Aurélie Hombroukx

Read: Morele ambitie – Rutger Bregman 

Rutger Bregman aims to recalibrate his readers’ moral compasses. The Dutch author argues that we can no longer afford to waste time and money on things that don’t matter, urging us to rally behind a bigger cause: something that makes the world a better place, like the very effective ‘Top Charities’ of GiveWell.org are trying to do – to cite Bregman’s example. 

Aurélie: “There’s much to be said about Bregman’s writing style, but he knows how to get people on board. Without wanting to sound like a total hippie, I do believe that putting stories and images out there as an agency comes with a big responsibility. We have an impact on what brands are telling their consumers – which in turn shapes our society. Yes, I’m referring to those Venus-smooth armpits. As copywriters, we can help raise awareness through language, promoting inclusive messages and familiarising the public with new viewpoints.” 

Watch: Time Rebels – Tegenlicht (VPRO) 

This episode is about “The Good Ancestor”, a classic by Roman Krznaric that also features prominently in our deep dive on long-term marketing. The Australian-British philosopher says we’re witnessing the rise of a “time rebel” movement that wants to deepen democracy, encouraging long-term decisions and the move towards a circular, regenerative economy that does not deplete resources and gives ecosystems time to recover. “Krznaric mentions the Future Design movement in Japan, which organises citizen councils to look after the interests of residents in the year 2060, and the Future Generations Commissioner in Wales, which represents future generations in political decision-making,” Aurélie explains.   

“Reels, apps and real-time performance charts make us crave instant gratification and dopamine spikes. But by focusing on the short term, we burden future generations. That’s why I support Kznaric’s plea for long-term thinking, gradual progress, and sustainable societal models. This will require a major economic shift – maybe we should give the donut economy a shot – which will also affect marketing.”

Listen: Iemand – Radio 1 

In this podcast series, Philippe Heymans and Ward Bogaert share the remarkable life stories of ordinary people. The story of Nina, who ends up in a wheelchair because of her mom’s Münchhausen-by-proxy syndrome, for example. Or the story of Kasper, whose coming out – first as a lesbian woman, later as a transman – didn’t go down well with his parents. “In half an hour, the hosts tell captivating stories that move you, keep you on the edge of your seat, and sometimes make you gasp in disbelief,” says Aurélie. “This is storytelling at its finest. And as marketers, we all know that great stories are what sticks.” 

Hungry for more? 

There’s other content that makes our colleagues’ hearts sing too. Find out what inspires copy lead Lies Xhonneux, account director Wouter Vandenbogaerde and managing director Jeroen Joosens.