You cannot be truly integrated into the Netherlands unless you can recite Adland’s favourite Dutch slogans. Here are 10 of the best.
Echt HEMA
Typical or really HEMA. Concise.
Hamsteruuh!
This word is uttered by the hamsters in the Albert Heijn ad. Hamsteren means to hoard stuff so to have hamsters say hamsteruuh seemed to good an opportunity to waste. No animals were hurt during the making of this ad.
They are rather cute, actually
Beter kunnen we het niet maken, wel makkelijker.
This is the tax office’s way of winning you over. We can’t make it better but we can make it easier. If you believe this you believe anything.
NRC, slijpsteen voor de geest
NRC not at all pretentious, thinks it’s a whetstone for the mind. The Telegraaf is the paper for wakker Nederland, or wide-awake Dutch citizens, and Trouw is misschien wel de beste krant van Nederland. Trouw, perhaps in awe of the whetstone prudently and bafflingly calls itself perhaps the best paper in the land.
Even Apeldoorn bellen
A classic. When things go disastrously wrong better call Apeldoorn where the lovely people of the insurance company Centraal Beheer will save the day. Known for their actually amusing commercials featuring people who got into a mess. One of the best was a hungover pop star Anouk forgetting to turn up for the Eurovision Song Contest.
Mediamarkt, ik ben toch niet gek!
I’m not crazy or What do you take me for? Mediamarkt uses this slogan in every country it operates in, very economical.
C&A is toch voordeliger
Another classic. No matter where you go, C&A will always be cheaper (and tackier we would add).
Duo Penotti Twee kleuren in een potti
You can work this one out. Two colours in one pot – to advertise the mixture of white and brown paste for on bread. We particularly like the multicultural advertising with one white and one brown child. It must have been a very long night at the ad agency.
Heerlijk, Helder, Heineken
Short, alliterative and if you repeat it often enough you will get thirsty and pour yourself a delicious, clear glass of Heineken. Although the beer firm has since ditched this to go hip and trendy.
Alleen Citroen rijdt als een citroen
We could translate this as Only Citoen drives like a lemon but we won’t.
The Netherlands by numbers 
Ah…. that brought back so many memories. Thank you!
Interpolis. Glashelder.
Jazeker, De Hypotheker. Also a classic
“Ik ben Ben”, one of the first sentences I learnt when I came to the Netherlands.
There was also a great ad by the Blind association, with a “pickpocket” dog. The voice over said something like “we train them to use public transport, to find their way, to help their master… and if you don’t donate we’ll teach them to pick your pocket.” and showed dog doing just that.
I kind of miss the old school classic
:
Wij van WC Eend, adviseren: WC Eend. (We, the company behind WC Eend, recommend: WC Eend (its a cleaning product btw))
Zeg maar nee dan krijg je er twee… toevallig (just say no, you will get two… fortuitous for Bastogne Cookies)
Melk de witte motor (Milk, the white engine Melkunie)
Dat zeg ik…Gamma (thats what I said..Gamma) (DIY Stores)
MMMM van Mora (snacks)
Ik durf het bijna niet te vragen maar mag ik even (RVS commercials in the 70’s)
Stom he, ik vind het gewoon lekker (Silly isn’t it, I just think it’s jummy, Calve peanutbutter)
Een pinda van Duyvis is altijd OK (A peanut from Duyvs is always OK)
Zo in mn sas met Badedas (So happy with Badedas, a showergell)
Goe gedaan Jochie (Well done boy, a Dutch “french cheese Paturain)
Paturain das pas fijn (same brand)
Ik zeg nog zo…GEEN BOMMETJE (for milk, famous commercial with Peer Manchini)