How can you harness the power of sport to make the societal importance of hydrogen tangible and relevant for a business audience?
Missie H2 is a consortium of Dutch companies that work together to accelerate and showcase the hydrogen economy. They aim to get closer to this goal by creating awareness through the campaign ‘Nederland Waterstofland’ (‘The Netherlands, Hydrogen Nation’). Since 2019, sport has been used in various forms to achieve the desired results, including this campaign in 2024.
By partnering with TeamNL, engaging ambassadors such as Marit Bouwmeester and Ranomi Kromowidjojo, and establishing sponsorships with the Royal Dutch Water Sports Association and the Royal Dutch Rowing Federation, we created visibility, topical relevance, stopping power and strong relationship marketing.
Our approach
Ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, we developed a marketing strategy and, in collaboration with other agencies, a year-round activation plan designed to connect sport and the energy transition in a convincing way.
Through a combination of storytelling, various events and visible metaphors, the connection between elite sport and hydrogen was reinforced and made tangible. The objective of the campaign was to link the hydrogen economy, both digitally and physically, to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as the final destination.
The campaign was shaped through a range of mutually reinforcing elements. The online video series “Die andere reis naar Parijs” (“The Other Road to Paris”) followed frontrunners and entrepreneurs on their journey to the Olympic Games, with hydrogen as the central theme. A hydrogen map showcased hundreds of projects across the Netherlands, making the hydrogen economy tangible. In addition, golden hydrogen medals were awarded to frontrunners, including Minister Rob Jetten, to recognise innovation and commitment.
During the Olympic Games, dozens of decision-makers from the energy sector gathered at the TeamNL House to discuss how hydrogen can become a concrete part of the Dutch energy transition. The Missie H2 message was continuously amplified through media coverage, LinkedIn and newsletters. Paris itself reinforced this message as a powerful symbol: the city of the Climate Agreement and the Olympic Games.
“The power of sport enabled us to connect people to a theme as abstract and future-oriented as hydrogen. That is exactly what we need to speed up the energy transition.”
— Sietse Wijnstra, Missie H2
The impact
This approach delivered clear results. It increased visibility, informed and inspired the target audience using elite sport as a driver for sustainable change. As a result, Missie H2 developed into a genuine movement within the business community.
In addition to building awareness, the campaign delivered measurable behavioural impact within the business target group. Independent research by MarktEffect showed:
Knowledge of hydrogen increased from 55% to 89% among those exposed to Missie H2 content.
Positive attitudes towards hydrogen grew from 60% to 71%.
Behavioural intent shifted significantly: 90% of the exposed audience considered contributing to the development of the hydrogen economy, compared to 70% of the non-exposed group.
The campaign also generated strong visibility and engagement across multiple channels:
25 million total media reach.
7,297 LinkedIn followers with a 6% engagement rate.
106,000 website visits, with average reading times peaking at nearly three minutes per article.
3,065 newsletter sign-ups.
The Hydrogen Map featured 340 projects, attracted 70,000 visits, and expanded internationally via RVO’s Netherlands branding.
The video series “Die andere reis naar Parijs” reached 170,000 views among more than 100,000 unique viewers and received a positive rating from 51% of viewers, versus just 4% negative.
These numbers demonstrate that the combination of sport, storytelling and strategic activation works. Missie H2 has grown into the symbol of the Dutch hydrogen movement: energetic, unifying and future-focused.
Let's get in touch!
Would you like to hear more on how we help businesses make societal themes tangible through sport? Get in touch via the contact form or send an email to sanne@more2win.com to talk about the power of sport for driving change.