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We’ve only been open since August and already Villan, the restaurant at Absolut Home, has been solidly booked out. To say the least, we are humbled by and proud of the success of our very own culinary experience. For that, we have the community of Åhus to thank… and world-renowned chef Fredrik Wallgren.

Before coming to us in Åhus, Fredrik spent much of his critically acclaimed career traveling the world, curating dining experiences for humans of all walks of life. This, he says, is what helped him become the thoughtful and innovative chef that he is.

“We’d be in the Amazon on one trip, in Antarctica the next and in the poorest countries on the African continent the next,” he says of his work with National Geographic. “The environment gave me one of the most humbling experiences of my lifetime. On the one hand you meet people who have private star chefs at their home and on the other, you serve ice-cream to kids who have never seen ice-cream before.”

“The duality of the experience gave me an understanding that every moment needs its care and respect for the expectations of the person you are trying to serve. There is no one solution that fits all.”

When we asked Fredrik to come and work his magic with us at Absolut Home’s restaurant, he jumped at the opportunity to be with his beloved family full time in Åhus and also exercise his creative ambitions.

We already have visitors returning for their second and third time

“Before you start working for Absolut, you think that you know everything about the brand,” says Fredrik. “It’s a household brand in Sweden. But after my first week, I found myself in shock. I realized I didn’t know anything about the rich history of this company. How much time it spends on achieving a sustainable production, development of the local community and the mentality of the people. Given my interest in sustainability and resource efficiency, I was excited to learn the difference between Absolut and its competitors.”

As with all of us at The Absolut Company, Fredrik draws endless inspiration from the community of Åhus. “Innovation, craftsmanship and originality literally bubbles out of the many farms that reside here,” he says. “Basically, every household you go to has some kind of produce they sell.”

In planning Villan, Fredrik envisioned a diverse and international audience. Around 99% of Absolut Vodka sales are exports, which means only a small share of those who interact with our products are from Sweden.

“We can never have a preconceived idea of who walks through the door, but they all deserve a unique Absolut experience” says Fredrik. “We try to work with pure tastes. We want your fish to taste like the best fish you have ever had. We want your carrot to taste like the best carrot you have had. At the same time, we try to be low in salt and high in taste. To bring out the real flavor in all our ingredients.”

“The concept of the restaurant builds from the One Source, One Community values of The Absolut Company,” he says of the menu, which is purposely seasonal. “This means we collaborate with the community to source the best raw ingredients we can. I believe sustainable sourcing is the only way forward and everyone on our team shares these ideals. We try to keep things real rather than using big words that cannot be turned into practice.”

As for being fully booked since opening? Fredrik puts it down to curiosity and the long wait for our doors to open, but also his team’s delivery of an experience that’s is as incredible as promised.

“We already have visitors returning for their second and third time,” he says. “But even though our guest leave with big smiles on their faces, we always strive to evolve and become better and better. We are not looking to be great, we are looking to be Absolut. And that process does not stop, it constantly drives us to improve.”

As always, teamwork makes the dream work. There are no designated roles at Villan; no sous chefs or kitchen managers. “Just one cohesive team. We aim to solve the challenges that face us together.”

“We employ courageous bartenders eager to deliver a great drink that meets the kind of flavor palette that the guest wants. The combination of food and cocktails is amongst the most difficult things you can do,” says Fredrik.

“I believe there are only a few restaurants in the world that masters the art of combining cocktails with food. Naturally we would like to become one of them,” he smiles.

Fredrik and his team are excited to welcome you to Villan!

How would you like running a business partly based on the mythological character Sisyphus? Condemned to an eternity of useless efforts and unending frustration? Olle Larsson is the entrepreneur and business man who says ‘Sure, let’s give it a try’.

Well, it would be harsh to suggest that Olle Larsson, founder and owner of Sisyfos Group, is a modern version of Sisyphus. In fact, he’s quite the opposite in one very important aspect; his endeavors have been nowhere near as fruitless or futile as that of Sisyphus. However, the self-proclaimed political entrepreneur’s whole career has been characterized by the belief that impossible tasks – or at least reallydifficult ones – are worth pursuing. He has wholeheartedly embraced that idea, and it seems he’s on to something.

His company – named after the Corinthian king – buys and develops property that could easily be described as hopeless. One of their more recent developments is Wenngarn Castle, just one hour from Stockholm. When the company acquired the property, the castle was run-down and the surrounding buildings housed not only members of the Russian mob, but also a brothel and some 128 stolen and abandoned cars. To top it off, a building was set on fire on the same day they gained access to the site, with the Russian mob demanding ‘several millions’ in order to leave the property.

The only way of learning is by trying. And you know what? If you want to have a fun, you sometimes have to be the one that makes the effort and throws the party.

