Wittenborg CEO Shares her Thoughts on Apeldoorn's New Economic Profile

In a significant move for Apeldoorn's economic future, Apeldoorn Partners, in collaboration with the Strategic Network Apeldoorn, officially unveiled the city's new economic positioning on 12 December. The event, held at Hotel Restaurant de Echoput, brought together key stakeholders from Apeldoorn, including Maggie Feng, CEO of Wittenborg, and Kriszta Kaspers from Wittenborg's Education Development and Quality Management Department.

Capital of the Veluwe

Gerwin Hop, Chairman of the Strategic Network, kicked off the event, during which other members articulated their visions and interpretations of Apeldoorn's economic positioning.

'Groen en Royaal' (Green and Royal) were the prevailing buzzwords of the day. In this context, the presenters conveyed that the city's royal history is evident and tangible, but the term 'royal' encompasses more than historical significance. It conveys a sense of '"grandeur, expansiveness, spaciousness and openness". Meanwhile, 'green' symbolises not just nature but also a broader commitment to sustainability, climate action and energy transition. In this case, Claudi Groot Koerkamp, CEO of Apeldoorn Partners, provided detailed insights into Apeldoorn's identity as the 'Green and Generous Capital of the Veluwe'. Notably, Apeldoorn is actively pursuing the goal of becoming the greenest city in Europe by 2030 and vying for the prestigious title of 'Green Capital of Europe'.

Apeldoorn's new city branding

The launch also featured the premiere of Apeldoorn's new promotional video and the introduction of a specialised toolkit. This toolkit is designed to aid businesses, educational institutions and partners in consistently communicating Apeldoorn's brand image. Included in the toolkit are a curated selection of captivating images and text about Apeldoorn that can be freely utilised. Concurrently, Apeldoorn Partners has crafted a brand workshop available upon request to further support collaborators in aligning with Apeldoorn's economic positioning.

Regarding the launch, Feng stated, "I am very happy with this positioning; it is final after a very intensive process. The toolkit is a wonderful product that all companies and organisations can make use of. This is the beginning of a new Apeldoorn city branding, which we did not have before. A gap has finally been filled."

Feng went on to say that she was very happy that Wittenborg had been involved with Apeldoorn's city branding right from the start. She referenced Wittenborg’s first Project Week of the new Academic Year 2021-2022 where more than 100 students had to come up with a marketing plan and website to promote the city of Apeldoorn. 

Feng further noted that Apeldoorn has witnessed numerous branding attempts in the past. However, she emphasised that this economic branding is the city branding, and it is comprehensive, inclusive and future focused. It has also been defined through a meticulously thought-out process.

"I hope that we stick with this for the next 10, 20 years. Then we will see the effects. Long-term impact is what branding achieves; it's not about short-term ticket sales but is measured by its enduring effects," Feng concluded.

WUP 27/12/2023
by Erene Roux
©WUAS Press