Paul van Kuilenburg - Alfred

In the advertising world, the role of creativity is both celebrated and scrutinised. With budgets under pressure, channels multiplying, and brands vying for attention, how can marketers still create meaningful impact? In this interview, Paul van Kuilenburg, Strategy Director at creative agency Alfred, shares his passionate view on what drives brand growth. From the power of emotional resonance to the return of humour, Paul offers fresh perspectives on creative effectiveness, strategic collaboration, and why we should never underestimate the value of simply making people feel something memorable.

Creative Quality as a Catalyst for Brand Growth

For Paul, great advertising doesn’t begin with metrics; it begins with emotional resonance. In his view, brands grow not only through reach or media investment, but by making people feel something memorable. “Obviously, business KPIs are the ultimate objective. But when you’re briefing creative, those metrics don’t offer much creative direction,” Paul explains. “Instead, I focus on audience amusement KPIs – such as likeability, emotional resonance, and the urge to tell someone about what you’ve just seen. That’s what makes people remember your brand and want to share it.”

Paul specialises in long-term brand building, working with brands like Amstel, Royal Club, Calvé Pindakaas, Specsavers, and the Postcode Loterij. He believes in the power of creativity as a lever for disproportionate impact. “If your creative quality is at its peak, it can drive up to 12 times more growth with the same budget,” he says. “That’s not a wild claim, it’s backed by research from Paul Dyson.”

But creative power alone isn’t enough. Paul emphasises the role of brand size in growth potential and how creative excellence can help level the playing field. “Emotion can help small brands grow like big ones,” he notes. “And if you combine emotional connection with brand distinctiveness, you’re not just entertaining, you’re building memory structures.”

“If you combine emotional connection with brand distinctiveness, you’re not just entertaining, you’re building memory structures.”

Balancing Emotion and Logic: Overcoming the Pitfalls of System 2 Thinking

Despite the industry’s growing appreciation for creative effectiveness, Paul sees a looming challenge: the tendency to overthink ideas. Drawing from Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow, he identifies “System 2 thinking”, rational, analytical decision-making, as a frequent barrier in the industry to bold creative work. “It happens that, when brands see a new concept, their first reaction is excitement. But then they sit with it longer and start finding reasons to tone it down,” he explains. “They remove the sharp edges, and suddenly you’re left with something safe and potentially forgettable.”

Paul stresses that this is especially dangerous in today’s saturated media landscape, where first impressions count. “Consumers don’t overthink ads. They react instinctively and emotionally. If you want to connect, your creative has to hit immediately.” That doesn’t mean skipping research.

On the contrary, Paul sees well-executed research as highly valuable when it’s used constructively. “We should never stop testing. But we shouldn’t use data to justify fear-driven decisions. If we always play it safe, we’ll never stand out.”

“We should never stop testing. But we shouldn’t use data to justify fear-driven decisions. If we always play it safe, we’ll never stand out.”

Rethinking Creative Testing: From Validation to Collaboration

Having worked closely with DVJ Insights on multiple campaigns, Paul values the role of research in creative development—but only when approached with the right mindset. “One of the biggest challenges is getting everyone to see research as a tool for learning,” he says. “Too often, people treat it as a binary scorecard—green means good, red means bad. But insights should be a starting point for iteration, not a final verdict.”

Paul recounts a recent example where a scene in a campaign initially scored poorly in testing. “The instinct might be to remove it. But we loved that scene; it was central to brand recall. So we sat down with the client and dug into the data. In the end, we only needed to tweak the phrasing, and suddenly people loved it. That’s the power of collaboration.”

This spirit of co-creation is what makes Paul value certain research partners more than others. “It’s not just the tools, although I love the engagement curves and holistic view DVJ provides. It’s also about the people. Researchers and Consultants who can think with you, who are open to dialogue, make all the difference.”

Inspiration, Humour, and the Future of Brand Building

Looking ahead, Paul sees several shifts shaping the future of creative advertising. As TV becomes increasingly expensive, he notes a growing shift toward alternative brand-building channels, many of which were once seen as tactical or short-term. “I see a lot more brand-building investment going into retail media, premium social, connected TV, and even outdoor,” he says. “And let’s not forget radio, still affordable, high-reach, and underused.”

But perhaps the most exciting development is the resurgence of humour in advertising. “After a decade of being pushed aside, humour is finally making its way back. And I couldn’t be happier. If executed properly, it’s not just fun—it’s effective.” Humour, he explains, is one of the most flexible emotional triggers. “Contrary to certain other emotions, you don’t need a full narrative arc to make someone laugh. A well-placed joke works in three seconds. That’s invaluable in a world of fragmented attention.”

“After a decade of being pushed aside, humour is finally making its way back. And I couldn’t be happier. It’s not just fun—it’s effective.”

Paul points to several brands leading the way. “Lynx from Unilever is doing brilliant, provocative work with humour. Marmite remains a masterclass in consistency with its love-it-or-hate-it platform. And Ryanair’s brutally honest TikToks are refreshingly bold, mocking their own customers in a way that actually builds trust.” For Paul, the common thread is emotional connection, whatever the form. “It doesn’t always have to be a laugh—it can be a tear. But if people feel nothing, they’ll remember nothing.”

“Let’s keep it fun,” Paul says at the close of the conversation. “Because consumers will appreciate it. And when they do, your brand grows.”