Clarity makes brands stronger.

We help brands become better for people,
the planet, and sustainable success.

Sometimes it starts small.
A social post, a logo tweak, a clearer message.
That’s fine. Every step toward clarity counts.

What works, we keep.
What doesn’t, we rethink and rebuild.

Each one of our specialists is available to step in when needed, plug and play, built around your goals.

We elevate strategy, sharpen design, and accelerate the shift toward purpose and sustainability.

We work lean, move fast, and stay close.
A flat structure, flexible enough to scale with you.

When you win, the world wins too.
And that’s how we win as well.

Want to meet and explore how we can work together?
Please email: mark@upgrade.amsterdam

 

Team:

Brand Direction & Leadership
Mark Veldhuijzen van Zanten
Founder & Team Lead
Hands-on brand identity designer and creative director with + twenty years of experience building and evolving brands.

Mark moves fast, creates huge value, and always hits the sweet spot between business goals and audience connection. He founded Upgrade to help companies be good for people, for the planet, and for the future. He leads with a focus on clarity, relevance, and design that makes a real difference.

Sustainability & Change Strategy
Karin Stoevenbeld-Kreber
The Sustainable Catalyst helps companies embrace a circular approach. She shows how sustainability not only strengthens brands and moves people, but also earns a stage inside and outside the organisation.She stands on that stage herself; visible, inspiring, and engaged.

With Upgrade, she works on projects where strategy,  communication, and behaviour come together.
Karin creates awareness and support; Upgrade brings direction and brand clarity.

Positioning, Proposition & Brand Platform
Scott Smith
International brand strategist and writer, former Creative Director at Wieden+Kennedy. Helps brands sharpen their core idea and express it with impact, combining human insight with AI assisted strategy tools.

Marketing & Communication Strategy
Leila de Zwart
Strategic thinker focused on positioning, content, and performance. Brings structure, speed, and measurable results to growing brands.

User Experience Strategy
Tim Hudson
UX strategist and product thinker, formerly SVP UX at Adyen.
Connects brand and technology through user centred design and scalable digital platforms.

Concept & Campaign Strategy
Bart Kooij
Creative strategist and campaign specialist. Turns positioning into bold, distinctive campaigns with clarity, energy, and narrative strength.

Web Development
Henk Burgraaff
Developer focused on stability, usability, and performance.
Builds fast, secure, and scalable custom websites.

Copywriting & AI Language Design
Ralph Edelstein
Senior copywriter and AI copy expert. Combines creative writing with prompt based systems to craft brand voices that sound natural, persuasive, and distinctly human.

Motion Branding
Kees Kleinhemmink
Motion designer specialised in brand animation. Brings identities to life with rhythm, movement, and dynamic recognition.

Film & Video
Tom Titulaer
Director and content creator with 25 years of experience.
Creates powerful, brand aligned stories for clients like Netflix, Google, and IKEA.