Femke Hendriks - NS Advertising / Insiders

How do you grow a brand in today’s fragmented media world? For Femke Hendriks, Business Development and Advertising Strategist at both NS Advertising and Insiders, the answer lies in connecting with audiences in meaningful moments. From travellers in the train to long-term destination branding, she sees firsthand how new channels, fresh ideas, and strong evidence of effect can make the difference.

A New Channel For Advertisers

For many brands, trains are more than just a way to get from A to B; they are an environment where millions of travellers spend valuable time each day. This presents a unique opportunity for advertisers: to connect with people in a moment when they are receptive, whether during their daily commute, a business trip, or a leisure journey.

NS Advertising, the newly developed media channel of the Dutch Railways, has been created to seize this opportunity. It brings together a variety of touchpoints: in-train screens, newsletters, banners around the travel planner, station information, the OV-fiets service, and the NS Day Out platforms, which include a magazine and online content. For advertisers, this means the ability to reach travellers before, during, and after their journey.

Yet, as with any new channel, establishing growth is not automatic. Evidence of effectiveness is essential, both to attract advertisers and to build trust in the medium. “Advertisers immediately ask: what does this channel actually deliver? Am I really being shown, and what is the impact on travellers?” explains Femke. Providing those answers requires data and proof. This is where DVJ’s research comes in, helping to measure and demonstrate the channel’s effect, and thereby laying the foundation for long-term growth.

A Complement To Campaigns

One of the defining characteristics of NS Advertising is the exclusivity it offers for the advertisers, keeping the comfort and needs of the travellers in mind. Femke explains: “Our role is to strengthen what advertisers are trying to tell the travellers or consumers while also keeping the travellers' needs in mind. We provide exclusive visibility within the travellers’ journey, and in that way, we can reinforce campaign messages at the right moments.”

“The logic of our 360-degree proposition is simple: a traveller might first encounter a brand at home in the NS newsletter, then see it again while planning their trip online, and later notice it on the screen in the train itself. This creates multiple touchpoints that increase recognition and keep the brand top of mind,” she continues.

However, the biggest impact can be made with the enormous and qualitative reach of the in-train screens, especially interesting for high-impact campaigns. These “hero” campaigns are designed to attract attention and deliver bursts of visibility. Femke does not expect advertisers to use the channel in an “always-on” way, as they might with digital display or social media. The exception is for public interest messaging, such as government safety campaigns, where constant nationwide visibility is required. And on the other side are the branch-specific campaigns that match perfectly for the NS Day-Out channels, in which we have a niche reach and possibilities for short or long-term campaigns.

“Our role is to strengthen and help advertisers to tell their story and reach the audience at a time when they are receptive to information. We provide additional visibility within the traveller journey, and in that way, we can reinforce campaign messages at the right moments.”

NS Advertising complements, rather than competes with, other media. By offering targeted, campaign-based exposure, it adds a distinctive layer to the media mix.

Destination Marketing: The Long-Term View

Alongside her work for NS, Femke is also active at Insiders, an agency specialised in destination marketing. This provides an interesting perspective for different branches. “Destination branding is about shifting perceptions and building associations over time,” Femke explains. “You want to put a place on the map, attract more visitors, and create the right feeling around it. That doesn’t happen overnight, but will happen in a steady growth over time.”

The contrast is striking: on the one hand, NS Advertising offers bursts of visibility within people’s daily journeys and adds an interesting touchpoint to the media mix; on the other, destination marketing requires years of consistent investment to shift brand perceptions. Together, they illustrate how different marketing contexts demand different time horizons — and how important it is for marketers to match their channel strategy with their objectives.

“Destination branding is about shifting perceptions and building associations over time. You want to put a place on the map, attract more visitors, and create the right feeling around it. That doesn’t happen overnight, but will happen in a steady growth over time.”

Trends In Media And Brand Growth

Looking beyond the specifics of NS Advertising and destination marketing, Femke also reflects on broader trends in the media landscape. One of the most important shifts she sees is a move away from focusing solely on clicks and views. “For years, advertisers have been obsessed with measurability,” she says. “Everything was judged by website clicks or digital views. But people use many different platforms to get information and inspiration, and not everything is captured in those metrics. We need to take a broader view.”

This broader view means placing greater emphasis on brand building: credibility, trust, and the ability to resonate with audiences. Distinctive creative ideas and relevant messages are becoming more important in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.

NS Advertising fits naturally within this trend. The channel is not all about driving immediate clicks but about creating credible and meaningful brand touchpoints during travellers’ daily routines. “Seeing a brand in this context adds to its reliability and presence, even if it cannot be measured with a simple click-through rate.”

At the same time, Femke stresses that each stage of the funnel still has its own metrics. Display advertising may still be judged on clicks or viewability, while out-of-home screens are assessed on the right reach and frequency. The key is to avoid reducing everything to a single number and to remember the importance of long-term brand effects alongside short-term results.

“People use many different platforms to get information and inspiration, and not everything is captured in those metrics. We need to take a broader view.”