Positive, the digital and creative content agency of the Candid platform, acquires TikTok and video specialist DUNKD. Twan van Empelen, owner and founder of DUNKD, will be responsible for further developing the short-form video and TV production services of Positive.

The decision to add DUNKD's services to the Positive portfolio is a strategic move and responds to the changing needs of the market. Advertising budgets are under pressure, and brands are increasingly opting for less expensive productions that align with a digital-first media strategy.

Positive Netherlands, formed in 2022 after the merger of Daily Dialogues, Havana Harbor, and the UK-based acquisition Positive, is a digital-first full-service advertising and content agency. Positive assists brands in transitioning from traditional media channels to a strategy where digital is central. Positive conceptualizes and produces content for all media channels utilized by its clients, both above-the-line (ATL) and below-the-line (BTL). Clients include Pearle, Gordon Ramsay, Makro, Yakult, Shell, Unibet, and Blokker.

DUNKD was founded by Twan van Empelen in 2022. The agency quickly became one of the leading TikTok and short-form video producers in the Netherlands. DUNKD works for clients such as Intertoys and Vakantiediscounter. Over the past year, DUNKD, alongside its partners, has produced not only short-form videos but also various TVCs for Intertoys and developed several YouTube formats. The DUNKD team will relocate to the Candid office in Amsterdam.

Twan elaborates on the decision to join Positive: "The decision to join Candid/Positive feels like an exciting but highly promising step. From the first contact, it became clear that both visions are aligned, and I am convinced that combining our expertise will increase our market opportunities. This will allow us to offer even better service to our current partners/clients, which was the primary consideration in my decision."

Sjef Kerkhofs, MD of Positive, expresses great pride in Positive's new step: "From day one, when we saw Twan competing against us in a pitch, we were impressed by his drive and the quality of his work. Twan is, in my opinion, one of the greatest talents in our industry. We are actively working on building a team around Twan so that he and DUNKD can grow optimally, both in the Netherlands and in the UK."

Rudiger Wanck, CEO of Candid, states: "By adding DUNKD to Positive, we are creating within the Candid platform a digital-first agency that is fully tailored to contemporary marketing and communication. High-quality creativity is combined with the speed and dynamism of the new digital media and channels. And with the addition of DUNKD, we can provide our clients with fully integrated services."