Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen wins Rotterdam 2021 Marketing Award

The year in which Boijmans gave Rotterdam worldwide allure has been decorated with the Marketing Award Rotterdam. The award was presented at the City Hall by Mayor Aboutaleb and City Council Member Vermeij. 

The Rotterdam Marketing Awards are awarded each year to those individuals or organisations who have made a significant contribution to the city's image and promotion. On January 19, the prize went to Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen. The award was presented to Boijmans management Ina Klaassen and Sjarel Ex by Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb and City Council Member Roos Vermeij. The Jury praised the Depot for its unique and daring character, which will be an inspiration for similar projects all over the world. The Depot has had coverage in more than 30 countries, in thousands of pieces with billions of readers. Boijmans is honored to receive this award. There was no presentation of the awards in 2020 due to the corona virus, but the Jury decided to resume their routine this year, in order to recognise those citizens of Rotterdam who had managed, despite the prevailing circumstances, to highlight the city in a positive and distinctive fashion. This year's Marketing Award for Upcoming Talent went to Menno van Gorp, and Mario Kadiks was awarded the oeuvre prize.

Sjarel Ex and Ina Klaassen, Boijmans Van Beuningen Directors: “We are delighted with this award, because this rather bonkers concept has been so generously rewarded with public attention. The attention from museums all over the world is also very heartwarming. It's a splash in the pond, the rings are getting bigger and bigger. Many thanks for the cooperation, thanks to our Rotterdam partners, Stichting De Verre Bergen, the PR agency of Rhiannon Pickles, our wonderful employees and those of MVRDV. Many thanks to the Rotterdam community, which has granted such a prominent place to safeguard its art collections.”

In the spotlight

In 2021, but also before that, Boijmans collaborated a lot with creatives on campaigns to keep the city, the country and the world informed about the construction, careful rehousing and opening of the depot. With all its expressions and activities, Boijmans also wanted to put the spotlight on Rotterdam, and everything this city and its inhabitants make possible. After an exuberant opening ceremony with King Willem-Alexander, Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen has been officially opened since 5 November. The world's first publicly accessible art depot is a fact.

Global trend

The depot received national acclaim with articles in all large and small newspapers and many magazines, including extensive photo series, contemplative articles and/or interviews. Thanks to the good cooperation with and the great efforts of Pickles Pr, Rotterdam Partners and MVRDV, the depot has been reported in the international media in more than 30 countries, with readers in the billions.

the museal and cultural value that the depot brings to the city has earned it the Rotterdam Marketing Award. The Jury praised the unique concept of opening up the museum collection by means of publicly accessible depot. They added that the Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum is at the forefront of a worldwide trend in the museum world to increase the overall accessibility of museum collections.

An honourable mention was granted to the MVRDV architects bureau, winner of the 2014 Rotterdam Marketing Award. Their unique design for the depot contributed greatly to the global attention the building has received.

About the awards

The Rotterdam Marketing Awards are given every year to those individuals or organisations who have used the city of Rotterdam in a nurturing and pioneering manner and contributed to the finding of innovative solutions for social issues, thus enhancing the image of the city and promoting Rotterdam at home and abroad as a resilient and future-proof city.

The Jury is made up of members of the brand committee of the brand alliance Rotterdam Make It Happen:

Wilbert Lek, director of Rotterdam Partners (and chairman of the Jury)

Mireille Spapens, Marketing & Communications director of Erasmus University Rotterdam

Peter Blangé, director of Rotterdam Topsport

Mariel Croon, Communications director of Erasmus MC

Renske Satijn, director of Rotterdam Festivals

Richard van der Eijk, Communications & External Affairs director of Port of Rotterdam

Carola de Vree-van Wagtendonk, head of Communications for the municipality of Rotterdam.