WIJ Special Media

What WIJ Special Media does

WIJ Special Media B.V. is a Netherlands-based data-driven media company founded in 1974 and headquartered in Blokker that targets expectant parents and families with children up to 12 years old. Its core asset is a proprietary, consent-based first-party database of over 1 million expectant and young parents, capturing address, due date, birth date, child's name, and gender, with two-factor email verification yielding 99% email deliverability. The company monetizes this asset through a cross-media portfolio: the free 'de blije doos' sampling package distributed via Prénatal's retail network (reaching approximately 80% of pregnant women in the Netherlands, ~135,000 registrations and ~125,000 boxes annually), WIJ Magazine (quarterly, 130,000-150,000 circulation), WIJ.nl content platform with phase-triggered newsletters, email and social advertising, the WIJ Monitor ongoing consumer research, WIJ Testpanels, and consumer e-commerce (WIJ Geboortekaartjes, Voordeelbox).

The business model is predominantly B2B sales-led, with Account Managers selling integrated media packages to advertisers and media agencies targeting young parents, complemented by consumer sampling and e-commerce. Long-tenured enterprise clients span baby products (Pampers, Davitamon, Difrax, Qibbel, Nutricia), retail (Prénatal), leisure (Center Parcs), grocery delivery (Picnic, HelloFresh), photography (Albelli), financial services (Rabobank, United Consumers), and education (Partou), with several multi-decade relationships. The firm operates with approximately 30 employees, holds GDPR-compliant Privacy Guarantee certification, and is a DDMA member.

In February 2026, WIJ Special Media was acquired by Belgian N2COM SA (parent of Babyboom), creating a Benelux-anchored data-driven media platform for expectant and young parents with stated European expansion intent. Both entities continue operating under their respective home-market brands, with Director Marcel Bakker and Adjunct-director Anja Schuttert retained for WIJ Special Media and collaborating with N2COM CEO Edouard Gilain on international growth.

Name

WIJ Special Media

Legal name

WIJ Special Media B.V.

Website

https://wijspecialmedia.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WIJ Special Media is a Netherlands-based data-driven media company that monetizes a consent-based first-party database of over 1 million expectant and young parents through cross-media advertising, sampling, print, digital, and research services for B2B advertisers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Data-Driven Media and Advertising Services

NAICS

Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

Services-Direct Mail Advertising Services (7331), Services-Advertising (7310), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty & Niche Channel Distribution (Religious, Comic Shops, Specialty Retail) (MPAJAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Children’s Reference & Informational Series Publishing (MPAJAFAN)

Keywords

• Data-driven media services
• Maternity marketing solutions
• First-party consumer data
• Sampling distribution services
• Young parent advertising

Headquarters

HQ city

Hoorn

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Advertising and media services: WIJ Special Media offers advertisers and brands the opportunity to reach the young parent target audience through its comprehensive media portfolio including sampling packages, email campaigns, website advertising, social media advertising, magazine ads, and custom research. Brands pay for targeted reach to the highly engaged database of 1M+ expectant and young parents.
2. E-commerce - Birth announcement cards: WIJ Geboortekaartjes is a proprietary webshop where birth announcements can be ordered or created. The range includes unique birth announcements in various styles responding to current trends. Customers purchase directly through the website.
3. E-commerce - Voordeelbox: Annual box offering with useful and fun products for parents and their children at a competitive price. Promoted through WIJ media to pregnant women and parents with children up to 12 months old.
4. Sampling partnerships: Brands pay to include their products in the de blije doos sampling package distributed to pregnant women at Prénatal stores. The package includes products from sponsors, generating revenue while providing value to recipients.
5. Research services: WIJ Special Media conducts customized research, satisfaction surveys, image studies, and baseline measurements for clients using their database. Research agencies and universities can send invitations through the database for participant recruitment. The WIJ Monitor provides ongoing market insights.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

WIJ Special Media is a data-driven media company focused on pregnant women and parents with young children up to 12 years in the Netherlands. It operates a proprietary first-party database of over 1 million expectant and young parents and sells cross-media advertising, sampling, email, social, print, and research services to brands, advertisers, and media agencies wanting to reach this demographic. Consumer-facing touchpoints (free sampling boxes, magazine, website) are used both to grow the database and to deliver advertiser campaigns.

