In this reflection, CEO Philip Alberdingk Thijm highlights the principles that have guided Keesing in the past, and continue to shape our future. Since 1911, curiosity, creativity, and audience focus have been at the heart of everything we do. As our industry evolves, these values are a clear foundation for the next chapter of growth and innovation.
In 2026, Keesing celebrates 115 years in business. Longevity in any industry is rare; in publishing and entertainment, it’s exceptional. To me, this milestone is not about survival or scale. It represents something far more meaningful: the ability to continuously adapt, and remain relevant to audiences across generations, technologies, and cultural shifts.
Throughout our journey, we’ve navigated economic cycles, digital transformation, and changing consumer habits. Each era has required a degree of reinvention. What’s made us resilient has been a mindset; a willingness to be curious, and to evolve.
Keesing began in 1911 in financial journalism. Today, we deliver ‘Braintainment’ – puzzle experiences that delight millions of people worldwide. While the formats have changed and the platforms have expanded, our underlying mission remains remarkably the same: to create content that stimulates the mind and offers meaningful moments of focus and enjoyment.
Meeting audiences where they are
Across a century of change, one truth remains: people seek moments of mental engagement. Whether it’s a magazine on a beach, a puzzle on a commute, or a gamified experience on a smartphone, audiences crave content that makes them think.
This insight means that our approach is platform-agnostic. It’s not about print versus digital; it’s about providing experiences that fit audiences’ lives at any life stage, and ensuring that engagement is always rewarding.
“Whether it’s a magazine on a beach, a puzzle on a commute, or a gamified experience on a smartphone, audiences crave content that makes them think.”
Bold experimentation drives relevance
Staying relevant in today’s attention economy means experimenting boldly. At Keesing we’ve explored new formats, refreshed traditional portfolios, and created products for emerging puzzlers. What we’ve learned is that innovation doesn’t necessarily mean disruption. In fact, it begins with understanding your audience deeply and applying creativity to enhance what already works. We believe that meaningful experiences will always resonate far more than novelty alone.
Technology as a creative enabler
Emerging technologies, like AI, are rapidly transforming content creation and distribution. For us, these tools accelerate innovation but do not replace human creativity or judgment. The true differentiator is the application of technology to ideas and human insight. Across media and entertainment, digital and AI should complement the creative process, not substitute it.
As we mark this milestone, we do so with gratitude for what has been achieved, and excitement for the possibilities that lie ahead.
The next 115 years will be defined by the strength of the ideas we pursue, the boldness of the experiments we embrace, and the experiences we create for people who love to think, explore, and play.
Philip
