Gustaaf

© 2025 -26
Black-and-white portrait of Nathalie Bourgeon seated on a chair
C27
Leave a little light on

Gustaaf

© 2025 -26
Black-and-white portrait of Nathalie Bourgeon seated on a chair
C27
Leave a little light on

Gustaaf

© 2025 -26
Black-and-white portrait of Nathalie Bourgeon seated on a chair
C27
Leave a little light on

Gustaaf brings ideas, design and technology together, solving real business problems.

Gustaaf brings ideas, design and technology together, solving real business problems.

Gustaaf brings ideas, design and technology together, solving real business problems.

At Gustaaf, we keep our process clear, collaborative, and focused. We work closely as a small team, shaping each project with intention and care. Every idea is explored from multiple angles, refined together, and guided by a shared sense of purpose. Nothing is added without reason, and nothing essential is left behind. The result is work that feels thoughtful, precise, and built to last beyond trends.Our way of working is straightforward. We stay small by choice, keeping the process open and honest so decisions remain meaningful. Dialogue is constant, feedback is collective, and the direction becomes sharper with every step. We believe clarity comes from collaboration, and that strong ideas emerge when the team thinks as one.

At Gustaaf, we keep our process clear, collaborative, and focused. We work closely as a small team, shaping each project with intention and care. Every idea is explored from multiple angles, refined together, and guided by a shared sense of purpose. Nothing is added without reason, and nothing essential is left behind. The result is work that feels thoughtful, precise, and built to last beyond trends. Our way of working is straightforward. We stay small by choice, keeping the process open and honest so decisions remain meaningful. Dialogue is constant, feedback is collective, and the direction becomes sharper with every step. We believe clarity comes from collaboration, and that strong ideas emerge when the team thinks as one.

Our Services
Our Services

We help brands define what they stand for, shape how they appear and build the experiences through which people meet them.

We help brands define what they stand for, shape how they appear and build the experiences through which people meet them.

A /

We define the strategic and visual foundations of a brand. From positioning and naming to identity systems and guidelines, we create a clear expression that gives organisations direction and recognition.

Brand Strategy

Positioning

Naming

Brand Identity

Visual Language

Design Systems

A /

We define the strategic and visual foundations of a brand. From positioning and naming to identity systems and guidelines, we create a clear expression that gives organisations direction and recognition.

Brand Strategy

Positioning

Naming

Brand Identity

Visual Language

Design Systems

A /

We define the strategic and visual foundations of a brand. From positioning and naming to identity systems and guidelines, we create a clear expression that gives organisations direction and recognition.

Brand Strategy

Positioning

Naming

Brand Identity

Visual Language

Design Systems

B /

We design and develop digital experiences that make brands useful, intuitive and easy to understand. Strategy, UX, design and technology evolve together from the first idea to the final build.

Digital Strategy

UX/UI Design

Web Design

Digital Products

Prototyping

Technical Direction

B /

We design and develop digital experiences that make brands useful, intuitive and easy to understand. Strategy, UX, design and technology evolve together from the first idea to the final build.

Digital Strategy

UX/UI Design

Web Design

Digital Products

Prototyping

Technical Direction

B /

We design and develop digital experiences that make brands useful, intuitive and easy to understand. Strategy, UX, design and technology evolve together from the first idea to the final build.

Digital Strategy

UX/UI Design

Web Design

Digital Products

Prototyping

Technical Direction

C /

We create ideas that give brands momentum. Clear strategic thinking becomes campaigns, stories and activations that can travel across channels, formats and markets without losing their character.

Campaign Strategy

Creative Concepts

Creative Direction

Brand Storytelling

Integrated Campaigns

Activation

C /

We create ideas that give brands momentum. Clear strategic thinking becomes campaigns, stories and activations that can travel across channels, formats and markets without losing their character.

Campaign Strategy

Creative Concepts

Creative Direction

Brand Storytelling

Integrated Campaigns

Activation

C /

We create ideas that give brands momentum. Clear strategic thinking becomes campaigns, stories and activations that can travel across channels, formats and markets without losing their character.

