Taken By Storm

What Taken By Storm does

Taken By Storm is a branding and design agency headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands, operating as a Dutch general partnership (VOF) since 2012. Co-founders Chris van Diemen and Reinko Hallenga—both former colleagues at Fabrique—lead a deliberately small team of four senior practitioners (the two founders plus Danuta de Vries and Lemmy Hoogendoorn) delivering five integrated service lines: brand strategy, visual identity, digital design, visual storytelling, and interactive experiences.

The agency's revenue model is professional services, project-based, and quote-based with no public pricing disclosure; new client acquisition runs through direct engagement, free initial consultations, and listings on agency-matching platforms (Sortlist, Digital Agency Network, MarketingXperts.nl). The firm executes larger projects by partnering with a bench of specialist subcontractors—photographers (Rutger Prins, Jaap van den Beukel), animators (DPi), web developers (Essentee, 23g), filmmakers (Kaaps), and spatial/exhibition designers (Kiss the Frog, Thisisjane, Kloosterboer Decor)—rather than expanding full-time headcount. Its go-to-market is sales-led, leveraging a portfolio site, Behance presence, and case studies across multiple sectors.

Taken By Storm's client base spans enterprise, government, and cultural institutions in Western Europe. Named clients include Port of Rotterdam, Royal HaskoningDHV, Maritiem Museum, Kinderboekenmuseum, Middin, Hogeschool Rotterdam, Alrijne ziekenhuis, Huisartsenspoedposten, and Altide Medisch Servicecentrum. Sector exposure is concentrated in healthcare, port and maritime, and cultural institutions, with secondary presence in higher education, engineering consulting, and IT services. The firm reports no external investors, parent entities, institutional ownership, funding rounds, or M&A activity.

Name

Taken By Storm

Legal name

Taken By Storm VOF

Website

https://takenbystorm.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Taken By Storm is a Rotterdam-based branding and design agency that provides brand strategy, visual identity, digital design, visual storytelling, and interactive experiences to enterprise, government, and cultural clients across healthcare, port and maritime, and museum sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Branding and Design Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (54181), Advertising Agencies (541810), Graphic Design Services (54143), Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Creative & Brand Campaign Development (BPAFAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental & Experiential Brand Design (Retail/Exhibit/Signage) (MPAAAEAG), Sustainability & Purpose Brand Design (ESG Narrative, Impact Branding) (MPAAAEAL)

Keywords

• Brand strategy services
• Visual identity design
• Digital design services
• Visual storytelling
• Interactive experience design

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Branding and Design Services: Professional services revenue from brand strategy consulting, visual identity development, digital design, visual storytelling, and interactive experience creation. Projects are typically custom engagements with defined scope, delivered to client organizations seeking brand transformation or new brand development.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Taken By Storm is a Rotterdam-based branding and design agency that delivers five integrated creative services: brand strategy (positioning and narrative development), visual identity (logo, typography, color, photography, motion, and design systems), digital design (websites and web applications), visual storytelling (communication design and campaigns), and interactive experiences (exhibitions and installations with gamification). Engagements are typically custom, scope-defined projects for organizations seeking brand transformation, repositioning, or new brand development.

Product overview

Taken By Storm is a branding and design agency offering five core service disciplines: Brand Strategy (merkstrategie), Visual Identity, Digital Design, Visual Storytelling, and Interactive Experiences. These services are delivered as integrated creative offerings rather than standalone products or software modules. The agency operates as a small, specialized team (2 founders plus 2 designers) providing end-to-end brand development from positioning and identity creation through to digital and physical implementations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brand Strategy Strategic consulting service that helps organizations define their brand positioning, develop compelling brand stories, and create effective pay-offs and messaging strategies to claim their market position. Delivered to client organizations seeking brand transformation or repositioning.
• Visual Identity Design service creating comprehensive visual brand identities including logos, typography, color palettes, photography direction, illustration, motion graphics, and design systems for consistent application across all media. Targets organizations needing distinctive, enduring visual brand systems.
• Digital Design Digital design and development service covering websites, web applications, and digital branding experiences with focus on user experience, intuitive interfaces, and on-brand digital presence. Includes interactive maps and data visualization.
• Visual Storytelling Communication design service translating complex content into compelling visual narratives through photography, typography, and art direction to create impactful campaigns and educational materials.
• Interactive Experiences Design service creating immersive interactive exhibitions and installations that engage audiences through physical and digital interactions, gamification, and multi-sensory experiences. Targets museums, cultural institutions, and organizations seeking experiential engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• Doubling of visitor numbers for Maritiem Museum following rebranding
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Kiss the FrogminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInteractive games producer for Kinderboekenmuseum 'I am Frog' exhibition. Produced the digital interactive games component of the exhibition.
• ThisisjaneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpatial design collaborator for Kinderboekenmuseum exhibition. Partnered on the physical space design and layout for the interactive exhibition.
• Kloosterboer DecorminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExhibition construction partner for Kinderboekenmuseum. Built the physical installations and set pieces for the 'I am Frog' exhibition.
• Haagse Hogeschool (The Hague University of Applied Sciences)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent testing partner for Kinderboekenmuseum interactive games. Students tested the interactive game concepts developed for the exhibition.
• KaapsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilmmaking partner for Middin recruitment campaign. Young filmmakers collaborated on short films where employees share their unique stories for employer branding.
• &vandeWerkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for brand naming and positioning for Altide Medisch Servicecentrum. Collaborated on developing the new brand name and overall positioning strategy for the merged organization.
• UpsidersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategy partner for IJsselland Ziekenhuis campaign. Worked with hospital staff to formulate the 'It's all about you' promise that was then translated into campaign concept.
• GreenhostminorOthersWebsite hosting provider. Servers located in the Netherlands with excellent privacy policy. Used for Taken By Storm's own website hosting.
• Boekhoudhelden.nlminorOthersAccounting services provider. Handles invoice processing and financial administration for Taken By Storm.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Studio Dumbar: Renowned Dutch brand design studio offering visual identity and brand strategy. Closely comparable in service mix, geography, and boutique positioning despite longer heritage.
• Edenspiekermann: Independent brand and design consultancy with offices across Europe offering strategy, identity, and digital services. Comparable multidisciplinary brand offering and European footprint.
• Pentagram: Global partner-led design firm with the same small-team, senior-talent-on-every-project model that Taken By Storm explicitly follows. Closest analog in operating philosophy.
• VBAT: Dutch brand strategy and design agency with comparable portfolio across consumer, healthcare, and public-sector clients. Direct mid-market competitor in the Netherlands.
• Moving Brands: Independent brand and design consultancy with offices in London and Zurich. Comparable boutique positioning across strategy, identity, and digital experience design.
• Saffron Brand Consultants: Independent brand consultancy operating across strategy, identity, and experience. Comparable boutique model with senior-led delivery and similar target enterprise clients.
• Total Design: Amsterdam-headquartered design agency with deep heritage across brand strategy, visual identity, and digital design. Comparable offering and Dutch-market peer.
• Fabrique: Amsterdam-based brand, design, and digital agency and the former employer of Taken By Storm's founders. Highly comparable: similar multidisciplinary brand strategy / visual identity / digital offering and shared Dutch market positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Interbrand: Global brand consultancy and Taken By Storm's larger cousin in brand strategy and visual identity. Same core offering, but with international scale and additional research/valuation services.
• Landor & Fitch: Global branding consultancy part of WPP. Overlaps with Taken By Storm in brand strategy and visual identity but serves much larger enterprise clients with broader service portfolios.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TakenByStormNL

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Taken By Storm