Communication
for purpose

Bad Reputation is a Communication Studio for organisations with purpose. Founded by Hester Gersonius, our studio is built on authenticity. Our approach can be characterised as a continuous process from strategy and creation to optimisation. We call this the Communication Cycle – combining creativity with data-driven insights to maximise your impact. Learn what we can do for you.

Insider #2. This is why we march

Text graphic reading "The future is feminist" on the left, "Insider #2" at the top, and "Bad Reputation" vertically on the right.

The Insider is your backstage pass into the business of (pop) culture. In this edition we cover the Feminist March, the Oscars and the release of the Social Media Transition Framework.

Clients and projects

The people we work with are forward thinking innovators – often operating at the intersection of culture, design and technology. We consult and support them on a range of needs. Read more in a selection of our case studies below.

  • In 2024 we refined the communication strategy for Amsterdam Art with a strong focus on international press and the further development of the branding. This included a more accessible tone of voice and the use of social media templates to create a more consistent year round visual identity. Our efforts contributed to the most successful Amsterdam Art Week to date, achieving a 167% increase in organic reach on social media. In 2025 we shift our focus to deepening audience interaction and fostering meaningful engagement. With the introduction of the Client Dashboard, we enhance the ability to make data driven decisions, allowing for better analysis and optimisation of content performance.

    Team
    Hester Gersonius
    Guste Gulevaite
    Mabel Blokzijl

  • CJP has been connecting young people to culture through an individual and educational offer since 1961. In 2024 Hester Gersonius stepped in as Interim Partnership Manager during a maternity leave period, implementing a strategy informed by insights from a qualitative target group study. We established sustainable partnerships across the Dutch cultural sector – working with museums, theaters, festivals, and live venues – to strengthen CJP’s network and long-term impact and continue our collaboration through coaching and consultancy in 2025.

    Team
    Hester Gersonius

  • Cultuur Ferry takes you to more than 30 cultural hotspots in Amsterdam across the water. As branding and communication experts, we hopped on board to help shape this new initiative and played a key role in its rollout. From conducting customer journey research and field studies to handling practical aspects like staff uniforms and ticketing, we helped create a seamless and engaging cultural experience. As part of the launch, we led a press campaign in collaboration with Coebergh Communicatie & PR – the agency where our founder Hester Gersonius once started her career as an intern. A full-circle moment that made this project even more special.

    Team
    Hester Gersonius
    Marijn van Hoevell

  • HXSSY is a Red Light-based, queer SW/er organisation that reimagines SW experiences through immersive artistic and cultural performances and exhibitions. HXSSY connects communities and conversations vital to shifting perceptions and positions of SW/ers within the Red Light District, across Amsterdam, throughout the Netherlands, and hopefully beyond. In support of this important initiative we collaborated with Studio Nicola Jeffs on international PR outreach – proof that the best things truly come in small packages.

    Team
    Hester Gersonius
    Nicola Jeffs

  • Posters for the Planet – a competition for a better world – bridges the gap between good intentions and real change. A powerful poster can do what words and opinions often fail to: distill the complexity of cause and effect into a single compelling design. With an initial target of 500 submissions, our campaign – a combination of organic and paid content – exceeded expectations, generating 1.461 entries. The winning posters are now traveling across the country in an exhibition that stops at museums and unexpected public spaces, supported by a media campaign on the streets and beyond.

    Team
    Hester Gersonius
    Mabel Blokzijl

Work with us

We always welcome new clients. Our team of four women means we are both agile and scalable. We favour long term collaborations where we can create sustainable impact and growth together, but we are just as comfortable delivering high quality results on smaller scale projects. Reach out for more information.

Partly, I like a bad reputation. But I also want a reputation of being a good person.

– Joan Jett