“I try to find the projects that no-one else dare to take on.” says Olle Larsson, explaining that Wenngarn is a perfect example of the kind of projects he’s built his company on. It’s a project characterized by the fact that the road to success is both challenging and bumpy. Perhaps it’s not the most typical way to build a business, but then Olle Larsson is not your typical business man. He acknowledges, however, that he is a fairly typical entrepreneur, driven by an eagerness to show that almost anything is possible.

That eagerness has proven successful, but it’s still just one aspect of Olle’s approach as an entrepreneur. He attributes just as much of his successful approach to his sense of justice, and the notion that companies can – even should – be a positive force in society. “I think everyone is driven by some kind of justice. Personally, I get really frustrated when people don’t seem to care about parts of society that doesn’t work as it should.” says Olle continuing, “A lot of people have a basic assumption that problems are too difficult to solve.”

That frustration aside, Olle Larsson sees himself as a positive person. He says part of what has made his business successful is that positive attitude – an approach that sees him go head first into projects with a positive and progressive vision, rather than drawing up meticulous plans with a predefined solution. According to Olle, the ideal way of working is instead by trusting your vision and using your energy enough to eventually find a solution along the way. “In all of our projects, we use our energy, lust and pride – the same things that drive me as a person – to gather momentum. We use that momentum to get everyone – local governments, neighbors, media, colleagues, ourselves – more involved and excited about being part of a vision.”

Olle private life is also characterized by that attitude. He and his wife have four teenage daughters and he describes himself as a ‘yes man’. Sometimes, he says, people might see him as “a bit too much”, but it’s a part of his personality that he tries to embrace: “The only way of learning is by trying. And you know what? If you want to have a fun, you sometimes have to be the one that makes the effort and throws the party”.

Perhaps the French author Albert Camus was right about Sisyphus when he famously wrote: “The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man’s heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy.”

In the next few years, we will probably see “creatives” increasingly taking over the role previously held exclusively by designers and stylists. The designer will have to move beyond just creating products, to instead tell compelling stories.

From the crowded balcony of the Absolut Iconic exhibition, Anders Haal’s latest creation overlooked the crowd of select guests, as the celebration of three decades’ worth of Absolut fashion collaborations was unfolding around it.

Anders now joins the ranks of iconic designers such as Versace, Marc Jacobs and Jimmy Choo, who have all combined their creative skills with the Absolut brand to create one-of-a-kind fashion pieces.

In 2014, Anders Haal founded his Stockholm-based clothing and eyewear label HAAL in an attempt to visualise a world full of contradictions. In his work, he prefers designing for a certain lifestyle rather than a season, and he seeks to allow for people to express unity and togetherness.

“The story of my brand is being told by the people who choose to wear it, and, thus, I would love for people to use my fashion as a tool to express who they really are”, he explains. This being a common theme among the designers Absolut is collaborating with this year, it is an obvious sign of the times we live in. Maybe the exponential speed of change in society, leaving traditional structures crumbling as a result, has spurred a need in people to more clearly define their own identity and the context in which they choose to exist.

From a fashion industry perspective, Anders has his own perspective on what he hopes the future will hold; “I long for a day when we use fashion to express emotions, rather than the conceptual and strategic thinking which has been very prevalent in the industry of late. I believe it is time for the industry to look for things that truly make a difference – things you can feel. You can see this trend in the many product-centered and identity-driven niche brands making a mark in the world today. In the next few years, we will probably see “creatives” increasingly taking over the role previously held exclusively by designers and stylists. The designer will have to move beyond just creating products, to instead tell compelling stories.”

Maybe the exponential speed of change in society, leaving traditional structures crumbling as a result, has spurred a need in people to more clearly define their own identity and the context in which they choose to exist

And when we ask him about where to look to in order to stay on top of this development, he continues “I pull my inspiration from virtually anything, but I often return to iconic archetypes and heritage dressing when in need of ideas. Lately, I have moved towards truly taking the time in my work to find the right thing, rather than accepting the rushed pace of the industry.”

The Absolut Iconic exhibition was a way for Absolut to continue its tradition of building platforms where creativity can grow, and at the same time celebrate the legacy it shares with many of the greatest designers of our time.

“The thing I love about this project is that we let creativity stay in complete focus. It is both liberating and fun to be able to work in that way. Not to say that the context isn’t flattering though, as many of my role models are represented in the Absolut archives, with Helmut and Ann-Sofie being two strong reasons for my interest in fashion. However, since I started working in photography, the Absolut iconic campaigns themselves are what I remember the most from my teenage years.”

Finally, we ask Anders about what young aspiring designers should focus on, to make it in the rapidly changing fashion industry.

“If I were to give one advice to the next generation of designers, it would be to have fun, indulge yourself and to never give up. Don’t care about what others do. Find your own place and make sure to have the right people around you. People who understand you and allow you to grow.”

In other words, people who say it cannot be done, should not interrupt those who are doing it – and Anders Hall surely belongs to the latter category.

