Who doesn’t know them, the vibes of Eindhoven? The three lightning-like angular stripes underneath each other, often presented solo or in other variations, symbolize the renewal that Eindhoven likes to radiate. The vibes result from a widely supported design process, so they have a lot of creators. Still, ask an Eindhoven native about the originator of the vibes, and ten to one, the name of Peter Kentie will come up. If he may not go down in the books as the inventor, then certainly as the instigator – both of the design process and the rollout that followed.
Together with Eric Boselie, who was also closely involved with this Eindhoven landmark, he took his leave today as managing director of Eindhoven365 (Kentie) and Eindhoven247 (Boselie). Few among the hundreds present during the “Place Making” farewell afternoon were very surprised when Mayor Jeroen Dijsselbloem presented both gentlemen with the decorations that go with honorary citizenship of the city of Eindhoven. Dijsselbloem presented the award on behalf of the city council.
Strong city marketing
Since 2011, Peter Kentie has been associated with Eindhoven365, where he structured and proudly promoted Eindhoven’s brand pillars – technology, design, and knowledge. With Eindhoven designers, Kentie developed the Eindhoven brand and introduced a new logo for the city: the ‘Vibes’. The special thing about it is that anyone can use it freely. By releasing the brand, it has now been widely embraced by residents, entrepreneurs, and the business community, among others, and together they have given meaning to the Eindhoven brand.
It is partly thanks to Kentie’s city marketing that Eindhoven has grown into a major player in technology, design, and knowledge in the city and region. It resulted in international awards for Eindhoven’s strategy, culminating in the Place Brand of the Year Award, the international Oscar of the field, and the highest accolade of City Nation Place. Being named the “smartest region in the world” turned out to be no incident, and Eindhoven succeeded in ranking among the world’s best in substance and image. “Maybe not the prettiest girl in the class, but certainly the most interesting,” as Kentie himself often said.
Events for everyone
From the Eindhoven City Council, Eric Boselie made many events in our city possible, such as the internationally renowned Dynamo Open Air. Later, Boselie succeeded in positioning events outside the municipality in a public-private partnership with the CityDynamiek Foundation. That was the forerunner of Eindhoven365 and Eindhoven247. Boselie was also founder and director during the first eleven editions of the light event GLOW. It quickly grew into a popular spectacle, bringing visitors to Eindhoven and giving the city a lot of publicity.
With the help of events, Eindhoven247 ensures a clear positioning of Eindhoven. At the same time, Boselie never lost sight of traditional events, such as Park Hilaria, the Route of Light and the September 18 celebration. Under his leadership, Eindhoven won Event City of the Year in 2018. Combining strategic city marketing and event development for the city formed a logical whole under Kentie and Boselie’s leadership.
Honorary citizenship
Peter Kentie and Eric Boselie are the 66th and 67th honorary citizens of Eindhoven. The honorary distinction is the highest distinction known to Eindhoven. The city council awards this distinction to recognize exceptional services to the Eindhoven community. Recipients of the honorary distinction may call themselves honorary citizens of the city.
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