VNF - Vereeniging Nederlandsch Fabricaat

history

The Vereeniging Nederlandsch Fabricaat (VNF) was founded in March 1915 with the aim of encouraging Dutch consumers to buy Dutch products. The popular perception at the time was that foreign products were better, and less expensive. In the association's statutes, they mention the goal of ‘promoting interest in Dutch industries, and in the consumption and manufacture of Dutch goods (...) especially in those cases where those goods can compete in terms of quality and price with goods imported from abroad.'

To reach its goal, the VNF organised exhibitions, 'shopping weeks', and demonstration days. It also created a quality mark, and published posters, calendars, and booklets. The association's members travelled the country, giving lectures illustrated with slides.

From 1921 onwards, the VNF made increasing use of corporate films to get its message across. In 1925, the new VNF department 'Opnamen van Industrieele films' began actively approaching the chambers of commerce and individual companies, asking for films.

The initiative caught on: many companies wanted to use film to present themselves to their consumers. Within two years, 60 films were made, primarily by filmmaker Otto van Neijenhoff.