FIT: A bold new positioning for Flanders Investment & Trade

Under the leadership of a new CEO, Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT) faced a pivotal shift: from traditional export support and foreign investment to a broader mission of global positioning, innovation, and ecosystem activation. Umbau stepped in as a trusted partner across multiple domains: shaping FIT’s strategic narrative, launching initiatives like StartUp Flanders and the Flanders International Business Awards, and embedding marketing leadership within the organization itself.
Klant
FIT
Sector
Government
Tags
Change communicatie
Expertise as a service
Brand identity visuals of StartUp Flanders, including color palette, typography, and design elements.

Approach

  • Launching StartUp Flanders: Flanders has a thriving startup ecosystem, but FIT’s role in supporting it wasn’t widely known. We created a new sub-brand from the ground up, with its own identity, tone of voice, and positioning. StartUp Flanders now proudly champions local founders and puts Flanders on the global startup map.
  • Flanders International Business Awards: Not just another award show. FIT needed an event with real impact, one that would activate stakeholders, strengthen Flanders' global image, and provide value to every participant.
    Umbau developed the:
    • Concept & program
    • Visual identity & storytelling
    • Content plan & communications rollout
    The result: an event that attracted over 800 entrepreneurs, decision-makers, and policymakers, became a strategic showcase for innovation and international trade, and set the stage for future editions.‍
  • Message house: We created a unified messaging house that aligned FIT’s story across sales, PR, and marketing; locally and internationally. Clear structure, consistent voice, strategic coherence.‍
  • Interim Marketing Leadership: To truly drive change, Umbau didn’t just advise — we stepped in. As interim marketing director, we co-led the transformation:
    • Redefined the team structure
    • Identified key marketing capabilities
    • Enabled smooth cross-departmental adoption

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Een dynamisch logo van StartUp Flanders, met een moderne en innovatieve uitstraling die de Vlaamse start-up scene weerspiegelt.
Een websitebeeld dat de nieuwe strategie van FIT visueel samenvat.
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Results

Through Umbau’s integrated strategic support, marketing evolved from a siloed function to a strategic lever within FIT’s transformation.

  • StartUp Flanders: launched and embraced
  • Business Awards: activated a global movement
  • Internal frameworks: adopted across all levels
  • Strategic visibility: embedded in FIT’s core narrative

Where Umbau Made the Difference

We brought clarity, creativity, and execution power. With minimal ramp-up time, we delivered tangible results in record speed.

  • Strategy meets operations: from vision to activation
  • Creative meets structured: we built lasting frameworks and brand assets
  • Embedded collaboration: co-created the transformation from the inside out

This case proves that marketing — and events — can be powerful vehicles for organizational repositioning.

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