Instore Inspirationmagazine nr. 13

In this edition of our Instore Magazine, we take you on an exciting journey full of developments! Get acquainted with the progress of our new building, take a glimpse into the future, and join us on a trip to Poland.

The transformation of our new building is happening rapidly! Where in the previous edition you mainly saw a sandy plain, there is now almost a complete structure! Discover how our new premises enable us to achieve our vision and take our company to new heights.

We cannot emphasize enough how essential artificial intelligence (AI) has become in our daily lives. In this edition, we give Gen Z the floor to talk about the latest breakthroughs and applications of AI and how this technology helps us work more efficiently and create unique customer experiences.

I hope that this magazine will inspire and inform you. Together, we will shape the future, driven by innovation and passion. Enjoy reading and welcome to the wonderful world of Holbox!

Martijn Hol

Our new building in Roermond goes for BREEAM EXCELLENT!

Holbox’s new building in Roermond is scheduled and expected to be awarded BREEAM Excellent certification when it is completed in 2024.

BREEAM stands for Building Research Establishment

Environmental Assessment Method and is an internationally recognised assessment method for buildings’ sustainability performance. BREEAM Excellent certification confirms not only that a building is energy efficient, but also that it contributes to better health and well-being for employees working in a building. The building’s environmental impact is, obviously, a key aspect that is assessed.

“HOLBOX’S NEW BUILDING IN ROERMOND IS SET TO BE AN INSPIRING EXAMPLE OF HOW SUSTAINABILITY AND BUSINESS SUCCESS CAN GO HAND IN HAND”

In order to be granted BREEAM Excellent certification, Holbox’s new building has to meet strict sustainability criteria. With this in mind, the building will have the following features:

Its own energy supply, initially from 2,500 solar panels on the roof, with more panels to be added later.

White roofing material and white interior walls for optimum light and climate control.

Automated lighting up to 500 lux, whereby lights are dimmed automatically based on ambient light. This is combined with motion sensors, so that lights are dimmed in factory areas at times of little activity.

Insulation with the highest insulation ratings.

Heat recovery systems with extraction and heat recovery through recirculation.

High-tech water-saving taps.

As soon as the building has been completed, a BREEAM inspection will be conducted, following which any required improvements will be made based on the recommendations, so as to earn the coveted BREEAM Excellent certificate in no time.

Having BREEAM Excellent certification comes with numerous benefits for Holbox and its employees. It adds to the company’s sustainability credentials, which has a positive impact on the brand and customer perception of the company. The building will be energy efficient, which will bring down energy costs. And it will offer a healthy work environment with sufficient ventilation, daylight, and thermal comfort, which will boost employees’ well-being and performance. The building’s environmental impact and the ecological aspect will also be taken into account, such as by minimising waste, using only sustainable materials, and increasing local biodiversity.

With this new building in Roermond, Holbox aims to establish an office and production building that meets BREEAM’s highest sustainability standards. Even more eco-friendly and future-proof! By investing in a green building, Holbox affirms its commitment to the environment and its employees’ well-being. At the same time, the resulting cost savings will give Holbox a competitive edge. Holbox’s new building in Roermond is set to be an inspiring example of how sustainability and business success can go hand in hand. n

“BY INVESTING IN A GREEN BUILDING, HOLBOX AFFIRMS ITS COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND ITS EMPLOYEES’ WELL-BEING”

Solar panels

Highest insulation ratings

White roofing material and white interior walls

Automated lighting

High-tech water-saving taps

Heat recovery systems

Our road to maximum sustainability

With great pleasure, we would like to update you on the latest developments regarding our construction project at the new location in Roermond.

Construction of the mezzanine

Simultaneously with the steel structure, the construction of the mezzanine has also begun. This intermediate floor, which does not cover the entire surface area, will serve various purposes, including housing the production of our webshop, Holbox Shop Direct. The progress is moving rapidly, and soon we will enter the next phase: the construction of the roof. The final result is getting closer!

Pouring of the concrete floor and installation of steel structure

In March, the project started with the pouring of the concrete floor for the loading docks, laying the foundation. Since then, the installation of the steel structure has been in full swing, and gradually, the shape of the building is becoming visible. This process is incredibly fascinating to witness!

Plating of side walls and roof

The new building has reached an important milestone as the team recently started plating the side walls and roof. This is a crucial phase in the construction process as it ensures the building is fully enclosed, allowing us to move on to the next phase: the interior!

Construction signage

As a sign of our presence at this new location, we have placed the construction signage. Now, everyone can see that we are establishing ourselves here.

HOLBOX MOVES FROM ECHT TO ROERMOND.