Campaign Strategy

Creative Concepts

Creative Direction

Brand Storytelling

Integrated Campaigns

Activation

D /

We shape the words, images, films and motion that bring a brand to life. Every element is developed around one strong idea and produced with the attention needed to make it land.

Content Strategy

Copywriting

Film Concepts

Script Development

Photography

Production Direction

D /

We shape the words, images, films and motion that bring a brand to life. Every element is developed around one strong idea and produced with the attention needed to make it land.

Content Strategy

Copywriting

Film Concepts

Script Development

Photography

Production Direction

D /

We shape the words, images, films and motion that bring a brand to life. Every element is developed around one strong idea and produced with the attention needed to make it land.

Content Strategy

Copywriting

Film Concepts

Script Development

Photography

Production Direction

E /

We make sure creative work reaches the right people at the right moment. From audience insights and channel strategy to media planning and placement, we bring creativity and distribution together to give every campaign greater reach, relevance and measurable impact.

Media Strategy

Audience Insights

Channel Planning

Media Buying

Campaign Activation

Performance Optimisation

E /

We make sure creative work reaches the right people at the right moment. From audience insights and channel strategy to media planning and placement, we bring creativity and distribution together to give every campaign greater reach, relevance and measurable impact.

Media Strategy

Audience Insights

Channel Planning

Media Buying

Campaign Activation

Performance Optimisation

E /

We make sure creative work reaches the right people at the right moment. From audience insights and channel strategy to media planning and placement, we bring creativity and distribution together to give every campaign greater reach, relevance and measurable impact.

Media Strategy

Audience Insights

Channel Planning

Media Buying

Campaign Activation

Performance Optimisation

Gustaaf

Gustaaf

In Numbers

In Numbers

A closer look at the milestones and collaborations that define our ongoing practice.

A closer look at the milestones and collaborations that define our ongoing practice.

Our

Our

Awards

Awards

Selected moments where our work was acknowledged by others.

ABC Award

Brand & Communication Design

x1

ABC Award

Brand & Communication Design

x1

ABC Award

Brand & Communication Design

x1

Effie

Creative Campaigns

x3

Effie

Creative Campaigns

x3

Effie

Creative Campaigns

x3

Epica

Creative Campaigns

x1

Epica

Creative Campaigns

x1

Epica

Creative Campaigns

x1

Lovie Award

Creative Campaign

x1

Lovie Award

Creative Campaign

x1

Lovie Award

Creative Campaign

x1

San Accent

Creative Campaign

x1

San Accent

Creative Campaign

x1

San Accent

Creative Campaign

x1

ADC

Creative Campaign

x2

ADC

Creative Campaign

x2

ADC

Creative Campaign

x2

W3 Award

Creative Campaign

x1

W3 Award

Creative Campaign

x1

W3 Award

Creative Campaign

x1

The Founder
The Founder

Olaf Haarsma founded Gustaaf after more than twenty-five years in the international creative industry, working within global network agencies on brand communication and creating campaigns and brand experiences for major international clients across automotive, finance, healthcare and premium consumer brands. Throughout that work, the same red thread runs from creation to technology: ideas built to move fluidly between craft and platform, concept and execution. That experience now comes together at Gustaaf — senior creative leadership, direct access and a flexible network of specialists assembled around the needs of each project.

Olaf Haarsma founded Gustaaf after more than twenty-five years in the international creative industry, working within global network agencies on brand communication and creating campaigns and brand experiences for major international clients across automotive, finance, healthcare and premium consumer brands. Throughout that work, the same red thread runs from creation to technology: ideas built to move fluidly between craft and platform, concept and execution. That experience now comes together at Gustaaf — senior creative leadership, direct access and a flexible network of specialists assembled around the needs of each project.

The Process

The Process

A clear process keeps ambitious projects focused while leaving enough room for discovery, experimentation and better ideas.

A clear process keeps ambitious projects focused while leaving enough room for discovery, experimentation and better ideas.

