When the team from Tobacco Journal International asked us, Van Heertum Design VHD, to take up the challenge with our design team and create a cover for the World Tobacco Expo 2011 in Munich, we didn’t have to think twice before saying yes.
This project marks the fifth time that we have done a cover project for TJI.

The first thing in this big challenge was to assemble a team of companies willing to join us and participate in the project. Of course it was important that they would bring as much innovation as possible. We have built up a network of these companies over the years. We wanted to be ahead of our competitors and therefore made it one of our main priorities.

Too many clients are confronted at the end of the design process with the problem that designs agreed upon cannot be produced. They are presented with designs on glossy prints or shiny screens. When things then go wrong production is blamed, and everything gets done all over again. This results in a waste of expensive time and money.

We keep in mind the technical possibilities during the design process and can guarantee that our designs will be no problem in the production phase – no surprises at the end and, most important, satisfied customers. After visiting the selected companies within our network and talking to their people, we made up our inventory list. This gave us a first draft of the possible production processes.

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On the 15th of November, the Prototyp museum in Hamburg was home to the Black Box World Tour. In an amazing industrial setting the new Black Box of designer and illustrator Sebastian Onufszak was presented.
He created a surrealistic short movie called “Still life in a circle” and presented it using a miniature video player integrated in the Iggesund Black Box. Go to www.blackbox.iggesund.com for more information.

Still Life in a Circle from Sebastian Onufszak on Vimeo.

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This month’s issue of Printbuyer features the Bols Foam project which Van Heertum Design completed in April this year. It details the short production period and how the Innovation-network of VHD helped to reach the target deadline. You can read the entire article here.

You can order the complete issue of Printbuyer via www.compreswebshop.nl or email Printbuyer.

We are very happy to announce that the Black Box World Tour is preparing for its next showcase. On the 15th of November the event will take place in the PROTOTYP Museum in Hamburg, Germany. The event starts at 17:00 and will finish by 22:00.

Next to the already participating creative teams; Van Heertum Design VHD (the Netherlands), Landor Associates (France), Brunazzi&Associati (Italy) and Marc Benhamou (USA), we are welcoming yet another designer to the project.


On the 15th of November, the latest Black Box will be presented in Hamburg, Germany. The newcomer in Hamburg is the designer and illustrator Sebastian Onufszak, who is based in Augsburg, Germany, but working with clients all over Europe. His contribution to the exhibition will be unveiled at an event at the Prototyp Museum in Hamburg. In 2012 further events are planned for Europe and Asia.
Sebastian Onufszak will be launching his project called “In Graphics We Trust”.

If you are interested in seeing the complete exhibition and meeting all designers in person, please make your request here.

PrintMatters featured a nice article about how “inside the box” thinking created the VHD Black Box. They also discuss how almost every printing technique available was used.

Click here to view the article in PrintMatters.

Verpakken Magazine published an article about the Black Box Project, discussing the technical network and the artistic approach to designing the 3D lasercut corporate identity.

Click here to view the article in Verpakken Magazine.

Budapest, 21 May, 2011

Schindler Parent, the Advertising agency of Iggesund Paperboard, came up with the brilliant idea to offer a carefully selected group of designers a platform to translate their creative thoughts on the challenging subject ‘Think inside the Box’.

The team from Van Heertum Design VHD was one of the first to be invited to take on this challenge. It became a fusion of creativity, collaboration and technical execution. This entry for the ‘Best of Europe’ competition was awarded Gold.

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In the heart of Manhattan, in the Chelsea district, much beloved by creative people and with the surrounding 150 galleries the place to be in New York, Marc Benhamou joined the already illustrious Black Box teams;
Van Heertum Design VHD (The Netherlands), Landor Associates (France), Brunazzi&Associati (Italy).

Marc Benhamou, 360’ Creative
From his first job at Vogue, where his innovative work earned him many awards, to his position as Senior Vice President, Global Creative Director for some of the most prestigious cosmetic brands, such as Estée Lauder, Lancôme, and numerous other designers’ licenses, Marc has devoted his talent to beauty with great respect for the global luxury industry and its consumers.

Impression from New York after the click

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Van Heertum Design VHD and the Black Box Project were featured in Tobacco Reporter.

They detail the process of being creative in an engineered way, using a wide range of the most sophisticated printing techniques available.

Click here to view the article.

Since this month Bols Foam, the first and only liqueur foam in the world, produced by Lucas Bols, is conquering the world in a revolutionary way. The innovative product supplies cocktails, mixed drinks, sparkling wines, sodas, beer, coffee and desserts with a tasting foam layer that stays firm up to 15 minutes.
Van Heertum Design (VHD), already working together with Bols for a long time, was responsible for the label, packaging and complete brand design.

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VHD has given all Primera private label products a new vibrant look. After winning the pitch for the rejuvenation of their private label tobacco brand Titaan, Primera asked Van Heertum Design if they could also have a look at the packaging design, of all their other private label products.

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Italia Imballagio Magazine features the Black Box Project and the 3 current projects inside.

They explain the difference between the chosen designers to participate, highlighting the care with which Van Heertum Design VHD chooses materials and manufacturing techniques.

Click here to view the article

Pakhuis de Zwijger, situated directly at Amsterdam Central Station, was chosen to showcase the Black Box to the Dutch market. The 3 projects from Van Heertum Design VHD, Landor and Brunazzi were presented to the guests.

Impression from Amsterdam

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We were featured in a spread in Printbuyer Magazine detailing the challenge Iggesund gave designers when they were asked to design the Black Box.

