In this Member Spotlight, we turn to our member agency SteamTalmark in Amsterdam, a specialist employer branding agency focused on helping organisations stand out in an increasingly competitive talent market. As the balance of power continues to shift towards candidates, their approach centres on aligning organisational ambition with individual motivation to create meaningful and lasting connections.

At a time when traditional recruitment approaches are losing impact, SteamTalmark highlights a critical shift agencies can’t afford to ignore: the need to place the candidate experience at the heart of every interaction. This interview offers valuable perspective on how creativity, insight, and a candidate-first mindset can redefine employer branding and drive measurable results.

How would you describe your agency’s positioning and the way you create value for clients?

We, SteamTalmark, are not just any advertising agency. We specialize in employer branding. 

Or, as we like to put it: we make employers irresistible. A goal not to be underestimated in a market where candidates are in control. In recent years, the labor market has become so tight that employers have to go the extra mile to attract and retain talent.

We do that by connecting ambitions. In other words, we show candidates how their personal ambitions perfectly align with the ambitions of the organization. That starts with a deep understanding of the target audience — their motivations, aspirations, concerns, and drivers.

In addition, we create work that stands out. Work that resonates, surprises, and moves people to act. Creative work that not only captures attention but also builds meaningful connections between employer and candidate.

And we let the results speak for themselves. We don’t create beautiful work just to win awards — we create work that delivers measurable impact and helps organizations achieve their recruitment and employer branding goals.

What is one major shift happening in your market right now that agencies can’t afford to ignore?

The ongoing labor market shortage requires a fundamentally different approach to recruitment and employer branding. The days when candidates were willing to jump through hoops to land that one job are over. 

At SteamTalmark, our response to that is what we like to call ‘radically choosing the candidate’s side’. 

Not by simply telling the target audience what they want to hear, but by genuinely being there for them. We aim to build a partnership with the audience from the very first moment — starting within the campaign itself — and to discover together whether there is a true match.

By doing so, we give candidates the feeling, at the earliest possible stage, that they are already part of the team. It helps us stand out and break through to audiences who have become fatigued by excessive recruitment efforts. 

Can you share a recent project you’re particularly proud of? What was the challenge, your approach, and the measurable impact?

SteamTalmark has been around since 1994. Over the years, we have worked for many different clients across a wide range of sectors. These include the Ministry of Defence, the Dutch Police, the National Railway company, the Dutch construction and infrastructure sector, Deloitte, Boskalis Group and The Schiphol group.

In recent years, we have also worked intensively for the Dienst Justitiële Inrichtingen (DJI), the Dutch Custodial Institutions Agency – the organization responsible for the prison system in the Netherlands. A client facing significant staff shortages. Shortages that are not merely inconvenient but pose a direct threat to safety in society.

When we started, the name DJI was barely known to the public. Not in general, let alone as an employer. We enjoy working for organizations that cannot rely on a household brand name — employers that effectively start the race one goal behind. That’s where we can truly make a difference.

In a relatively short period of time, we helped turn DJI into a recognizable and relevant employer brand. We did so primarily by challenging deeply rooted misconceptions. Working in the prison system is not just about locking people up; it is, above all, about guiding them back into society. 

That insight fundamentally changes how people perceive the organization — and makes it a far more attractive employer to a much broader audience.

Watch the video

What does a great partnership look like to you in 2026?

In the Netherlands, there’s a saying: “u vraagt, wij draaien,” which roughly translates to “you ask, we deliver.” At SteamTalmark, we don’t believe in that approach. We prefer to say: “you ask, we ask further.” We strongly believe in collaboration – with clients and other agencies – but always on a critical and strategic basis.

This mindset — constructive, curious, and sometimes challenging — leads to strong partnerships built on trust. Our clients and other agencies value us not just for execution, but for our ability to think alongside them, sharpen their thinking, and ultimately help them make better decisions and achieve stronger outcomes together.

We’d love to partner up with you as well. So if you work for a large retailer, manufacturer, or government organization that struggles to develop and position its employer brand effectively, give us a call. Together, we can help these clients become not only an attractive consumer brand, but an attractive employer as well.

Tell us something unexpected about your agency — a fun fact, milestone, or defining moment from your journey, such as a lesson that's changed the way you run your business.

Not only our clients, but we as an agency are irresistible too ;)

Find out more at steamtalmark.nl