LBB Presents: 100% - ‘To Stand Out, You Have to Do Things That Are Outrageous’

Amsterdam-based production company 100%, now 21 years old, emerged from a sketch comedy called ‘New Kids’, which partner and head of commercial and photo, Gijs Determeijer, describes as similar to Little Britain in style.

“It was when YouTube just started. We put the show online and then Comedy Central bought it afterwards and it became a mega-hit. That’s how it started,” he explains.

In this episode of LBB Presents, which celebrates the personalities behind the world’s top creative companies, Gijs is joined by talent representative Alessandro Tomassi, producer Chloe Brennan, and social media and PR manager Amir Baroud. Together, they delve into how 100% has grown into one of Amsterdam’s most successful production companies, producing long-form and short-form work for major brands including Nike, Montblanc, adidas and more.

According to Alessandro, one of the most crucial ingredients of the business’s success is that it employs directors who also work outside of advertising.

“We work with a wide roster of talent,” he says. “Including local Dutch directors that are Oscar-winning, like Victoria Warmerdam. We’re a bit of an incubator for local directors to jump on and have an international career. At the same time, it’s very exciting to work with international directors,”

‘The culture we cultivate shows up in everything we do’

Gijs explains that the production company’s unique selling point lies in its three departments , including a commissioning department for brand work. The next aim, he says, is to seamlessly integrate brands into larger projects such as feature films.

“We’re probably the only production company in Amsterdam now that regularly works on an international basis,” he adds.

Gijs also emphasises that relentless flexibility is core to the agency’s identity. “One of the things that got us noticed is actually the cheapest film we’ve ever done,” he says. “It was a music video. A Dutch rapper found some rolls of film and we shot a video for €300 (basically the cost of developing the film) and it was for a song called ‘Drunk and Drugs’ which now has more than 60 million views online, so that was our biggest hit.”

Remaining adaptable has become an increasingly essential ingredient behind their success. “The demands of clients are changing and it isn’t always a 30-second TVC that they want,” says Chloe. “It can be short content and something for social. There’s also this trend towards branded entertainment where people are making documentaries that involve brands.”

However, the agency is continuing with its early music video and comedy heritage, given its work on a recent film for Trainline, created with Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam, which uses surreal humour and choreographed movement to highlight the comfort of using the in-app service. “It’s a very 100% spot,” says Alessandro. “Because it has that music video vibe mixed with a quirky and funny aspect. It’s a great example of us working seamlessly between photo and film”.

“The culture we cultivate really shows up in everything we do,” agrees Amir. “It’s not only in the work we do, but also the parties we throw and the events we organise and partake in.”

Watch the full interview with 100%’s leaders below.