.
Watch the film (a Cannes Lions Finalist).