Stay updated on the developments and follow the progress of our new building on our website:

2,500 solar panels on the roof of Holbox’s new building in Roermond

We met up with Yvo Hoppers, Director of Operations at New Energy Systems, the company responsible for installing solar panels on top of Holbox’s rapidly advancing new build in Roermond.

Yvo kicks off with a brief introduction to the company where he works. ‘New Energy Systems is a company that has been specialising in providing renewable energy solutions for 15 years now. With a team that has meanwhile grown to 100 members, we install solar power systems for both individual and business customers, including

SMEs, major corporations, and the agricultural sector. Besides solar power systems, we also offer heat pump and energy management systems. In the B2B market, we provide innovative solutions starting from around 50 panels. Recently we installed a 4.7-megawatt system made up of thousands of panels at a customer’s site.’

‘THESE HIGHGRADE SOLAR PANELS WILL ENABLE YOU TO GENERATE YOUR OWN ENERGY AND EVEN ACHIEVE A SURPLUS’

The New Energy Systems management team, from left to right: Peter Debije (Commercial Director), Yvo Hoppers (Director of Operations) and Nico Eurelings (Director of Engineering)

For Holbox, phase 1 of the solar panel project will start with around 2,500 solar panels on the roof. Holbox and New Energy Systems held extensive talks to determine the technical specifications and find the best possible solutions. New Energy Systems guarantees the engineering and chooses high-quality solar panels, such as JA Solar* panels, to ensure customer satisfaction and minimise problems.

Yvo explains that the aim is for the solar panels to make Holbox’s new business premises entirely selfsufficient, both the offices and the factory. ‘This means that Holbox will be able to generate their own energy and feed the surplus to the grid on a power feed-in contract. Installing solar panels is in keeping with Holbox’s broader green vision with a focus on maximum sustainability and a smaller carbon footprint.’

The solar panels will literally be the source of Holbox’s energy supply. For everything that follows on from that, Yvo has held talks with the technical engineering team and project manager to discuss aspects such as the main distribution boxes and sub-distribution boxes, the installation of battery containers for surplus energy, the possibilities to feed surplus power into the grid, and a Holbox charging facility with multiple charging points for electric vehicles. In this same context, Yvo also mentions the energy management system for efficient management of energy generation and consumption. We will come back to this in upcoming editions of INSTORE magazine.

By aiming to generate green energy and thus become self-sufficient, Holbox is going for sustainability in a big way. ‘So, basically, in the situation as planned, as the new building is now intended to be, you can be self-supporting, within certain limits, of course,’ says Yvo. ‘In five years’ time, however, the world will be very different, meaning that a phase 2 may be needed.’

‘There are many solar system installers active in the market today,’ Yvo continues, ’where we set ourselves apart is that we get involved in the entire process from A to Z. And we do that without ever compromising on our two pillars of safety and quality.’

* TECHNICAL DETAILS

2,480 JA Solar-branded solar modules, type JAM72S30-545/MR

Total output: 1,351,600 Wp (Wp or watt peak is the output from photovoltaic cells to turn solar energy into electricity.) ANNUAL

OUTPUT OF NEARLY

1.2 MEGAWATT HOUR

Yvo Hoppers’ words just go to show how important collaboration between different parties is when it comes to sustainability projects. Exploring the best solutions together and setting up efficient systems paves the way for cost control and investment recovery. n

2,480 solar modules

1,351,600 watt peak

‘IT PROMISES TO BE A GREEN AND SUNNY FUTURE FOR HOLBOX AND ITS STAKEHOLDERS!’

Choose next generation displays!

Make a sustainable choice:

ECO-design

When designing displays, we strive to optimize material usage and minimize the number of display components.

Plastic-free design

Our displays are always designed with a plastic-free approach. We add value to our products by leveraging our creativity and extensive technical knowledge. By utilizing sustainable materials, we create the best sustainable end result.

Bio-inks

During our production process, we use solvent-free printing inks, also known as bio-inks. These inks meet strict sustainability criteria as their raw materials, such as plant-based oils, are infinitely renewable.

Migration-free coating

Choose an environmentally friendly water-based coating that is biodegradable. This coating ensures no harmful substances are released.

Double dispersion coating

Dispersion coating is an excellent alternative to laminate. It provides printed materials with a beautiful finish and is also more environmentally friendly and biodegradable, allowing it to be discarded in the paper recycling bin.

FSC® and PEFC certified Sustainable forest management is crucial for the present and future. To combat large-scale deforestation, choosing sustainable forest management is essential. That’s why all our materials are certified with the two major labels, FSC and PEFC.

