Julius van de Laar is a leading USA expert specializing in politics, economy, business, and communication. He is a campaign and strategy consultant with extensive international campaign experience.
Having studied political science and communications in the USA, Julius van de Laar worked full-time on Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2012. Following these election successes, he applied his expertise as an external consultant to election campaigns in Germany and Europe.
Julius van de Laar provides strategic advice to politicians, business executives, and NGOs to help them achieve objectives such as election wins, growth, and influencing public opinion. He also conducts lectures and workshops on strategic communication.
The business magazine Capital has named Julius van de Laar among the “Top 40 under 40” in the political and economic sectors.
He frequently offers analysis and commentary on current political developments and election campaigns in prominent media outlets and talk shows, and hosts his own podcast, “Race to the White House,” on The Pioneer.
Julius van de Laar speaking topics
- Inside the Campaign: Learning to Win from the Winners
The competition for attention and trust: What lessons can businesses draw from political campaigns? Which strategies and actions drive success and can be adapted for business use?
- The Race to the White House: From tactics to triumph
Those who fail to find or communicate their story lose the debate. How can one distinguish themselves publicly, set their own agenda, and position themselves effectively as the message sender? Julius van de Laar, an international campaign and strategy consultant, offers insight into the inner workings of power, revealing how campaign teams operate, what messages inspire action, and how they are crafted. He also explains what businesses and startups can learn from political communication and why marketing and election campaigns share more similarities than commonly assumed.
- Message Matters: The battle for interpretive sovereignty
Every campaign is a contest over framing: through which perspective does the public perceive the key sociopolitical issues of our era?
- Storytelling: Authentic messages that mobilize
How can complex topics be conveyed in a clear, emotional, and genuine manner? How do you engage people? How do you establish interpretive authority and guide public discourse?
Discover how international campaigns are coordinated behind the scenes, which strategies yield success, and which actions create tactical advantages. Topics and content are tailored to your audience and event—each presentation is customized to your specific needs, target group, and focus areas.
STAND FOR SOMETHING: No mobilization without polarization!
Storytelling with Julius van de Laar: Why brands and companies should engage in social debates.
Nike sets an example: By featuring former football player Colin Kaepernik as a spokesperson, the sports brand takes a definitive stance, makes a bold statement, and polarizes opinion. Kaepernik protested police brutality and racial injustice by kneeling during the American national anthem, which angered the NFL and Donald Trump. However, Nike recognized the value of positioning itself within social discourse and has enhanced its profile as a result.
The company and its marketing illustrate how clear positioning combined with compelling storytelling can drive a campaign’s success. How do these strategies function, how do public debate mechanisms operate, and what can entrepreneurs across industries learn from them? What responsibilities come with the willingness to stand out and show profile? Campaign strategist and TEDx speaker Julius van de Laar presents vivid examples and explores new communication methods that enable brands to become not only winners but also future shapers.
Currently, he advises political organizations, NGOs, and companies on campaign development and execution. His expertise includes strategic, integrated communication, positioning, message creation, storytelling, mobilization, and campaign management.
Julius van de Laar regularly provides commentary and analysis on current political events for leading media such as ARD, ZDF, NTV, WELT, Der Spiegel, FAZ, and Deutschlandfunk. He also conducts seminars, workshops, and lectures on election campaign strategy, digital campaigning, storytelling, and political communication, and delivers guest lectures at the Hertie School of Governance, Harvard University, University of Oxford, and Quadriga University in Berlin.
Book Julius van de Laar for a keynote through The Premium Speakers Bureau.
