'Designing campaigns for the municipality of Oldambt? An international journey!'

Brian Hesseling, a 2022 graduate of the International Communication program, is a skilled Communications Officer currently working for the municipality of Oldambt. He contributes to shaping the way Oldambt communicates with its stakeholders, with tasks ranging from speech editing to digital content creation. In addition to his work in governmental communication, he also pursues freelance projects that allow him to explore his creativity.

‘Oldambt might not be a big name on the map, but it’s a surprisingly diverse and dynamic area. However, the municipality faces real challenges. Population decline and ageing are ongoing issues; many young people move to larger cities for education or work. Daily, we face these challenges, and we try to build local pride by using communication that connects. I often support or guide design and content creation, collaborating with colleagues to sharpen how we tell our stories. It’s always a team effort: ideas bounce around, we evolve, and come together in campaigns that are clear and approachable.  When we design them, I still have in mind the intercultural knowledge and the consumer behavioral change theories learned in International Communication. Our mass media communication targets all of Oldambt’s citizens, which means we need to consider elderly people, locals, non-locals… Even though it’s not an international company, the communication journey feels international! Alongside my work at the municipality, I also take on selected freelance projects. It’s a nice balance: during the day, work in a structured team on public projects, and on the side, I get to experiment and keep my creative muscles active!’

Lessons that last…

‘I look back on my time at Hanze and the IC programme very fondly and honestly, I wish I had cherished it even more while I was there. Now, as a working professional, I see how much of what we learned comes back in practice, even the theory that makes you think, “When would I ever use this?”. The programme was put together well. One aspect I’m especially fond of is how it taught me design-oriented research, learning to look at a problem from different angles, test ideas, and refine them before moving to execution. Because of that approach, I can now take assignments from strategy through to the final product. Whether it’s a campaign concept, a piece of content, or a communication plan, that full‑circle skillset is something I lean on every day. I loved that, in the program, every quarter brought a different class with a completely new mix of people. Working with classmates from different backgrounds showed me new approaches to tackling assignments and solving problems.’