These certifications demonstrate that our products come from sustainably managed forests. In this way, we contribute to the preservation of our valuable forests. n

With the 2 Second FOLDABLE SHOP Display, you get a powerful presentation solution. This display is easy to carry as a compact package and can be unfolded in one smooth move to form a fully-fledged display in any shop.

The smart design ensures a sturdy structure with an impressive load-bearing capacity of as much as 25 kg per tray.

Whether you place it on the floor or on a pallet, this display will hold its own.

Patent number: EP 3 586 684

Shopper Marketing Trends for 2023

While I do not have a crystal ball that tells us exactly what 2023 has in store for us, shopper marketers, I do like to look ahead to the most important trends and developments to catch a glimpse of what’s to come and will keep us shopper marketers busy. Whichever way you look at it, the ‘digital genie’ is out of the bottle and may help retail get settled into the new ‘normal’.

Edward Nieuwland | ISMI

Brick-and-mortar shops will become ‘experience stores’ instead of fulfilling the role that shops traditionally fulfil Offering unique and memorable shopping experiences that combine elements of both the digital and the physical world is the central challenge in this store design shift. Experiential retail is the solution in a number of retail sectors.

Personalisation shines in all parts of the shopper journey

On-demand personalisation increasingly expands to all facets of our B2S domain. This is further refined as new technologies give shoppers greater control. Successful brand manufacturers and retailers use technology only as a means, and never as an end in its own right.

01 03 05 04 02

Millennials and Gen Zers tend to be guided by their personal values in their shopping

Gen Zers in particular will keep putting pressure on brands and retailers to take action on issues they feel strongly about. Brands and retailers that take a clear stand on issues such as climate change, race and gender equality, and affordable education are the ones reaping the most praise.

Investment in Shopper Experience Management Platforms (SEMP) is up

At this point in time, the challenge is not (!) to crack the e-commerce channel, but rather to ensure that shoppers can switch seamlessly between brick-and-mortar shops and online and personal channels and back again, with the least possible effort.

Brand manufacturers and retailers are rethinking their employee empowerment approach

Over the past few years, discussions around employee empowerment in retail were focused mainly on enabling employees to better serve customers. Over the 2023-2025 period, however, it will become an approach that seeks to strike a balance between maximising the existing workforce and creating healthier and more positive work environments. Successful retailers help streamline otherwise dull, manual tasks, making their employees’ work more engaging and creative.

03 | McKinsey groups these shoppers into four main categories, as shown below:

Meet Me Where I Am Know My Tastes Offer Something Just for Me Check in with Me

Do not forget about BORIS and the order orchestration it requires BORIS, BOPIS and BOPAC are the Huey, Dewey, and Louie of 2023. However, a logistics nightmare looms, which can only be averted through stock management by retailers.

Shoppable media are the fastest growing advertising category Forbes recently reported that roughly two thirds of shoppers use social media for their purchases. Consumers are turning into ‘prosumers’ when they use your products to promote their own brands and channels. Marketplaces also continue to grow.

Third-party cookies on the way down, ethical data sourcing on the rise Google has announced that it will stop supporting third-party cookies in its Chrome browser. In practice, this means that there will be fewer opportunities to track and log shoppers’ online actions and behaviour. Most shopper marketers are developing their own platforms for customer data and are prioritising first-hand data. So, first-party data is the future. Conversational marketing is an intensive but good solution.

Autonomous shopping is here to stay in the retail landscape

Initially implemented as a security measure (as a means, not an end...?), it has now become more of a hygiene factor.

Shoppers increasingly look for alternatives to the pay-in-full model Subscription-based models continue to gain ground, with shoppers interested mainly in a personalised end-to-end experience that offers convenience and unique benefits. Owing to extreme price increases, shoppers will continue to be drawn to ‘bargains’ in 2023.

Effective use of real-time data across all available channels

The democratisation of information is leading to all units of an organisation getting equal access to the same data. A data infrastructure for a more consistent and holistic picture is the solution.

Further shopper fragmentation

Shoppers are using more and more different channels to shop, driven strongly by the hunt for bargains as they grapple with today’s inflation. Reaching your shoppers will become increasingly challenging. n

A look back on

EuroShop 2023:

the world’s largest retail trade show goes for sustainability and inspires retailers worldwide

After five successful days, EuroShop 2023 in Düsseldorf was brought to a close on 2 March. Despite the current challenges in retail, the 1,830 exhibitors were highly satisfied with the intensive personal exchanges they had with peers from across the globe and with the general mood among the over 81,000 visitors from five continents.