Product overview

WIJ Special Media operates as a data-driven media company focused on pregnant women and parents with young children up to 12 years old. The company combines first-party consumer data collection with an integrated portfolio of media products: sampling services (de blije doos, de kleuter koffer), print publications (WIJ Magazine, special editions), digital platforms (WIJ.nl, email newsletters), consumer e-commerce (WIJ Geboortekaartjes, Voordeelbox), and marketing services (social advertising, email marketing). Research products include the WIJ Monitor continuous study and test panels. The company serves both consumers directly and business clients (advertisers, brands) seeking to reach the young parent demographic.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• de blije doos: Free gift package for pregnant women containing products from sponsors, magazine WIJ, and personalized baby hat
• WIJ Magazine
• WIJ.nl
• WIJ Geboortekaartjes
• WIJ Monitor
• de kleuter koffer
• Voordeelbox

Products and services

• de blije doos (Happy Box) Sampling Free sampling package for pregnant women distributed at Prénatal stores across the Netherlands; reaches 80% of all pregnant women in the Netherlands (~125,000-135,000 boxes per year) and serves as a key inventory for sponsor sampling partnerships.
• de kleuter koffer Sampling Sampling package for children turning four years old; parents from the database are invited three months before the child's fourth birthday to pick up the box free of charge at a Prénatal store.
• WIJ Magazine (Print Advertising) Quarterly print magazine for pregnant women and parents with children up to 1 year old, with circulation of 130,000-150,000 copies per issue; sold to advertisers as a print advertising medium.
• WIJ.nl Online Advertising Advertising placements on the WIJ.nl website, an online platform providing reliable information, advice, and personal stories about getting pregnant, pregnancy, childbirth, and parenthood.
• Email Marketing Campaigns Targeted email campaigns to specific audiences at specific times based on pregnancy phase, birth date, or audience segment; includes triggered lifecycle emails and promotional campaigns for B2B clients.
• Social Media Advertising Data-driven social advertising campaigns targeting specific audiences on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, WhatsApp, and YouTube based on pregnancy phase, region, and other characteristics; includes custom audience sharing for partners.
• Data Services Data-driven services including opt-in data collection for clients, data enrichment for existing databases, lead generation through multiple media channels, and postal communication combining address information with audience characteristics.
• WIJ Monitor Research Continuous research study mapping the customer journey of expectant and current parents, including orientation, purchasing behavior, brand preferences, online vs. offline purchases, new vs. secondhand purchases, spending, and market share analysis; produces the semi-annual Babywereld reports.
• WIJ Testpanels End-to-end product testing service where WIJ recruits testers, develops questionnaires, processes results, and creates communications for B2B clients seeking parent feedback on baby products.
• Custom Research Services Customized research offering including satisfaction surveys, image studies, and baseline measurements using WIJ's database; also enables research agencies and universities to send invitations for participant recruitment.
• WIJ Geboortekaartjes (Birth Announcements) Online webshop where consumers can order or create personalized birth announcements in various styles responding to current trends; direct-to-consumer e-commerce sales.
• Voordeelbox Annual Subscription Box Annual subscription box containing useful and fun products for parents and their children (up to 12 months) at a competitive price, promoted through WIJ media to pregnant women and parents.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of all pregnant women in Netherlands reached annually through de blije doos gift package
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• PrénatalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrénatal serves as the primary retail distribution partner for de blije doos sampling package. Pregnant women pick up their free gift package at Prénatal stores. WIJ Special Media has been part of Prénatal for 52 years. The partnership continues after the N2COM acquisition. Prénatal Magazine is co-published with WIJ for pregnant women receiving their first WIJ Magazine.
• United ConsumerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner10-year ongoing partnership for healthcare insurance campaigns. WIJ Special Media develops broad deployment of email campaigns, WIJ.nl advertising, and magazine ads at specific campaign periods. United Consumers reports that consumers signing up through WIJ become long-term customers who continue health insurance after the first year.
• DavitamonmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration supporting pregnant women and new mothers with information about healthy nutrition and vitamins. Joint marketing through WIJ platforms to help families get the best start. Partners on content and sampling initiatives.
• VeiligheidNLmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization providing reliable child safety information. Collaboration includes Instagram Live Q&A sessions reaching many (expectant) parents with valuable knowledge and tips. Shared mission to help children grow up safely.
• NutriciamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerBaby food and nutrition brand partnering with WIJ for research initiatives and marketing campaigns targeting young parents. WIJ Monitor research partner.
• DifraxmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerBaby product manufacturer (bottles, feeding accessories) collaborating with WIJ through articles, social ads, and newsletters. WIJ Test Panels provide valuable parent feedback on Difrax products.
• PamperscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLongstanding sponsor included in de blije doos gift package since its inception 50 years ago. Brand consistently represented in the sampling package for pregnant women.
• Babyboom (N2COM brand)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerN2COM's Belgian brand Babyboom offers 360-degree cross-media services including sampling, online, print, and the annual Babyboombeurs trade show in Brussels. Will collaborate with WIJ Special Media on European expansion strategy.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BabyCenter (Everyday Health Group): Global pregnancy and parenting content and data platform reaching tens of millions of parents; overlaps with WIJ's pregnancy-to-parenthood lifecycle model but at a much larger, multi-territory scale and as part of a broader consumer health portfolio.