Click here to view it.

Inspire, a magazine from Iggesund Paperboard, tells the story behind the VHD content for the Black Box project.

Frans van Heertum explains how we used the Black Box challenge as a prism to show the big changes that were taking place within VHD.

Click this link for the entire story.

Stationers’ Hall, in the centre of London, 2 minutes walk from St. Paul’s Cathedral, was the perfectly selected location for the introduction of the 3rd team that was going to be part of the carefully selected creatives who filled in the challenge of Iggesund’s Black Box project.

Brunazzi&Associati
Established in 1985 on the initiative of Giovanni Brunazzi, one of Italy’s pioneers in corporate communications and corporate image, Brunazzi&Associati provides highly professional and exclusive services in the integrated communications and image strategy fields, with the addition of a specialisation in corporate identity, editorial and web design and packaging. Over the years Brunazzi&Associati has become one of the most creative and innovative agencies in the Italian market.

Impression from London

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Van Heertum Design VHD was asked by Fuente International to create the international brand design for their luxury hair fashion products. The new branding for FUENTE has to lay the foundation for the brand’s expansion in over 60 countries. The brand strategy will be based on the new payoff “Glamorous by Nature”.

Products by FUENTE are rich in everything that makes nature in its purest form so very beautiful. The result is a hair fashion line that exudes pampering luxury and sustainability. FUENTE is also created from a pure source of natural elements. FUENTE proves that sustainability, a socially responsible production method and natural beauty go together perfectly. So everyone looks ‘naturally’ good with the exclusive products from FUENTE.

According to Account Director Rob van Heertum there is a perfect match between the desires of FUENTE and VHD’s design vision; “We are very well known with brand design and strategy for luxury markets. FUENTE was looking for a more fitting and up-to-date image for their hair fashion products, which are exclusively produced using natural and organic ingredients, to start a world wide expansion.

“Glamorous by Nature” was created as the new payoff and will be visualised in all future branding materials. FUENTE is an exclusive product of high quality and is only available through leading hair salons. You can imagine we are very proud to be responsible for taking the FUENTE branding to the next level and, in cooperation with them, will be building a world class brand.”

Fuente international’s CEO, Paul Warmerdam, is very positive about the new cooperation: “We are at the beginning of a very important time for FUENTE, in which we want to prove ourselves in the Netherlands, but above all internationally, even more than before. For this we need a lift of our professional level, but also an upgrade of our branding and connecting marketing and communication strategies. In Van Heertum Design we have found a solid partner for this global project and are very confident about the results”.

Creative Director takes a closer look at the working process of VHD and it’s unique selling point ‘Design Plus’. What is it that clients from all over the world come to VHD in the Netherlands for their designs?
In this article the special working method ‘Design Plus” is explained together with the strategic thoughts behind it.

Magazine “Creative Director” is the first and only Russian periodical, devoted to the working specifics of creative companies and their management.

The magazine tends to support and promote the mutually beneficial cooperation of customers and suppliers. It is widely read by top managers as well as owners of creative businesses and their clients all over Russia.
The magazine is published since 2007.

Click on the magazine cover to view the original article in Russian or click here to view an English summary.

Tobacco Journal International features the Iggesund Black Box Project and outlines the details of the VHD Black Box.

They show how the basic concept of the design challenge was to achieve extraordinary design in the smallest of spaces

Frans van Heertum explains what VHD made out of Iggesund’s paperboard.

Click here to view the article.

“Creativity, the ability to generate innovative ideas and bring them from thought into reality, meets Invercote in the latest campaign from Swedish premium paperboard producer Iggesund. The idea behind this campaign is actually quite simple: What will happen if you give a designer a tool with which he or she can do whatever they like? The only conditions being that they make use of the unique properties of Invercote.”

As announced the launch of Iggesund’s Black Box project “Thinking inside the box” was held last Tuesday, November 23rd, in Paris. In the fabulous settings of the Cercle Suedois/Swedish Club in conjunction with the famous Les Places d’Or – Design and Luxury packaging exhibition.

As one of the few invited design agencies to participate in this project, Van Heertum Design VHD, really put invercote to the test. For this inspiring challenge, VHD took the new corporate identity of the agency as a base. In this new style they used clients and projects as an inspirational input to create an entire range of art pieces, with only one rule: No boundaries.

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Think inside the box. Normally, designers are called upon to think outside the box. What would happen if you asked the world’s most pre-eminent designers to do the opposite – to summon all their creative inspiration and think inside the box? We did! On the 23rd of November the outcome of this challenge will be revealed for the first time!

See the creation of Van Heertum Design VHD, Netherlands, and watch trailers for the Black Box Project at iggesund.com/blackbox

Stay tuned for details on a Black Box launch in your market!

Tilburg Design Agency joins international agency network.

Van Heertum Design VHD has joined the European Agency Network E3: Europe’s largest network of independent agencies that focus on design, advertising, marketing and communications. The international design agency VHD, which is located in Tilburg since 1971, was accepted as a new member during the biannual General Assembly of the E3 network, that was held from 21 to 24 October in the Swiss city of Lucerne.

VHD is the first Dutch design agency to be part of the international E3 network. Creative Director and Account Director Frans van Heertum and Rob van Heertum of VHD are therefore delighted with the membership. Son Rob says: “We got in touch with President Michael Meier of E3 when we were working on a design project in Germany. He was quite impressed with our work and so the ball started rolling. ”
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