The Netherlands is home to a range of hybrid agencies; formidable media titans built from multiple smaller players. By combining the best in creative ingenuity and smart technology these agencies are not only able to boost their overall capability, but also to deliver higher quality user experiences – which in turn makes for better relationships between brands and consumers.

Last year, for example, the forward-thinking J. Walter Thompson Amsterdam was crowned Cannes Lions Innovation Agency of the Year after the sensation of its ‘Next Rembrandt’ campaign for the ING bank, which used facial recognition technology and 3D-printing to create a new masterpiece.

So how can other regions replicate the success of this marketing utopia? To answer this question, let’s take a look at the latest major union Ciesco advised on – communications behemoth Havas Group’s acquisition of edgy agency Lemz – and what such deals can teach us about the future of the industry.

Meaningfulness is emerging as a powerful brand driver, underlined by a growing need in consumers to live a responsible life.

People want brands to improve their lives and those of the people they care about: in a recent study exploring ‘responsible consumption’, IRI and Boston Consulting Group found that responsible products can command a 58% higher price tag and according to a survey from Globescan, 40% of today’s aspirational consumers want purchases to do social good.

Yet The Havas Meaningful Brand Index, one of the largest annual studies of meaningful brands, reveals there is a huge disconnect between people and brands. Most people would not care if 74% of all brands disappeared for good, with only 40% of consumers believing brands help improve their life quality and well-being.