Direct peers

• What to Expect: Pregnancy and parenting content platform with week-by-week trackers, community forums, and product reviews monetized through advertising and commerce; closest international analogue to WIJ's data-driven, phase-targeted editorial model.
• The Bump (The Knot Worldwide): Pregnancy and early parenthood content and registry platform operated alongside wedding brand The Knot; combines editorial content, tools, and ecommerce monetization in a similar mix to WIJ Geboortekaartjes and WIJ Magazine.
• Babyboom (N2COM brand): Belgium-based sister brand of WIJ following the 2026 N2COM acquisition; operates a near-identical cross-media model targeting expectant and young parents, including sampling, online, print, and the annual Babyboombeurs trade show in Brussels.
• Mamaplaats: Dutch influencer-driven parenting platform with reviews, blogs, and a community of mothers; comparable in audience and content approach but relies on influencer content rather than first-party declared data.

Others

• Toluna: Global online panel and consumer research provider; competes with WIJ Monitor for research-driven participant recruitment and insight work targeting young parents.
• Prénatal International: Long-time distribution partner of WIJ's de blije doos, with its own store network and co-published Prénatal Magazine; historical parent entity of WIJ and still a strategic alliance partner, partially overlapping in retail-media activity.
• Skeepers: European consumer engagement and sampling platform offering product-sampling and review solutions; comparable to the de blije doos and WIJ Testpanels offerings in the sampling and product-feedback space.

Regional players

• Ouders van Nu (Sanoma): Established Dutch parenting magazine and digital platform owned by Sanoma; competes with WIJ Magazine and WIJ.nl for the same Dutch young-parent audience via advertising and subscriptions.
• Center Parcs (marketing function): Vacation park operator with a 50-year partnership with WIJ, including a dedicated VRIJ magazine mini-edition; relevant as a long-standing client combining leisure marketing with the parenting audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/wijvideos
• Facebookfacebook.com/WIJ
• Instagraminstagram.com/wij.insta
• Pinterestnl.pinterest.com/WIJ_Pinterest
• TikToktiktok.com/@wij.tiktok
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wij-special-media

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 WIJ Special Media