When flipping through a matchday programme, the eye naturally glides over the familiar grids of local advertisements. But on page 4 of the April 2014 edition, readers were forced to physically rotate their booklets. Taking up the entire left column is an advertisement for H.S. AGRI B.V., an agricultural transport and contracting company from Zuidlaarderveen. The catch? The entire ad—photos, text, and logo—is printed completely upside down.
Whether this was a brilliant, disruptive marketing tactic designed to force engagement, or a spectacular error by the layout department at Scholma Druk, the result is the same: it is the most memorable advertisement in the entire issue. The ad promotes services that are the absolute lifeblood of the northern rural economy: “Transport & container,” “Mesthandel & distributie” (Manure trade & distribution), and “Akkerbouw, melkvee & vastgoedontwikkeling” (Arable farming, dairy cattle & real estate development).
This advertisement, regardless of its orientation, is a proud declaration of the club’s “Boeren” (Farmers) identity. While the team plays in a modern stadium in the city, the wealth that buys the VIP boxes and the hands that clap in the stands often come from the sprawling agricultural lands surrounding it.
A Look into the Future
The agricultural sector in the northern Netherlands faced immense regulatory and environmental challenges in the years following 2014, particularly regarding nitrogen emissions and manure distribution—the exact services advertised here. Companies like H.S. AGRI B.V. had to adapt rapidly to survive. However, their connection to the local football club remained steadfast. Today, this upside-down advertisement stands as a hilarious, quirky artifact of print media, proving that sometimes the best way to get a football fan’s attention is to turn their world upside down.