In a recent interview with Marketing Report, Stijn shares where we stand with Numen and what our vision is. The conversation centers on creative corporate PR, storytelling, media training, and the role of reputation in the relationship between business and society.
Too many companies still communicate purely from the inside out, whereas sustainable trust begins with understanding stakeholder expectations. “We focus on a company's license to operate. What mandate does an organization have from society to do what it does? You essentially need approval from stakeholders, such as consumers, politicians, and customers. You develop initiatives, products, and services that reinforce that trust. That is what you then want to communicate about, because that is how you strengthen your reputation.”
Our approach combines journalistic sharp-mindedness with creative campaigns. We often bring a camera to the very first meeting to take leaders out of their corporate comfort zone and bring out the human character of a brand. Whether we are linking coral reef restoration to consumer products or preparing executives for critical interviews, the goal remains the same: creating stories that are so relevant they make the news organically.
Stijn sums it up: "If you don't intuitively sense what society expects from you and aren't prepared to engage from that perspective, things become very difficult. It all starts with understanding what is happening in the outside world."