Like previous editions, EuroShop 2023 turned out to be a great source of inspiration and further underlined its relevance as a leading international trade show in an impressive way. This trade show is of massive importance to retailers, as they face significant investment in things such as digitalisation, energy management, and sustainability. It covered everything that contemporary customers want: experiential customer journeys and an emotional connection in offline retail.

Sustainability was the common theme connecting all elements of the EuroShop trade show this year. The exhibitors showed in an impressive manner how sustainable shop designs not only help protect

the climate, but also generate a lot of input to talk about, such as innovative and biodegradable shop design materials.

Holbox’s stand tied in with this trend perfectly, as it was made entirely of cardboard, attracting interesting encounters and exciting opportunities in a sheer magical way. It was fantastic to establish new contacts and reconnect with trusted customers in person. The fully sustainable, life-size Formula 1 car, as well as the motorcycle, were the most photographed products at the trade show. The visitors were enthusiastic! For us, EuroShop was a top-notch five-day experience! n

Scan the QR code to watch the EuroShop 2023 aftermovie

Discover the power and creativity of reboard

Reboard is a kind of cardboard that is rapidly gaining in popularity in the retail industry, which is no surprise. Not only is this material super strong, it is also lightweight and 100% recyclable. On top of that, it allows simplex and duplex printing, making it an ideal material for eye-catching displays and POS items.

Reboard displays and trade show materials

Reboard is highly versatile and can be used for many different purposes. This material is not only strong, but also lightweight and, therefore, easy to transport. It can be used for sturdy displays or trade show materials that are easy to set up and move. Thanks to its sturdiness, this material can also be used as a semi-permanent shop interior element.

Shop design with reboard: creative and unique

Besides displays and trade show materials, honeycomb cardboard is also very well suited for shop design. Our team of creative folding masters can use the material in many different ways to make the most stunning creations and design your shop interior. From presentation furniture and product displays to uniquely shaped clothes racks, there’s nothing reboard cannot do!

The online shop for creative and custom displays

Available from 1 item

100% customised

Fast delivery times

Customers rate us with a 9.6 out of 10

Customers relate

9,6

‘Gilde Opleidingen celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Bureau Tint was asked to help develop a concept to draw attention to this milestone in a positive way. Taking Gilde Opleidingen’s brand story as our starting point, we set to work together with Gilde Opleidingen.

Gilde Opleidingen believes in #therealwork. The things that students learn at Gilde Opleidingen can be put into practice right away. #therealwork is also the basis for the relationships that Gilde Opleidingen strikes up with its students, partners, and members of staff. This laid the basis for the anniversary concept of ‘25 years of heart for you.’

The anniversary celebration included a campaign asking students to translate the love they have for the course they are taking to the love they feel for another person. To whom does your heart go out? Who do you want to surprise and why? And how do you make that happen yourself? What followed was a great campaign where we challenged students to surprise someone and make wishes come true, where we put on a complete campaign to get students to think about their fondest wish for someone else. Complete with video and an online landing and registration page.

Gilde Opleidingen put up large cardboard hearts at all their sites. Together with Shop Direct, we worked out the concept in this cardboard heart made up of several layers of sturdy reboard cardboard. The partnership with Shop Direct was excellent, with short lines of communication that allowed us to be flexible and make effective arrangements, also with respect to the shipping, which involved some challenges. In the end, everything went off smoothly.

Customer testimonial

Result: a successful campaign for students, whereby ultimately nearly 50 fondest wishes of students for others were fulfilled. Ranging from a bouquet of flowers for a neighbour to a photo shoot with a sick fellow student and a nice lunch for the residents of a care home. The images speak for themselves, made by BonteWas, which you can view by scanning the QR code.

Result: overwhelming response and beautiful wishes! A special execution of a special concept, and a satisfied client. I can say with some pride that it was a highly successful campaign that we were able to put on together with Shop Direct!’

Linde in ’t Zandt Office Manager at Bureau Tint

“The partnership with Shop Direct was excellent. Everything went off smoothly.”

Scan the QR code to watch the promotional film

The Next Generation visits new site in Poland

The new plant in Poland has been operational for a year now. High time for a visit from the Hol family, therefore, who decided to combine it with a visit to Gliwice. The production plant in Gliwice has meanwhile built a solid reputation for itself, with successful activities over many years. The new site is a strategic move aimed to further drive Holbox’s growth.

The factory tour gave the Hol family members the opportunity to personally engage with the dedicated workers who make up the beating heart of the new production plant. The Hol family was greatly impressed by the workers’ professionalism, dedication, and enthusiasm.