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

Discovery

Discovery

Strategy

Strategy

Design & Build

Design & Build

Launch & Beyond

Launch & Beyond

Discovery
Discovery

We begin by listening. Through conversations, research and workshops, we build a shared understanding of the business, the audience and the opportunity ahead.

We begin by listening. Through conversations, research and workshops, we build a shared understanding of the business, the audience and the opportunity ahead.

Strategy
Strategy

We turn what we learn into a clear direction. Priorities, positioning and the central idea create a framework for every decision that follows.

We turn what we learn into a clear direction. Priorities, positioning and the central idea create a framework for every decision that follows.

Design & Build
Design & Build

We explore, prototype and shape the work in close collaboration. Identity, digital experience, campaign or content system develops as one coherent whole.

We explore, prototype and shape the work in close collaboration. Identity, digital experience, campaign or content system develops as one coherent whole.

Launch & Beyond
Launch & Beyond

We bring the work into the world with precision. Development, production and implementation are carefully directed, with systems in place to help the work evolve after launch.

We bring the work into the world with precision. Development, production and implementation are carefully directed, with systems in place to help the work evolve after launch.

Client reflections

Honest impressions from the teams we’ve collaborated with across brand and digital work.

Client reflections

Honest impressions from the teams we’ve collaborated with across brand and digital work.

Client reflections

Honest impressions from the teams we’ve collaborated with across brand and digital work.

Our thoughts on how brands, systems, and stories find their form.

Gustaaf Notes

Woman wearing a VR headset in pink and blue light
Woman wearing a VR headset in pink and blue light

April 14, 2026

The most interesting projects rarely begin with technology.

Black ink illustration of a face surrounded by tangled lines
Black ink illustration of a face surrounded by tangled lines

Sept 10, 2026

Complexity has a curious way of entering every project. One more feature. One more page. One more message. One more explanation. Individually, each addition feels reasonable. Together, they slowly make the original idea harder to recognise. Few things become better simply by becoming more.

Our thoughts on how brands, systems, and stories find their form.

Gustaaf Notes

Woman wearing a VR headset in pink and blue light
Woman wearing a VR headset in pink and blue light

April 14, 2026

The most interesting projects rarely begin with technology.

Gustaaf Notes

Woman wearing a VR headset in pink and blue light
Woman wearing a VR headset in pink and blue light

April 14, 2026

The most interesting projects rarely begin with technology.

Do you feel ready to become part of our growing team?

Let’s Talk!

By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy.

By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy.

By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy.

Questions, answered.

Learn more about the people and principles behind Gustaaf

A

What is Gustaaf?

Gustaaf is a creative and technology agency based near Frankfurt. We solve business challenges with creativity and technology — because for most of our clients, the two can no longer be separated.

What is Gustaaf?

Gustaaf is a creative and technology agency based near Frankfurt. We solve business challenges with creativity and technology — because for most of our clients, the two can no longer be separated.

A

What does Gustaaf actually do?

What does Gustaaf actually do?

We work across the full range, from the first idea to the thing that goes live. That means brand strategy and global brand and design, campaign concepts and the creative ideas behind them, the production of the actual assets — photography, videography, film — and the building of websites and digital platforms. And when a client’s challenge turns out to be less about a campaign and more about how their business runs, we design and help build the technology to fix it. One studio, from the napkin sketch to the working system.

A

What do you mean by “creativity and technology”?

What do you mean by “creativity and technology”?

It’s the heart of who we are, so it’s worth being precise. A lot of agencies stop at the idea and hand you a deck. A lot of technology firms build the system but have no feel for brand, story, or the people who’ll actually use it. We sit in the middle. We come up with the creative idea, we design it, we produce it — and when it needs to run inside a real, live technology environment, we can take it all the way there. Creativity gives the work its meaning. Technology gives it reach and makes it real.

A

Are you a creative agency or a technology company?

Are you a creative agency or a technology company?

