The Future is Bright.

In 1999 (yes, nineteen ninety-nine), I began my professional career at KPN Orange, then the third mobile operator in Belgium. Orange was a brand with a bold mission: to liberate the market from high fees and make mobile communication accessible to a broader audience, both consumers and businesses.

The brand approached advertising in a revolutionary way, blending a focus on brand image—emphasizing emotions, human connections, and empathetic, even esoteric values—with clear and aggressive promotions and deals, in a “black and orange” (typo)graphic style. This dual strategy helped Orange stand out in a fast-moving and highly competitive market. Proximus, the incumbent operator, and Mobistar, the previous challenger, had already established themselves and fiercely defended their market share.

Yet Orange’s approach was not limited to external communications. Internal communications and employer branding were fully integrated into the brand universe, long before these disciplines became a “thing” in marketing. Employees were not just staff—they were ambassadors of the brand’s ethos. This alignment ensured that the culture within Orange mirrored the values it communicated to the outside world, fostering a cohesive and inspiring workplace.

Despite a fiercely competitive market, Orange grew rapidly. Its innovative approach to creativity, touchpoints, and activations reshaped how telecom brands connected with audiences. This success was validated by industry recognition, earning a Gold Effie Award in 2000 and a consecutive Silver Effie in 2001.

For a brand whose baseline was “The Future Is Bright,” these accolades were a testament to its vision and impact—not only on its audience but also on its own people.