Strategic Communication in Amsterdam: Insights from Maarten den Dulk

07.05.2025

Maarten den Dulk discusses city messaging at Wittenborg’s Global People Lunch and Talk

On 10 April, Maarten den Dulk, Corporate Communication Specialist for the City of Amsterdam, delivered a thought-provoking talk at Wittenborg's Amsterdam study location as part of the Global People Lunch and Talk series. With 35 years of experience in the city’s communications department, den Dulk provided a candid look into the role of strategic communication within a major urban government, particularly in the face of social polarisation and environmental urgency.

Den Dulk began by describing his passion for working with the City of Amsterdam and its people: “I like working for the city. I like working for its people, its companies… I like to contribute to various industries for business and the understanding between society and the government.”

A key theme of the session was the challenge of polarisation in public discourse and the role communication professionals play in navigating it. “How can you deal with polarisation in society? How can you start communication in another way?” he asked, referencing loud opposing voices on issues such as wind energy. He contrasted these vocal groups with what he described as the “silent majority” — people who are open to dialogue but often unheard in media narratives. For den Dulk, the task is to “look for common ground” and ensure the government is listening: “We have to listen to each other. And the government really has to listen.”

A major portion of the presentation focused on sustainability communication, an area den Dulk is currently leading within the city. He introduced a new campaign focused on climate resilience and the visual storytelling used to communicate flood risk and urban planning choices. Using side-by-side images of future cityscapes, he engaged students in a discussion about how visuals convey different visions of Amsterdam’s environmental future — one emphasising efficiency, the other a greener, more liveable city.

The campaign aims to link all of the city’s sustainability messages under one coherent narrative. Den Dulk described it as a story of urgency and transition, combining behavioural science and communications strategy: “We tell people: you’re going to do something, but you get something back. You lose fossil fuel — you gain a new energy deck. That’s what we try to do.”

Reflecting on the session, Dadi Chen, Deputy Head of the School of Business at Wittenborg, commented:

“It was truly enlightening to learn about the practical application of communication strategies in such a dynamic urban environment.”