Jurriaan Kamps Brings Creativity to Life with Wolfstreet
Having grown up doodling, writing stories and playing around with a camera, Jurriaan Kamps, co-founder and managing director of the Amsterdam-based creative agency Wolfstreet, has always known he’d be a creative. Aged 11, he hosted a Dutch children’s TV series and it’s been a love affair with the industry ever since.
At the formative age of 18, Jurriaan founded his first production company, continuing to open and start a few others. In 2014, he met his business partner Jort Wildschut and together they founded Wolfstreet. Created to bridge the gap between traditional production companies and agencies, integrating strategy, creativity, production and post in an international offering across the board.
With the advice of “the biggest risk is not taking any risk” running through his mind, Jurriaan has experimented and learnt from his mistakes, now taking the time to tell LBB’s Nisna Mahtani more about the process of bringing Wolfstreet to life.
LBB> When did your journey into creativity first begin? Were there any childhood hobbies or interests that would allude to your career now?
Jurriaan> I've been drawn to creativity since I was a kid. Whether it was doodling, writing stories, or playing around with cameras, I've always loved bringing ideas to life. When I was 11, I had the opportunity to host a Dutch children's television series. We handled everything ourselves, from scripting to filming and editing. This brought together all the things I loved doing, and from that moment on, I've been constantly engaged in content creation. When I was 18, I started my first production company, and later on, a few other companies followed in the realm of production, until I met my current business partner, Jort Wildschut, in 2014, with whom I started Wolfstreet.
LBB> Talk us through Wolfstreet, why you founded it and the gap in the market you wanted to fill.
Jurriaan> Wolfstreet was born out of a shared vision to bridge the gap between traditional production companies and advertising agencies. My background in production exposed me to an increasing demand for creative content, while my business partner's experience in advertising highlighted the inefficiencies in the traditional agency model. Together, we set out to create an international creative production agency that seamlessly integrates strategy, creativity, production and post production to deliver impactful campaigns and content tailored for all platforms and markets. We mainly work with international brands requiring content solutions across various scales, from TVCs to social assets or employer branding content. As their production partner, we tailor our different capabilities and services to meet their needs at various stages and levels.
LBB> Can you share a bit about the work that has been most formative to you in your career and how those projects came to be?
Jurriaan> In 2016, with Wolfstreet, we produced the short film ‘Memoria’, which I directed myself. Originally conceived for a client, we took full control of the project when it was on the brink of being shelved. The idea was just too good not to make. The final film resonated with audiences, earned Vimeo's ‘Staff Pick’ and went viral online. This catapulted our agency in a short amount of time. In the following years, we had the privilege of crafting award-winning films and photography for clients such as Mastercard, P&G, ASML, and JustEat.
Another formative experience has been our long-lasting partnership with Vinted. I’m really proud of our recent collaboration on the ‘Too Many’ campaign, which reflects our commitment to creating meaningful impact through our projects.
LBB> How do you create a collaborative work environment where all of the facets of the process work together to create a piece of work?
Jurriaan> Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do. Our team consists of strategists, creatives, producers, and project managers, supported by a big in-house post-production team. We embrace an open, positive, idea-driven culture that encourages active
participation from all team members. Our interdisciplinary team works together closely from the project's start. Regular cross-departmental meetings ensure that everyone's expertise is leveraged throughout the process, resulting in more effective, more efficient and ultimately better outcomes for our clients.
LBB> In terms of the trends in the industry right now, is there anything specific which you’re implementing into your processes and if so, how?
Jurriaan> Like many agencies at the moment, we are exploring the potential of AI solutions to enhance our creative work. Recently, we've incorporated AI into our post-production workflows, alongside developing our own AI tools. These tools are already helping us not only save us time but also elevate the quality of our output.
On another level, we've seen over the past few years a growing trend of in-sourcing expertise on the client side, spanning marketing, strategy, and even creative or production capabilities. In anticipation of this shift, we've developed a collaborative working model, enabling us to work closely alongside clients as a production partner, sometimes even on-site. This approach allows us to provide added value to our clients at specific stages of the process or with isolated capabilities. It's proven to be very effective, and we've noticed a significant demand for this co-pilot-style collaboration.
LBB> Can you share any upcoming projects or initiatives that you’re particularly excited about at Wolfstreet?
Jurriaan> There's plenty to be excited about! We've recently moved to a new headquarters in Amsterdam North. It's a big space, complete with in-house studios, a small indoor garden and a spacious rooftop terrace. It has enough room to accommodate our growth for years to come. Additionally, we've recently won a pitch for a brand from the UK, and we'll be rolling out their first TV campaigns in the coming months, which we are very excited about.
LBB> What’s the best piece of advice you received during your career or the most formative lesson you learned?
Jurriaan> One piece of advice that has stuck with me in my career is that the biggest risk is not taking any risk. Founding Wolfstreet in my 20s provided me with the freedom to embrace this mantra. I had the opportunity to try out things, make mistakes, and learn from them without carrying heavy responsibilities. Embracing and understanding risk-taking has played a crucial role in our growth, our success, and shaping Wolfstreet into the agency it is today.
