Can you tell us briefly about your new role and the responsibilities?
In my new role as Commercial Director at mJourney, I focus on helping brands connect with their audiences through smart, location-based advertising. It’s all about understanding client needs, creating meaningful campaigns, and ensuring we deliver real results. I also work closely with our talented teams to combine innovation and transparency, making sure we’re always adding value for both our clients and their customers.”
Can you tell us a about your career journey and what led you to become a Commercial Director?
My career has always been about building strong connections and delivering impactful results. I started in the media and advertising world, working with renowned brands to create innovative campaigns. Over time, I developed expertise in digital marketing, strategy, and leadership, which helped me grow into roles where I could drive client success.
What led me to become a Commercial Director at mJourney is my passion for working in a space where data, creativity, and technology intersect, and location-based advertising is the perfect example of that. This role allows me to combine my experience, work with talented teams, and deliver solutions that create real value for our clients.
How do you stay motivated and inspired in your work, especially during tough times?
For me, staying motivated comes from focusing on the bigger picture—helping brands create meaningful connections with their audiences. I also love connecting with people, whether it’s our team, clients, or partners. Their energy, creativity, and perspectives inspire me every day. During tough times, I remind myself that challenges are opportunities to learn and grow. And I make it a priority to celebrate small wins along the way, which keeps the positivity alive.
What is the most interesting work done by mJourney? Can you give an example?
One of the most exciting projects we’ve worked on at mJourney is the campaign for Utrecht Marketing. The city wanted to boost tourism, both domestically and from neighboring Germany, and our location-based approach helped achieve incredible results.
Over three years, we refined the campaign to target specific audiences—people aged 25-55+ interested in visiting Utrecht—and focused on key regions outside the city. Using strategies like ‘Always On’ awareness and later introducing DOOH sync, we created a seamless connection between digital ads and physical screens in major cities like Amsterdam, The Hague, and Rotterdam.
The results speak for themselves: In 2023 alone, we measured 124,000 visitors, reached 1.19 million unique users, and achieved a 221% uplift in visits. A standout feature was that over one-third of visits came from retargeted DOOH audiences, showing the power of syncing digital and physical channels.
This work was recently recognized with a Silver Dutch Interactive Award for Activation, which makes it even more rewarding.
If you weren’t a CD, what do you think you’d be doing?
If I weren’t a Commercial Director, I’d still be working in media—that’s where my passion lies. Whether it’s offline or online media, tackling strategic challenges or driving commercial growth, I’d find my way. Media constantly evolves, and I love being part of an industry that combines creativity, data, and innovation to make an impact.
What’s one piece of advice that you’ve found most valuable throughout your career?
The most valuable piece of advice I’ve received is to be yourself. Embrace who you are, and don’t feel the need to change to fit into a mold. Staying true to myself has been key to building genuine connections, finding the right opportunities, and navigating challenges with confidence.
The mJourney team from left to right: Vladimir Chernichkin, Helen Tong, Dennis Lensen, Cynthia Openneer, Dimitris Meijer, Inna Chernichkina, Auke Boersma