It was simply marvellous to see how much Holbox has grown and continues to develop. The visit to the new factory in Poland marks a key chapter in Holbox’s history. With great pride, we look forward to a colourful future full of new opportunities! n

ECO-design

In close collaboration with the client, ideas and objectives are discussed to gain a clear understanding of the desired look and functionality of the display. Our experienced team of creative foldingmasters transform these ideas into initial sketches, taking into account both the client’s brand identity and the aim for a sustainable display.

Production

We have state-of-the-art production facilities and use the most sustainable inks and coatings to produce highquality displays. Whether it’s counterdisplays, floor displays, or the most creative displays, we ensure careful production that meets the highest quality standards.

Set-up

The components of the display are carefully assembled and ready to be set up. Our experienced staff has the necessary expertise to flawlessly set up each display. They are familiar with specific assembly requirements and ensure a smooth and professional installation of each display.

E-box

With our innovative tool, you can effortlessly track the real-time status of your display orders and efficiently manage your inventory. Whether you want to know which displays are en route, which products are in stock, or review the history of your display orders using photos, our tool provides it all! You get a clear overview of all your orders and can easily navigate through the information you need.

“TRUST IN A SEAMLESS AND SUCCESFUL EXCECUTION OF ALL YOUR DISPLAY PROJECTS”

End-to-end solutions for your in-store promotion:

Holbox takes care of the entire process

We offer all disciplines under one roof for all point-of-sale materials. We take control of the complete process from A to Z:

Warehousing

We offer the option to store your products in our warehouse for a period of three months. This allows you to effectively implement the campaign across multiple retail locations. Additionally, we can also deliver on demand, even if the campaign extends beyond the initially planned period.

Fulfillment

It is crucial that your products are presented optimally in the store. Therefore, we guarantee that your displays are filled attractively and effectively with your products. We take into account merchandise guidelines and customer preferences.

Delivery to DC or location

We ensure that the displays are delivered to the distribution center or location. We understand the importance of timely delivery and provide an efficient logistics process to ensure the displays arrive at their destination on time, safely, and undamaged.

By performing all steps within the full-service process ourselves, we can quickly adapt, you only need one contactperson, we can make necessary adjustments when needed, and we reduce the number of freight movements as the displays do not need to be

delivered to an external co-packer. This also reduces CO2 emissions!

In summary, Holbox’s full-service process offers a comprehensive and integrated approach, guiding customers from the initial sketch to the careful transportation of the

displays. With our expertise, high-quality production, professional installation, and meticulous logistics, Holbox ensures that brands and retailers can rely on a seamless and successful execution of their display projects. n

Quality: the essence of Holbox

Displays come in all shapes and sizes. Their quality also differs greatly from one product and manufacturer to the next. For Holbox, quality is the top priority. Jan Hol explains how Holbox operates and the value of quality assurance, as well as the sustainability aspect.

The world of displays, too, is suffering supply issues and shortages due to the war. It has driven up prices across the entire production chain. Prices of raw materials, shipping, energy, and staff have all gone up, and they all affect the cost of a display. Raw materials only make up a small part of this, approximately 20%. In Poland, too, where Holbox has its second production plant, costs have soared across the entire supply chain, especially energy and staffing costs.

The trend of shortages and inflation set in immediately after the start of the war. Due to the

impact this has on the market, prices are under pressure even more. Many companies cut their marketing spending when times get tough, shifting their focus to price even more, as they look to get the same number of display placements at lower cost. This represents a major risk, because how much can you compromise on the quality of a display?

Quality versus price

These developments may prompt display manufacturers to think: how do I make displays as cheaply as possible and still to our customers’ requirements?

Jan Hol: ‘This is, in itself, an understandable reaction, but it must never go at the expense of quality.’ A display is an important extension of product presentation in shops and is used for product introduction purposes, or for campaign-related or consumer communication purposes.

Shop staff struggling to put up a display reflects badly on userfriendliness. A display not being straight after it has been set up in a shop will reflect badly on quality. This can, in turn, reflect badly on the shop itself, which is something that Holbox wants to prevent both for its customers, i.e. the shops, and for itself.

Therefore, quality is essential. Holbox guarantees quality in several steps in the design and production process by subjecting displays to various tests. Jan Hol: ‘We conduct multiple quality tests to be sure that the display will not collapse during shipping; after all, we are responsible.’

He continues: ‘Holbox does, of course, explore ways to do something about the price. Are there materials we could use that we are currently not using? But we have also set up our production

Jan Hol

“CHEAPER DISPLAYS MAY NEVER GO AT THE EXPENSE OF QUALITY”

process in a way that gives us the option to manufacture either in the Netherlands or in Poland. That said, we cannot accommodate everything in Poland. In other words, while we do have a considerable number of fallback options that allow us to do something about the price level, we will not turn it into a race to the bottom, because that would go at the expense of quality.’

