Interview with Ingmar Larsen

Shaping the Future of Brands: Dutch Approaches to Creativity and Customer Experience

by Jane Doe | September, 2025
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Shaping Culture Through Design at the Intersection of Art, Technology, and Human Connection
Key facts
  • Experience

    Founder & Creative Director This Agency

  • Industries

    Creative Agencies, Branding, Digital Area

  • Notable Achievements

    Developed NoPhone
    Developed PhoneCell
    Launching TieBoth

  • Education

    MBA, Digital Media Design

Website
Meet Ingmar Larsen

Dynamic force in the creative realm whose journey seamlessly intertwines art direction, design, and entrepreneurship. As the founder of This Agency, a leading creative firm based in Amsterdam, Ingmar’s expertise stems from his diverse background.

Dynamic force in the creative realm whose journey seamlessly intertwines art direction, design, and entrepreneurship. As the founder of This Agency, a leading creative firm based in Amsterdam, Ingmar’s expertise stems from his diverse background.

He is a Creative/Art-Director who loves everything that’s simple and smart. His passion lies in developing simple and clever ideas that stick for a long time—the kind of campaigns that will be remembered for the next 10 years. Ingmar is always looking for improvements and is a dedicated hard worker.

Prior to spearheading his own venture, he honed his craft at renowned companies like 180Amsterdam, SidLee, and TBWA, sculpting visual narratives that resonate on a global scale. He spent a year at 180 Amsterdam and worked for three months in New York at Silver & Partners.

part one

The Agency & Clients

“We approach every brand like a startup: with curiosity, testing, and iteration, always putting the audience at the center of the experience.”
— Ingmar Larsen

JD: Ingmar, can you tell us a bit about This Agency — how did it start and what is its core mission today?

IL: We approach every brand like a startup: with curiosity, testing, and iteration. First, we immerse ourselves in research — market trends, competitors, and customer insights. Then we define the brand strategy, including positioning, messaging, and visual identity. Once the foundation is clear, we move into design, storytelling, and experience creation, always iterating based on feedback and user testing.

JD: How do you approach customer experience design from the very beginning?

IL: We map the entire user journey from day one, identifying key touchpoints, pain points, and moments of opportunity. Every decision we make — from tone of voice to visual elements — is guided by how the audience will experience it. The goal is a seamless, human-centered experience across all channels

“Great work comes from trust and genuine relationships — understanding our clients deeply is what makes creativity meaningful.”

JD: Before diving into creative work, how do you conduct research? What tools, methods, or insights guide your team in shaping the brand identity?

IL: Our research is multi-layered. We combine qualitative methods like interviews and ethnography with quantitative insights from analytics and market data. We also study cultural and industry trends to ensure the brand is relevant and forward-looking. This research guides every creative decision and ensures the identity we create is grounded in real audience needs.

part two

Social Mission & Culture

“We approach every brand like a startup: with curiosity, testing, and iteration, always putting the audience at the center of the experience.”
— Ingmar Larsen

JD: Ingmar, can you tell us a bit about This Agency — how did it start and what is its core mission today?

IL: We approach every brand like a startup: with curiosity, testing, and iteration. First, we immerse ourselves in research — market trends, competitors, and customer insights. Then we define the brand strategy, including positioning, messaging, and visual identity. Once the foundation is clear, we move into design, storytelling, and experience creation, always iterating based on feedback and user testing.

JD: How do you approach customer experience design from the very beginning?

IL: We map the entire user journey from day one, identifying key touchpoints, pain points, and moments of opportunity. Every decision we make — from tone of voice to visual elements — is guided by how the audience will experience it. The goal is a seamless, human-centered experience across all channels

“Great work comes from trust and genuine relationships — understanding our clients deeply is what makes creativity meaningful.”

JD: Before diving into creative work, how do you conduct research? What tools, methods, or insights guide your team in shaping the brand identity?

IL: Our research is multi-layered. We combine qualitative methods like interviews and ethnography with quantitative insights from analytics and market data. We also study cultural and industry trends to ensure the brand is relevant and forward-looking. This research guides every creative decision and ensures the identity we create is grounded in real audience needs.

part three

Methodology: Building Brands & Like Startups

“We approach every brand like a startup: with curiosity, testing, and iteration, always putting the audience at the center of the experience.”
— Ingmar Larsen

JD: Ingmar, can you tell us a bit about This Agency — how did it start and what is its core mission today?

IL: We approach every brand like a startup: with curiosity, testing, and iteration. First, we immerse ourselves in research — market trends, competitors, and customer insights. Then we define the brand strategy, including positioning, messaging, and visual identity. Once the foundation is clear, we move into design, storytelling, and experience creation, always iterating based on feedback and user testing.

JD: How do you approach customer experience design from the very beginning?

IL: We map the entire user journey from day one, identifying key touchpoints, pain points, and moments of opportunity. Every decision we make — from tone of voice to visual elements — is guided by how the audience will experience it. The goal is a seamless, human-centered experience across all channels

“Great work comes from trust and genuine relationships — understanding our clients deeply is what makes creativity meaningful.”

JD: Before diving into creative work, how do you conduct research? What tools, methods, or insights guide your team in shaping the brand identity?

IL: Our research is multi-layered. We combine qualitative methods like interviews and ethnography with quantitative insights from analytics and market data. We also study cultural and industry trends to ensure the brand is relevant and forward-looking. This research guides every creative decision and ensures the identity we create is grounded in real audience needs.

“We approach every brand like a startup: with curiosity, testing, and iteration, always putting the audience at the center of the experience.”