Both, honestly, and that’s the point. We’re a modern agency built for a moment where a brand problem is often also a systems problem, and a systems problem is often a brand problem in disguise. Some clients come to us purely for design or a campaign. Others come with a broader business challenge and leave with a new way of working that runs on technology. We’re comfortable at either end and everywhere in between.

A

Can you deliver enterprise-level technology solutions?

Can you deliver enterprise-level technology solutions?

Yes. It’s something we say with care, because we can back it up. Through our partner network we deliver technology solutions at enterprise level — the kind that plug into your existing, running systems rather than sitting awkwardly next to them. We don’t just think up the solution; we implement it properly, at the standard a serious organization expects. So when a client tells us they have a business problem, we look at it from a creative angle and a solution angle at the same time. Sometimes the answer is a campaign. Sometimes it’s a whole new environment where the problem simply gets solved in a different way.

A

How do you use AI?

How do you use AI?

AI isn’t a buzzword for us and it isn’t a separate service either. It’s part of how we think, how we build, and what our solutions end up being. It helps us work faster and smarter, and it lets us automate the things that should be automated — so the result runs smoother for you. We don’t overdo it or bolt “AI“ onto a pitch. But it’s genuinely part of the way modern work gets done, and it’s woven into ours.

A

What kinds of services can I hire Gustaaf for?

What kinds of services can I hire Gustaaf for?

The short list: brand and identity design, global branding, campaign strategy and creative concepts, website design and development, content and asset production, photography, videography and film, and — at the larger end — technology and AI-driven solutions built and implemented with our partners. If your need touches more than one of these, that’s usually where we’re at our best, because you’re dealing with one team instead of stitching several together.

A

Who do you work with?

Who do you work with?

We work with companies that take their brand and their operations seriously — often B2B, technical industries, engineering, manufacturing, and Mittelstand businesses, though not only those. Some clients are established names refreshing how they show up in the world. Others are trying to solve a specific business problem. What they share is that they want thinking and execution from the same place.

A

Do you only design things, or do you build and run them too?

Do you only design things, or do you build and run them too?

We build and run them too. Designing something beautiful and then leaving you to figure out how to make it work has never appealed to us. We handle the production — the actual photography, the actual film, the actual website — and, where it involves technology, the implementation into your live environment. That last part is where a lot of good ideas normally fall apart, so it’s exactly the part we’ve made sure we can deliver.

A

Where are you based, and who do you work for?

Where are you based, and who do you work for?

We’re based near Frankfurt in Germany and we work internationally. Our team carries decades of experience from large international network agencies, which is why we can operate at a serious scale while staying small enough to actually care about your project. Big-agency thinking, small-agency attitude.

A

How does a project usually start?

How does a project usually start?

It starts with a conversation, not a template. Tell us the problem — a brand that’s lost its edge, a campaign you need, a website that needs building, or a business challenge you can’t quite name yet. We’ll look at it from both sides, the creative and the technical, and come back with a way forward that fits. Sometimes that’s a single deliverable. Sometimes it’s a bigger rethink. Either way, you’ll be talking to the people who’ll actually do the work.

Still have questions? Let’s talk about your project and how we can help.

Questions, answered.

Learn more about the people and principles behind Gustaaf

A

What is Gustaaf?

What is Gustaaf?

Gustaaf is a creative and technology agency based near Frankfurt. We solve business challenges with creativity and technology — because for most of our clients, the two can no longer be separated.

A

What does Gustaaf actually do?

What does Gustaaf actually do?

We work across the full range, from the first idea to the thing that goes live. That means brand strategy and global brand and design, campaign concepts and the creative ideas behind them, the production of the actual assets — photography, videography, film — and the building of websites and digital platforms. And when a client’s challenge turns out to be less about a campaign and more about how their business runs, we design and help build the technology to fix it. One studio, from the napkin sketch to the working system.

A

What do you mean by “creativity and technology”?

What do you mean by “creativity and technology”?

