hi, we are The Young.
Agency for creative
brand development.

Why The Young? ‘Young’ is not an age. Neither a generation. It’s not hip, hype or happening. It is a way of looking – a perspective on growth, driven by curiosity and a desire for development. Young means to us: What if? It’s about wonder, and the willingness to experiment. The power of imagination.

contact

info@theyoung.agency

The Rotterdam studio:
Baan 74, 3e etage
3011 CD Rotterdam
I like it, what is it?

work with us

We are always excited for creative and curious minds to join us at The Young. andre@theyoung.agency

We develop Brand Concept Cars

As the name implies, a concept car is an inspiring combination of idea and reality, simultaneously demonstrating both an organization’s unique strategic intent and practical capabilities.

More than a simple prototype, it brings to life the priorities, values and vision that will guide the organization forward in the immediate future, and serves as a tangible brand statement that says, ‘This is where we intend to go now.’

While automotive brands generally use concept cars to communicate externally to the press, a brand ‘concept car’ is also a powerful tool for the strategic orientation of internal audiences. In the process of organizational change, one relevant, concrete example can be worth more than a thousand PowerPoint decks!

Of course, a brand ‘concept car’ doesn’t have to be a physical product designed for sale. It could be anything: a new service offering or internal system, a refreshed brand design language or communications idea.

No matter what form it takes, in order to succeed in moving organizations forward, a powerful brand concept car needs three key characteristics:

1. Inspirational

It is inspirational but achievable in the near future. It requires change and may even surprise some people, but it is not a BHAG. It is grounded in realistic expectations of near-term circumstances and available resources

2. Brand Relevant

It is brand-relevant. It is not simply a general view of the future. It demonstrates a distinctive brand perspective on that future and how this particular organization will use its strengths to take advantage of those circumstances.

3. Collaborative

It connects the efforts and input of multiple stakeholders. From a practical perspective, it must have widespread support. It cannot be seen as only one group’s project. And from a symbolic perspective, a brand statement should show how the organization’s functions work together, as one brand.

And in order to produce a successful brand concept car, you need to combine three key areas of expertise:

1. Research

Concepting is always grounded in a deep understanding of the relevant technologies (What is possible?), social environment (How will it be used and by whom?) and intent (What effect does the organization want to create among current audiences?)

2. Strategy

Translating today’s intent into tomorrow’s product or service requires the ability to think strategically; to identify and amplify the often subtle connections between what you want to say and what audiences need to hear.

3. Design

Design expertise is what turns a well researched, strategically sound idea into something that people can actually visualize, appreciate and desire. Whether the ‘concept car’ itself is a new thing, a new way of doing things or a new way of communicating them, design makes the final difference.

The Young Questions Denim

Denim? Where does denim come from? What is denim made of? What is indigo? And what is its story? From dusty archives to the urban streets — Who are the people that made denim? What does denim mean to us, to the ones who don’t know much, the ones who can’t get enough? But wait, what is thread?How can production and culture ever be interwoven?

  • The Burried Roots
  • Unravelling the common thread
  • Reality of Cotton Plantations
  • Denim Tears
  • The Burried Roots
  • Unravelling the common thread
  • Reality of Cotton Plantations
  • Denim Tears
  • The Burried Roots
  • Unravelling the common thread
  • Reality of Cotton Plantations
  • Denim Tears
  • The Burried Roots
  • Unravelling the common thread
  • Reality of Cotton Plantations
  • Denim Tears

In 1969, a writer for American Fabrics magazine declared, “Denim is one of the world’s oldest fabrics, yet it remains eternally young.” What a perfect fit.

Our second is called ‘The Young Question Denim.’

Denim, jeans, and indigo—what's their story?

Like denim, our research weaves overlapping threads into a sturdy fabric—one that, if we’re lucky, ages gracefully. It’s not just about denim itself but the ideas and values it represents. Rather than chasing brand-new information, we use denim as a launchpad for broader exploration, reshuffling perspectives.

Denim tells stories of tension and softness, unity and division, reflecting shifts in class, politics, history, and creativity. It’s a material shaped by time, wear, and cultural change.

To enrich your reading experience, we’ve curated a musical catalog—its length and order designed to complement the journey, adding another layer to the story.

What is thread? Where does it come from? What is it made of?

Soft, white, warming, fluffy. Cotton. A daily life commodity. Take today for example, maybe you woke up in pajamas, in your bedsheets, used a towel, put on your underwear, jeans, shirt, socks.

You see the point, cotton is everywhere.

It’s easy to forget, but cotton is more than fabric—it’s the most widely used natural fiber in the world, making up 80% of global production. Denim, for example, is measured by weight: lightweight at 5 ounces per square yard, mid-weight around 12, and heavyweight at 16 or more. A single cotton plant produces about 13 bolls, each holding just 2 grams of fiber. It takes 27 plants to make the fabric for one sturdy 24-ounce pair of jeans.

But cotton’s story doesn’t end there. Every part of the plant is used—fibers for fabric, linters for paper and even explosives, cottonseed for cooking oil and livestock feed, and stalks for enriching the soil. Nothing is wasted.

The Reality of Cotton Plantations

Long before European settlers grasped its value, cotton had already shaped civilizations. The Hohokam, known as the “masters of the desert,” cultivated cotton along Arizona’s Salt and Gila Rivers, their sophisticated irrigation systems sustaining communities for centuries. Then came European colonists, who planted the first cotton seeds in Florida in 1556. What followed was a shift—cotton transformed from a resource into an empire, entwined with labor, power, and profit.

By the 19th century, cotton fueled industry, wealth, and systemic exploitation. The 1619 Project reminds us: America’s rise was built on forced labor, on land and stories often erased. Nikole Hannah-Jones revisits her father’s birthplace—Greenwood, Mississippi, the “Cotton Capital of the World”—tracing a legacy of resilience and reckoning.

To understand denim, we must confront cotton’s past. And to engage with history, we must tell every story, not just the ones that comfort us.

Throughout our journey, we took detours and deep dives. Denim Detours are unexpected stories too valuable to leave behind, while Deep Dives offer a closer look at topics worth highlighting. Both celebrate denim’s history, culture, and craft, inviting curiosity and exploration.

Denim Detours
→ Issue Five: On Slowness Vestoj
Seydou Keïta, André Magnin
NIGÖ
The wretched of the earth by Frantz Fanon
→ Levi’s in Hollywood from Westerns to Sci-Fi | Levi’s 

Deep dives
→ Kintsugi from Tsugu Tsugu
→ Indigo Dye: A Shared Language in The Global South
Plantations Practiced Modern Management’ by Caitlin Rosenthal
The plantation system’ by National Geographic Society
→ Pietra Rivoli’s ‘The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy

What goes around, comes around

As we explored denim, we had the privilege of looking through the lens of Sam Cruden’s Kintsugi mindset, where every tear tells a story and transforms into beauty. Tremaine Emory’s Denim Tears collection spoke of heritage, while Japanese denim masters Motoki and Satoshi Fujikawa unveiled the artistry woven into each thread. Meanwhile, Tracey Anek, through the Levi’s Archive, preserves the rich, timeless legacy of denim, honoring its past.

We invite you to look beyond the fabric and discover the stories woven into every thread. Dive into the details, explore the unexpected, and challenge your perception of denim. In a world of endless information, it’s the smallest threads that hold history. Find your own connection, your own denim story.

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