Dutch Kidney Foundation chooses Total Design

After an extensive agency selection process involving five agencies, the Kidney Foundation has chosen Total Design for the development of an overarching brand and communication platform. The creative concept will guide all marketing and communication efforts in the coming years and align with the new direction set by the Kidney Foundation in collaboration with the Dutch Kidney Patients Association.

Due to the significant increase in the number of kidney patients, both organizations are fully committed to developing a social and impactful movement. Their goal is to raise awareness about the urgency of the issue and work together with partners to achieve necessary breakthroughs in preventing, treating, and curing kidney diseases.

Transitioning from a traditional fundraising organization, the Kidney Foundation is evolving into a social enterprise. Through collaboration with governments, research institutions, commercial entities, and investors on a national and international level, they aim to accelerate the allocation of resources and capital for research, new technologies, and solutions. This includes the development of wearable artificial kidneys, lab-grown mini-kidneys, and medications that will significantly improve the lives of kidney patients. The ultimate aim is to eradicate all kidney diseases worldwide by 2040.

The communication landscape of the Kidney Foundation and the Dutch Kidney Patients Association is broad and diverse. In the coming months, various conceptual directions will be explored through working sessions with all communication stakeholders. It is crucial that the overarching idea not only resonates but can also be effectively translated into different themes, programs, and propositions. The first communication materials will be visible after the summer.

Tom Oostrom (Director of the Kidney Foundation) – “In the Netherlands, 1.7 million people suffer from chronic kidney damage. That’s one in ten people, and most are unaware of it. By the time you notice it, it’s often too late, and you become a patient. People with chronic kidney damage are at a much higher risk of premature death and cardiovascular diseases. By 2040, kidney damage will be the fifth leading cause of death worldwide. We don’t want that. If we don’t take action together now, kidney diseases will have a tremendous impact in the future, both personally and socially.”

Hugo van den Bos (Strategy Director at Total Design) – “We were not only shocked by the numbers but also outraged when we realized that solutions are within reach. In fact, with the right priorities and sufficient investments, the lives of many patients can become much more bearable in the near future. That future can be brought forward. Every euro raised by the Kidney Foundation through fundraising efforts is multiplied by establishing joint ventures and alliances with investors, research institutions, and other parties. This approach has already mobilized 60 million euros in capital for targeted innovations and breakthroughs in the past year alone. To further expand this movement, acceleration is needed in all aspects, mentally, socially, and commercially. And the beautiful thing is, it is possible.”