A little pissing boy as a national monument. Those crazy Belgians…
Some time ago a creative revolution took place in this small country, which changed it’s advertising scene forever. Since then, more and more smaller agencies followed this lead and competed with these revolutionaries, who were awarded European creative agency of the year 2003.
Today, Belgium is one of the most competitive creative places on the face of the earth due to its small size, it’s density of creative hot shops and it’s extremely difficult consumer market. Belgium is densely populated, and it’s located at the heart of one of the world's most highly industrialized regions. It’s a small market where people are smart (they speak 3 languages! French, Dutch, German and most of the time also fluently English) and where consumers are critical because of their high living standards and ability to have everything they want, how they want it, where they want it. FYI, almost every new product gets tested in tiny Belgium. Forget about New York, If you can make it here, you can make it everywhere!
Because of this creative revolution that took place almost a decade ago Belgium has been winning more awards in international creative award shows then their life long competitors and creative neighbors, the Dutch. The international advertising press already describes it’s absurd but intelligent humor as “The Belgian Style".
Quarter Away Students that come to Belgium will take part of this revolution. But it will not be an easy war to win. Belgians are a tough breed. They are extremely hard workers and very stubborn. They know what they want and they will work until it works. Tiny Belgium is like an agency itself. Everybody knows -and respects- everybody but competition is fierce and mediocre is never an option. There’s no place for the weak (ideas). Here, it’s survival of the fittest.
THE CITY
Belgium is so small and diverse that it’s stupid to focus on just one city. In Belgium everything is within reach. Do you want to go to the beach? Go Skiing? Visit the Capital of Europe: Brussels or the fashionable and trendy city at the Schelde river: Antwerp. It’s only a 30minute train ride away. A visit to one of its neighbor countries (France, Holland, U.K., Germany, Luxemburg) doesn’t take you much longer. Apparently - for those who really want to be comforted with the cliché’s- this country also has a very nice selection of beers and chocolates. But that’s reserved for the ones who work hard and bring the best ideas to the table. If you don’t you’ll get Brussels Sprouts instead.
Arts, cuisine, fashion, architecture, music, nightlife, politics and more… Belgium is at the center of it all. But more important, Belgium is at the center of ground breaking creative advertising. That’s all you need to know. That’s all you need to prepare for.