It’s the heart of who we are, so it’s worth being precise. A lot of agencies stop at the idea and hand you a deck. A lot of technology firms build the system but have no feel for brand, story, or the people who’ll actually use it. We sit in the middle. We come up with the creative idea, we design it, we produce it — and when it needs to run inside a real, live technology environment, we can take it all the way there. Creativity gives the work its meaning. Technology gives it reach and makes it real.

A

Are you a creative agency or a technology company?

Are you a creative agency or a technology company?

Both, honestly, and that’s the point. We’re a modern agency built for a moment where a brand problem is often also a systems problem, and a systems problem is often a brand problem in disguise. Some clients come to us purely for design or a campaign. Others come with a broader business challenge and leave with a new way of working that runs on technology. We’re comfortable at either end and everywhere in between.

A

Can you deliver enterprise-level technology solutions?

Can you deliver enterprise-level technology solutions?

Yes. It’s something we say with care, because we can back it up. Through our partner network we deliver technology solutions at enterprise level — the kind that plug into your existing, running systems rather than sitting awkwardly next to them. We don’t just think up the solution; we implement it properly, at the standard a serious organization expects. So when a client tells us they have a business problem, we look at it from a creative angle and a solution angle at the same time. Sometimes the answer is a campaign. Sometimes it’s a whole new environment where the problem simply gets solved in a different way.

A

How do you use AI?

How do you use AI?

AI isn’t a buzzword for us and it isn’t a separate service either. It’s part of how we think, how we build, and what our solutions end up being. It helps us work faster and smarter, and it lets us automate the things that should be automated — so the result runs smoother for you. We don’t overdo it or bolt “AI“ onto a pitch. But it’s genuinely part of the way modern work gets done, and it’s woven into ours.

A

What kinds of services can I hire Gustaaf for?

What kinds of services can I hire Gustaaf for?

The short list: brand and identity design, global branding, campaign strategy and creative concepts, website design and development, content and asset production, photography, videography and film, and — at the larger end — technology and AI-driven solutions built and implemented with our partners. If your need touches more than one of these, that’s usually where we’re at our best, because you’re dealing with one team instead of stitching several together.

A

Who do you work with?

Who do you work with?

We work with companies that take their brand and their operations seriously — often B2B, technical industries, engineering, manufacturing, and Mittelstand businesses, though not only those. Some clients are established names refreshing how they show up in the world. Others are trying to solve a specific business problem. What they share is that they want thinking and execution from the same place.

A

Do you only design things, or do you build and run them too?

Do you only design things, or do you build and run them too?

We build and run them too. Designing something beautiful and then leaving you to figure out how to make it work has never appealed to us. We handle the production — the actual photography, the actual film, the actual website — and, where it involves technology, the implementation into your live environment. That last part is where a lot of good ideas normally fall apart, so it’s exactly the part we’ve made sure we can deliver.

A

Where are you based, and who do you work for?

Where are you based, and who do you work for?

We’re based near Frankfurt in Germany and we work internationally. Our team carries decades of experience from large international network agencies, which is why we can operate at a serious scale while staying small enough to actually care about your project. Big-agency thinking, small-agency attitude.

A

How does a project usually start?

How does a project usually start?

It starts with a conversation, not a template. Tell us the problem — a brand that’s lost its edge, a campaign you need, a website that needs building, or a business challenge you can’t quite name yet. We’ll look at it from both sides, the creative and the technical, and come back with a way forward that fits. Sometimes that’s a single deliverable. Sometimes it’s a bigger rethink. Either way, you’ll be talking to the people who’ll actually do the work.

Still have questions? Let’s talk about your project and how we can help.

Questions, answered.

Learn more about the people and principles behind Gustaaf

A

What is Gustaaf?

What is Gustaaf?

Gustaaf is a creative and technology agency based near Frankfurt. We solve business challenges with creativity and technology — because for most of our clients, the two can no longer be separated.

A

What does Gustaaf actually do?

What does Gustaaf actually do?

