Spreenkler Creative
In TCD’s continuing series on the people places and ideas that define our city, we visit six businesses in the Shops of Grand Avenue participating in the “Creativity Works Here” program. Click here for Part One at VETransfer, here for Part Two at Art Milwaukee, and here for Part 3 at the Milwaukee Public Theatre. This is Part Four.
Who: Spreenkler Creative is an interactive design and marketing agency that assists college students to gain creative campaign work experience. Spreenkler “started as a cool idea (and developed) into something more professional and organized,” said Romke de Haan, Spreenkler’s current president.
What: Steve Glynn created Spreenkler as a meet-up in 2006, and according to de Haan, Spreenkler is now one of Milwaukee’s largest meet-ups. Spreenkler continues to hold meet-ups, but now identifies itself as an agency.
“Our mantra is to be better at what you do,” said de Haan. “And it drives everything that we do.”
Why: De Haan, a Milwaukee native who has also worked in Chicago, uses his leadership position as a way to pay it forward, teaching valuable design and marketing skills to employees.
“I came from a program where they taught at-risk city kids how to make websites. It’s just the fact that some people showed me the door and taught me some skills, I feel like part of my mission is to help people with their skills and opportunities to be better at what they do.”
Video by Kenyatta Pugh, photos for TCD by Lacy Landre.
