Advertising & Beyond

Study Advertising & Beyond and become a creative  at an advertising agency, design studio, brand or as an independent artist

The speed and complexity of technological, political, social and economic developments strongly influence practices in art, design, branding and digital communication.
The professional world is looking for young creatives with a multitude of talents and skills, who look beyond the borders of their primary disciplines.
Creatives like youare going to shape the future of creativity and what it means to society.

Applied art
The major Advertising transformed  into the major Advertising & Beyond.
It is a four-year course at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam and is the only one in the Netherlands where advertising is an applied art. Our goal is to broaden the scope of creativity and communication by taking it beyond advertising.

Creativity, skill of the future
Advertising & Beyond has approximately 175 students and a small interdisciplinary teaching team. We believe creativity will be the key that contributes to our future in a positive and meaningful way.   In the Major Advertising & Beyond you become familiar with the tools of advertising and communication. You become conscious of the power of your creative and strategic talents and how you can apply these  to influence audiences and society, today and in the future.

Critical thinking and research
You explore and analyse complex issues with critical thinking and research. This is the starting point for generating ideas, conceptual thinking and designing a solution. You learn how creativity becomes more effective in combination with artificial intelligence and research. In this major you become familiar with skills and tools of advertising, from an artistic, ethical and inclusive point of view. You learn to communicate and present concepts and ideas that create attention and impact. You choose the projects you want to work on and develop a professional portfolio.

Cross-Disciplinary Approach
You’ll collaborate in teams with likeminded creative spirits. We strongly encourage you to cross-over and collaborate outside your discipline. Team up with technical experts, scientific researchers, medical professionals, interactive designers, data specialists and others. But also, with other disciplines within the academy.
With your creative and conceptual skills, you’ll produce concepts and solutions to move hearts, minds and imaginations. You’ll gain real world experience with real assignments..

You’ll be pushed to communicate your ideas and concepts to the outside world. They may be produced in video, photography, design, installation or performance. Your concept will dictate the medium.

Career opportunities
You’ll give direction to the professional field in which you graduate by completing an internship, for example at a well-known communication agency, (design) studio, brand, NGO, independent artist, in the Netherlands or abroad.

There are various career opportunities for you. You can become an All-round Creative, Concept developer, Artist, Designer, Art Director, Copywriter, Creative Director, Creative strategist, Content developer… and more. But also  jobs like Augmented Reality Designer, Machine-Learning Designer or a Cybernetic Director.

Cover project: Brands Should Be Friends by Isabelle Griffioen.

Open Days & Recruitment activities

Want to know more about life at the Willem de Kooning Academy?

Check out our extended programme, full of (online) activities and interaction with student ambassadors and tutors via this link.