the Truth About Amsterdam

Welkom 2 Amsterdam ft. Misstrezz & Chappell

admin — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:40:15 +0000

Truth about Amsterdam wins City Marketing Award

admin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:40:40 +0000

The truth about the Truth About Amsterdam

admin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:35:41 +0000

On 27 July 2009 a video called The Truth About Amsterdam was posted on YouTube. The video responded to views about Amsterdam expressed by an American political TV talk show on Fox News, The O’Reilly Factor. Comments and assumptions made on the show portrayed Amsterdam as a ‘cesspool of corruption and crime’, ‘boasting free drugs and free love’. Two Amsterdam locals — and several more to follow — disagreed.

Proudly supported by the ATCB

Produced by locals Robbert Nieuwenhuis and Elian Wils, The Truth About Amsterdam aimed to cast light on the reality of Amsterdam life – beyond the common stereotypes of the city and blatant false claims of the O’Reilly Factor. They showed the side of the city that residents experience; families on bakfietsen, busy canals and buskers on the Leidseplein, while illustrating the facts about drugs and corruption in the Netherlands against that of the USA.

Nieuwenhuis and Wils pitched their creative concept to the ATCB, who recognised the viral video as a great opportunity to engage the lucrative American market and break through the common misconceptions of Amsterdam. The viral formed part of an inspired marketing campaign for the ATCB. Production remained entirely in the hands of Nieuwenhuis and Wils, with funding and stock footage supplied by the ATCB.

Revealing the truth

To date, there have been over 400, 000 views and thousands of comments (in support of both views) on YouTube. The ATCB also supported the creation of a website for people to express their own Truth About Amsterdam. In November 2009, the ATCB announced their involvement in the video. This had not been revealed earlier, in order to strengthen the impact of the viral and to avoid influencing the reactions and discussion that emerged from the video.

“We stand by our choice”, stated Eduard Peter Oud from the ATCB. “We did not aim to deceive the viewers, but rather to facilitate an open forum and to communicate The Truth to potential visitors of Amsterdam”. The ATCB has been nominated for a marketing award for the film.

A million faces

pux — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:37:28 +0000

The Deputy Mayor reacts

Robbert — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:57:50 +0000

Women from amsterdam

admin — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:31:47 +0000

Amsterdam versus O’Reilly 2

Robbert — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:45:32 +0000

The truth about Amsterdam, our response to Bill

admin — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:48:37 +0000

Why this website?

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:51:29 +0000

We’re Robbert (26) and Elian (28), we live in Amsterdam. We set up this website as a response to the worldwide pre-assumptions about our city. TV host Bill O’Reilly from Fox News (USA) is one of the most hilarious representatives of these false ideas. We aim to show you a more realistic view of Amsterdam.

We hope that this site inspires you to come up with your own Amsterdam video, showing us and the world what you think it’s like. We’ll also continue to post new videos from time to time. We started the forum because we believe in freedom of speech and the power of internet. So please don’t hold back if you got something to say.

We are working on another reply to Bill. Keep checking our site as we’ll post it soon!

Elian & Robbert

Amsterdam “City of Bikes”

Dismas — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 10:54:46 +0000