Complex process

Holbox is an organisation with a focus on the customer/ordering process, where customer requirements are as diverse as the colours in a colour palette. Every order is unique in terms of layout, design, and materials. Our account managers play a key role

HOLBOX’S SPEARHEADS:

Quality

Supply reliability

Design creativity

Price

at the front end: to help customers navigate the many choices they have to make.

‘Whenever (potential) customers come here for a behind-the-scenes look at our process and further explanation, the standard response we get is always, “I never knew it was this complex,”’ says Jan Hol, ‘and so they gain an understanding of how we cannot just make any changes when we’re already halfway into the production process.’

Quality assurance and process control are pursued on all fronts

at Holbox: in sales, in the design, during the production process, in filling the displays, and in logistics. The team’s many years of experience and Holbox’s long-term vision translate to the best service and the best product for customers.

That long-term vision is essential for Holbox. No panicking and stopgap measures in challenging times, but organising processes smarter, always in a way that is innovative and creative. In short: getting even better, which will ultimately always benefit our customers. n

“THE TEAM’S MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND HOLBOX’S LONG-TERM VISION TRANSLATE TO THE BEST SERVICE AND THE BEST PRODUCT FOR CUSTOMERS”

Innovative displays that amaze

Creative with Artificial Intelligence and ChatGPT

Through a post on LinkedIn about education in the use of Artificial Intelligence and ChatGPT, we came into contact with two young entrepreneurs Claus van Oranje-Nassau and Ruben Stout. Curious about their Gen Z perspective on this, as founding partners of their start-up aicourses.com, we invited them for an online interview. An inspiring introduction and conversation quickly followed...

After a brief mutual introduction, which also brings up Claus and Ruben’s international study at the ESCP Business School, we get started.

“FOR EXAMPLE, YOU COULD SAY: WRITE A TEXT IN THE STYLE OF SHAKESPEARE, USE A HYPERBOLE, PROVERBS AND THE TEXT MAY CONTAIN 500 WORDS. BUT STILL MAKE IT UNDERSTANDABLE FOR A CHILD.”

How do you see the opportunities and threats of artificial intelligence and ChatGPT in particular?

Claus: ‘We think that it can actually be an advantage for us as students, because we are now growing up with Artificial Intelligence (AI). We gain more experience than older people, as they are less likely to interact with it. On some schools and universities, for example, it’s already allowed to use ChatGPT for writing essays.’

‘We, of course, see the threats of AI as well, but it’s good to know that it’s not entirely black and white. It’s important to handle it wisely. For instance, don’t send private matters through it. The AI can learn from that and that information can end up with someone else, if OpenAI fails to filter it of course. The AI can also give wrong answers or biased information. We are human and should remain human. We can’t let AI take over everything.’

Claus van Oranje-Nassau (l) and Ruben Stout (r)

Do you think this will also result in job losses?

Ruben: ‘AI seems to pose a threat to jobs as well. But new jobs will also be created. This will ultimately balance out.’

Claus adds: ‘Take for instance the job of a prompt writer. A prompt is a command you give to ChatGPT. As a prompt writer, you are the one who gives a well-defined command. This prevents the AI from digressing on things that are not really relevant. For example, you could say: Write a text in the style of Shakespeare, use a hyperbole, proverbs, and the text may contain 500 words.’ ‘But still make it understandable for a child,’ Ruben completes.

Are there any more misconceptions about AI?

Ruben: ‘I have seen articles about people who are afraid for their privacy when using ChatGPT. In the Terms & Policies, you can read that ChatGPT does store information and learns from it, but it doesn’t learn from personal information. For instance, it doesn’t remember people’s names. I, for one, am not worried that they will use it against me.’

There’s talk of a pause button because the developments are going too fast and there is hardly any regulation or control with respect to AI. How do you see that, is that realistic or is the highspeed train already unstoppable? And do you think that regulation and legislation should follow?

Claus: ‘We sometimes find it a bit scary too. You always have to pay attention, but you can’t just suddenly put AI on pause. Just like you can’t pause with other broad topics.’

Ruben: ‘It would be a shame if you were to introduce a pause button for developments. We are actually in a kind of dot-com bubble now. If you take a month off, then you miss a lot. We believe that everyone is currently in a learning process about AI, so everyone is learning. They tried to temporarily put AI on hold in Italy, but that actually resulted in an information backlog for them.’

Claus: ‘Dutch people are often forward-thinking. We are not that skeptical about these kinds of things, I think. So, we’re doing really well! ‘None of my friends have never used ChatGPT.. Besides AI leader China, we as a Western European country are really at the forefront.’

