DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

22 May 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

Dutch change international branding: Holland becomes The Netherlands

October 3, 2019
Photo: Depositphotos.com
Out go the cliches? Photo: Depositphotos.com

The Dutch government is going to stop promoting the country abroad as ‘Holland’ and will instead use The Netherlands’, marketing magazine Adformatie said on Thursday.

The detailed plan will be published later this year, but a group of marketing professionals were briefed on the change earlier this week. The aim, the magazine said, is to be less promotional and more about content.

The Netherlands currently promotes itself as Holland.com, illustrated in marketing literature by an orange tulip. The new strategy means, the Netherlands will present itself to the rest of the world as ‘co-creating pioneering solutions to global challenges’, Adformatie said.

Orange will remain the official colour.

The words ‘The Netherlands’ will be the official branding at the Olympic Games in Tokyo next year and at the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam next May.

‘Three days and 180 million viewers is a fantastic opportunity for communication and marketing,’ Carolien Gehrels, a former Amsterdam alderman who now works for consultancy Arcadis, said at the presentation.

The foreign affairs and economic affairs ministries along with representatives from sports, the big cities and cultural institutions have been involved in developing the new strategy, Adformatie said.

The new approach will also be used in efforts to try to spread tourism nationwide.

DutchNews.nl has contacted the foreign affairs ministry and Holland.com for comment.

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Economy
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
Fewer international students starting bachelor degrees in NL
MPs urge cabinet to join banned Pride march in Budapest
Dutch house prices up 10% on a year ago, latest figures show
Foundations and the future: what you need to think about
Highway to hell: confessions of a would-be Ring reveller
NewsHomeEconomyArt and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you information about coronavirus in the Netherlands.

Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days!

We could not provide this service without you. If you have not yet made a contribution, you can do so here.

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now