Strategic leadership for moments that matter.
For global brands navigating new markets, culture, and fandoms.
Trusted by
Nike / Block / Bandai Namco / ONE PIECE / BVLGARI / Brookfield
Selected Work
Nike Japan
Sparked one of Japan's biggest cultural debates about identity and belonging.
A culturally-rooted campaign built on an insight about belonging and standing out in Japan that ignited public debate and drove meaningful change beyond advertising.
Brand Strategy • Creative Strategy • Campaign Development
HP OMEN Korea
Turned an unknown challenger into Korea's #1 gaming brand.
Took an unknown gaming brand to #1 market leader through deep gaming community understanding, strategic esports partnerships, and positioning rooted in how Korean gamers feel about society.
Market Entry • Gaming Strategy • Brand Development
About the Founder
Former Chief Strategy Officer at Wieden+Kennedy.
Forbes 30 Under 30.
Thijs van de Wouw has spent over fifteen years helping some of the world's most ambitious brands earn their place in culture.
Before founding Van De Wouw, he led strategy across Tokyo, Seoul, New York and beyond at AKQA, Droga5 and Wieden+Kennedy, where he served as Chief Strategy Officer. His work has helped shape brands including Nike, Google, Samsung, Activision Blizzard, Rimowa and Game of Thrones.
Today, he works directly with founders, CMOs and creative leaders to define brand strategy, shape creative platforms and guide ideas from insight through execution.
Based in Tokyo, working globally with deep experience across Japan and Korea.
Testimonials
“Thijs worked with me at Square, on defining the brand strategy for our Japan market, and bringing to life the biggest campaign for the market the business has invested in to date.
I truly cannot say enough positive things about how much Thijs contributed to the team and the business in the time we worked together.
Thijs overdelivered at every opportunity and became a central leader for our team in Japan.
The brand strategy was so deeply rooted in a thoughtful understanding of the audience and the cultural landscape. He then built out a truly standout creative brief and platform, getting to the heart of what small business owners actually need, positioning Square to be truly breakthrough in the category.
His team also brought a new level of creative excellence to the concepting phase and led to one of the strongest creative presentations I've seen in my time at the company.
He is a multidisciplinary value add in ALL the ways."
— EVYN STANLEY, HEAD OF BRAND & CREATIVE STRATEGY @ BLOCK / SQUARE
“Thijs has a huge brain and an even bigger heart. He’s not only a greatly talented strategist but also a brilliant mentor and coach to his teams. Wherever he works will be a brighter and warmer place for it.”
— DAN HILL, GLOBAL CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER @ WIEDEN+KENNEDY
How we typically work
Small senior teams. Direct access. Built for focused, high-leverage collaboration.
01
Project
A defined challenge with a clear scope, from brand strategy and research to market entry, a launch or creative platform.
02
Embedded Partner
Senior strategic leadership embedded directly with your team, from shaping the strategy to staying close as the work develops.
03
Advisory & Coaching
Ongoing access to Thijs for the decisions, briefs, ideas and questions that come up between the big projects.