You took the initiative to give courses for the use of AI, like ChatGPT. Can you tell us a little more about this? What can we learn from these courses?

Claus: ‘We are working on a full revamp of the company. We used to sell shoes online, but offering courses was something new for us. At first, we thought that everyone could use this. So, we didn’t immediately focus on a target customer. But now we want to target a specific audience. For us, that’s marketers. This way, we can improve the quality of our courses and cover topics that are important to a marketer. For example, market research, everything about SEO, email writing, summarizing, lead generation, social media management, copywriting, content generation, and more. We also explain how to professionally edit a marketing photo with AI within seconds.’

Ruben: ‘Claus has written 20 blogs for our site, and some are already ranked on Google.’ Claus: ‘Ruben came up with the concept of topical authority, where if you have a lot of

“NONE OF MY FRIENDS HAVE NEVER USED CHATGPT”

blogs about a topic, you rank high. We have already grown organically and are only at 10%. I want to write 200!’

Do you have a preference for a certain visual AI?

Claus: ‘For visual AIs, we prefer to use Midjourney, because it has millions of users. It already has possibilities for very detailed prompts. For example, if you say: I want a picture of the Dom Tower in Utrecht with a boy in a red sweater. Then ChatGPT writes a long prompt for Midjourney. So you don’t have to go all the way to Utrecht to take a picture.’

Ruben: ‘For marketers, I would recommend using a package like Canva. It recently also includes an AI. And there’s also Ocoya. Just like during the dot-com bubble, there are many different companies.’

Claus: ‘At the moment, it’s best to use and combine different tools, each of which is very good at one thing, to ultimately create the best

result. You can also have two AIs feed each other. You have to be careful with this, because if one AI generates something wrong, then the other is fed with it. Then you end up in a wrong spiral.’

Ruben: ‘We are curious who will come out as the best candidate. We do not think that ChatGPT will be the ultimate one. It will probably take a while before a winner is known. The winner could come from the Chinese corner, but it could also be that Google or Meta comes up with the best version.’

We at Holbox mainly work B2B, especially in the industry of development, design and production of retail displays and other POS products. We have already experimented a little with ChatGPT, Bing AI and Adobe Firefly. How would you implement these new technologies for a company like Holbox?

Ruben: “Firstly, I think of customer relationship management. You can send correct emails to customers

in a simple way. Not standard answers, but a concrete response to a specific question.”

Claus: “That, of course, depends on how many customers you have. With a small number of large customers, I would keep it personal.

There are also tools in development that can learn your writing style. Documents you’ve written are uploaded into the program, and the AI bot can then respond to emails in your writing style. For non-generic matters, you can use ChatGPT for a general role, for example, the role of a consultant for my company. The AI then thinks it is a consultant rather than a chatbot. For Holbox, you could, for example, tell the AI: this is the client, and the information we have about them and their assignment. Can you come up with some examples and ideas?”

Ruben: “With this, you can use AI effectively as a consultant, for both creative and professional matters.

Are you going to draft a text and you don’t yet know which topic you want to use? Then you can ask for various topics to choose from. You can even use ChatGPT as a kind of mediator when a professional problem arises, for example, between two individuals. You can then ask the AI for advice instead of immediately asking an HR professional. A good answer or advice, of course, depends on correct and sufficient input.”

Starting or professionalizing with AI within a company. How do you do that?

Claus: ‘We would advise everyone within a company to work with AI and additionally appoint one or two people within a large company to gain extra knowledge. For a small company, we recommend that at least one employee take a course, training, or workshop. You shouldn’t organize AI within just one silo of the company. It’s better to spread it across the entire company for greater efficiency and better productivity. Make sure that everyone can use it and not just one department.

Are there also pitfalls for companies, what should we watch out for?

Ruben: ‘A pitfall is that ChatGPT cannot convey emotions and feelings in messages. So you always have to take into account what a company stands for and how you want to come across as a company. You can explain that to ChatGPT, but it’s important to always look at what comes out yourself. You can’t blindly trust AI. Maybe later, but not yet.’

Claus: ‘Sometimes you talk so much with ChatGPT that you almost think there is a human on the other side of your screen. What distinguishes

us as humans from robots, animals, and objects is that we have emotions. So we must remain primarily human and not become dependent on AI. If we learn to use AI, we will not become dispensable.’

Perhaps we will get more time to become more active as humans? In any case, we are facing an exciting and fascinating time. Things will probably turn out fine with people like Claus and Ruben from Gen Z and everyone who is open to new possibilities n

Biased information: This is information that leans towards a particular point of view, often excluding or downplaying opposing perspectives. It can inadvertently or deliberately distort the truth, thereby leading to an unfair or unbalanced understanding of a situation or topic.