We work across the full range, from the first idea to the thing that goes live. That means brand strategy and global brand and design, campaign concepts and the creative ideas behind them, the production of the actual assets — photography, videography, film — and the building of websites and digital platforms. And when a client’s challenge turns out to be less about a campaign and more about how their business runs, we design and help build the technology to fix it. One studio, from the napkin sketch to the working system.

A

What do you mean by “creativity and technology”?

What do you mean by “creativity and technology”?

It’s the heart of who we are, so it’s worth being precise. A lot of agencies stop at the idea and hand you a deck. A lot of technology firms build the system but have no feel for brand, story, or the people who’ll actually use it. We sit in the middle. We come up with the creative idea, we design it, we produce it — and when it needs to run inside a real, live technology environment, we can take it all the way there. Creativity gives the work its meaning. Technology gives it reach and makes it real.

A

Are you a creative agency or a technology company?

Are you a creative agency or a technology company?

Both, honestly, and that’s the point. We’re a modern agency built for a moment where a brand problem is often also a systems problem, and a systems problem is often a brand problem in disguise. Some clients come to us purely for design or a campaign. Others come with a broader business challenge and leave with a new way of working that runs on technology. We’re comfortable at either end and everywhere in between.

A

Can you deliver enterprise-level technology solutions?

Can you deliver enterprise-level technology solutions?

Yes. It’s something we say with care, because we can back it up. Through our partner network we deliver technology solutions at enterprise level — the kind that plug into your existing, running systems rather than sitting awkwardly next to them. We don’t just think up the solution; we implement it properly, at the standard a serious organization expects. So when a client tells us they have a business problem, we look at it from a creative angle and a solution angle at the same time. Sometimes the answer is a campaign. Sometimes it’s a whole new environment where the problem simply gets solved in a different way.

A

How do you use AI?

How do you use AI?

AI isn’t a buzzword for us and it isn’t a separate service either. It’s part of how we think, how we build, and what our solutions end up being. It helps us work faster and smarter, and it lets us automate the things that should be automated — so the result runs smoother for you. We don’t overdo it or bolt “AI“ onto a pitch. But it’s genuinely part of the way modern work gets done, and it’s woven into ours.

A

What kinds of services can I hire Gustaaf for?

What kinds of services can I hire Gustaaf for?

The short list: brand and identity design, global branding, campaign strategy and creative concepts, website design and development, content and asset production, photography, videography and film, and — at the larger end — technology and AI-driven solutions built and implemented with our partners. If your need touches more than one of these, that’s usually where we’re at our best, because you’re dealing with one team instead of stitching several together.

A

Who do you work with?

Who do you work with?

We work with companies that take their brand and their operations seriously — often B2B, technical industries, engineering, manufacturing, and Mittelstand businesses, though not only those. Some clients are established names refreshing how they show up in the world. Others are trying to solve a specific business problem. What they share is that they want thinking and execution from the same place.

A

Do you only design things, or do you build and run them too?

Do you only design things, or do you build and run them too?

We build and run them too. Designing something beautiful and then leaving you to figure out how to make it work has never appealed to us. We handle the production — the actual photography, the actual film, the actual website — and, where it involves technology, the implementation into your live environment. That last part is where a lot of good ideas normally fall apart, so it’s exactly the part we’ve made sure we can deliver.

A

Where are you based, and who do you work for?

Where are you based, and who do you work for?

We’re based near Frankfurt in Germany and we work internationally. Our team carries decades of experience from large international network agencies, which is why we can operate at a serious scale while staying small enough to actually care about your project. Big-agency thinking, small-agency attitude.

A

How does a project usually start?

How does a project usually start?

It starts with a conversation, not a template. Tell us the problem — a brand that’s lost its edge, a campaign you need, a website that needs building, or a business challenge you can’t quite name yet. We’ll look at it from both sides, the creative and the technical, and come back with a way forward that fits. Sometimes that’s a single deliverable. Sometimes it’s a bigger rethink. Either way, you’ll be talking to the people who’ll actually do the work.

Still have questions? Let’s talk about your project and how we can help.

FRANKFURT, DE
FRANKFURT, DE