Broad topics: These are subjects or areas of discussion that encompass a wide range of subtopics. They offer a general overview and can be applied to many different situations or contexts, rather than focusing on specific or narrow details.

Dot-com-bubble: This refers to a period in the late 1990s when there was a rapid rise and subsequent crash in internet-based company stock prices. This speculative bubble was driven by the adoption of the internet and the hype around tech-based companies, resulting in inflated and unsustainable market values.

Forward thinking: This term signifies an outlook that anticipates future trends, needs, or problems. Forward thinking individuals or companies aim to stay ahead of the curve, making strategic plans and decisions based on predictions about what will be relevant or necessary in the future.

“YOU CAN’T BLINDLY TRUST AI. MAYBE LATER, BUT NOT YET”

GLOSSARY, compiled by ChatGPT

Folding masters in action:

the creative world of display design at Holbox

Amy Hanssen has been working at Holbox’s creative studio for eight years now. After graduating from SintLucas in Boxtel, she spent two years at art school, but she felt it was not practical enough for her. At Holbox, she found exactly what she was looking for; designing creative and innovative displays that subsequently come to life in the factory.

“HERE AT HOLBOX, EVERYTHING WE DO IS CUSTOMISED, WHICH JUST MAKES THE WORK SO MUCH MORE FUN AND VARIED”

Optimised design

After getting a request for a design, the first step is to sit down together to discuss how to make the design tie in with the customer’s requirements and budget to the maximum degree possible. Amy explains: ‘Here at Holbox, everything we do is customised, which just makes the work so much more fun and varied. No display is ever the same!’ Besides the design, it is also important to consider the product itself, in terms of weight and shape, for example, as well as shipping, how quick it will be to set up, and service life. ‘This means that we also focus heavily on the structural side, looking at the different materials we can use.’

Optimising the board layout is also very important, so as to be left with as little waste as possible. Creative folding skills extend beyond merely designing a good-looking display. We are always focused on designing displays in a way that is sustainable, efficient, and creative.’

The art of folding

Folding skills are a key element of Amy’s work. The term ‘folding master’ is a well coined one, as Amy uses specific folding techniques to make different creations. It results in a varied array of shapes beyond the runof-the-mill square and rectangle. Amy explains: ‘We never say, “This can’t be done.“ We try to offer a solution for any design that a customer wants, although there are, of course, certain limitations that mean that not everything is possible. Round shapes, for example, as you often see in cosmetics displays, are a major challenge because they also have to be sturdy enough to carry products.’

Needless to say, it always helps to be able to consult with a colleague in these kinds of situations. Luckily, the lines of communication at Holbox are short, and the culture here is geared towards enabling everyone to easily spar with each other. ‘Everyone has their strengths, so you find the right colleague and pick their brain about challenges you’re coming up against.’

The balance between customer requirements and creativity

Some customers know exactly what they want and provide a clear design brief right from the start. Others, however, basically give the team at Holbox free rein, saying, ‘we need this product and the display has to say this and that, the rest is up to you.’ Amy prefers the middle road. ‘That is when we as creative folding masters can join the customer’s thought process on what the display should look like, while also putting a large degree of our own creativity into our designs.’

A feat of folding mastery

When asked what display she is the most proud of, Amy takes some time to think about it. Designing a lot of displays every day, she has a great number of displays to choose from. In the end, she says that the display for Snack à Jacks is one of her favourites. This is a large, round display that retailers had to set up themselves, and round displays are always harder to set up. ‘When I saw the display in a shop one day, I was hugely impressed! The feeling that we did a great job together again.’ n

“WE ARE ALWAYS FOCUSED ON DESIGNING DISPLAYS IN A WAY THAT IS SUSTAINABLE, EFFICIENT, AND CREATIVE”

European cardboard industry’s carbon footprint down 24%

24%

249 kg CO2 per ton of cardboard from production to processing after use

148 kg CO2 per ton of cardboard from production to the factory doors

and absorption of fossil and biogenic greenhouse gases, as well as at emissions produced by changes in land use. The reduction in the carbon footprint comes on the back of more efficient use of resources during the

per ton of cardboard, the industry is on track to an economy based on organic raw materials and with a reduced or even neutral carbon footprint, according to Horst Bittermann, Pro Carton’s Director General. n

Colophon

INSTORE inspirationmagazine is a publication of Holbox BV

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Editorial staff Editorial board Juliette Cober Chantal Hol Sandra Heijckers

Design Studio Done (Maureen Nikkessen) Holbox

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Patent nr: EP3205240

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