From her current studio in Berlin, Duong approaches her work from a perspective of trying to expand our binary preconception of womenswear and menswear.

“If you want to have your own brand, you need to be passionate about being an entrepreneur. Find your own process and ways to work.”, says the Ho Chi Minh City-born Swedish designer Nhu Duong, as we reach her in the middle of preparations for the Absolut Iconic exhibition and Fashion Week Stockholm. She continues to reflect on the industry and her own place in it;

“Just like with other cultural expressions, fashion is a reflection of the times we live in. Rather than getting caught in trends, I think it is important to discuss the role of fashion and the values it highlights in society. Only then can we address the fundamental societal and ecological issues we are facing today, and make something that is more than merely just “clothes”.”

Duong made a serious impression on the fashion industry back in 2013, when she won the Young Fashion Industry Award. This came as no surprise to those who had followed her career, as she had already created a great deal of buzz in 2010 when, upon graduation from Beckmans, her dissertation collection got picked up by the Swedish denim and fashion brand Weekday.

Just like with other cultural expressions, fashion is a reflection of the times we live in. Rather than getting caught in trends, I think it is important to discuss the role of fashion and the values it highlights in society.

From her current studio in Berlin, Duong approaches her work from a perspective of trying to expand our binary preconception of womenswear and menswear.

“I’m interested in the way people actually wear my clothes, and integrate them into their wardrobe to create their own memories. I wish for my collections to help people elevate their true self, or rather explore different versions of themselves. I am deeply interested in this transformative power of fashion.”

The quality of not wanting to appease a trend or particular style is something Duong has been noticed for throughout her career. Despite her somewhat unorthodox approach, Doung has found her own way forward in the industry. She explains, “I’ve tried to find my own ways of working and producing fashion, in order to set up a structure allowing me to work in my own pace. For me, this means experimenting through diverse collaborations, building my own community, as well as exploring new ways of showing and selling clothes.”

The willingness to experiment with materials and textile techniques perhaps stems from her ability to find inspiration outside of the fashion industry. “On the one hand, I get a lot of inspiration from my friends, especially the ones who do not work in fashion. On the other hand, I experiment with clothes and materials on myself – for me, fashion is a kind of performance or role-play through clothes.”

Duong is no stranger to collaborations, in fact she is known for working with partners in and outside the fashion industry, which is perhaps the reason Duong chose to take on the challenge when we reached out for a collaboration. She explains, that it is “A great way to think outside the regular way of creating and showing fashion. For me, it was an opportunity to make a garment that is experimental, yet as part of the collection it also becomes historic.”

Per Götesson seeks to use the intersection between streetwear and luxury fashion to create a space where new ideas of masculinity can be born. “I believe masculinity can be very sensual, and very far from the aggressive norm so often portrayed in today’s society.”, he explains. 

“London seems like the place to be for small menswear brands these days”, Per Götesson says as I reach him for an interview on a Thursday afternoon. Fashion Week Stockholm is just a few days away, and the much-hyped Swedish fashion prodigy has managed to escape his busy schedule for a conversation with us.

Per exploded onto the fashion scene two years ago, after completing studies at both Beckman’s in Stockholm and The Royal College of Art in London. Since perfecting his design skills at Cheap Monday, under the lead of Ann-Sofie Back, Per has now reached a point in his career where his own interpretations of the modern man’s wardrobe are starting to make waves across the globe.

Per’s expressive take on Scandinavian functionalism took flight from London Fashion Week Men’s in 2016, and quickly thereafter landed on the pages of Vogue magazine, where his work was described as ‘curious, meticulous embellishment’. London is now not only his home, but also at the core of his work.

“London creates space to develop fashion with character, which is what men’s fashion is all about these days. We see a clear trend of the wholesale market giving way to fashion designers selling directly to customers. This shift fits designers who allow people to express their identity by wearing their clothes.”

As he walks the streets of London, capturing the city’s current soul through his camera, Per finds inspiration in combining nostalgia, history and renaissance art

As he walks the streets of London, capturing the city’s current soul through his camera, Per finds inspiration in combining nostalgia, history and renaissance art. And as we dig deeper on this topic, Per somewhat surprisingly expresses an undying fascination with the Arnolfini portrait by Jan van Eyck. That very portrait, he used as the inspiration to design an entire collection. “I try to absorb the world I see around me, and let the impressions pass through my filters. It helps me reflect and create fashion which allows people to express new sides of who they are.”

Per seeks to use the intersection between streetwear and luxury fashion to create a space where new ideas of masculinity can be born. “I believe masculinity can be very sensual, and very far from the aggressive norm so often portrayed in today’s society.”, he explains. After brief pause, perhaps to allow for us to catch up, or perhaps in search of new words to convey his vision, he continues;

“I suppose I started searching for my own identity through my work as a student back at Beckman’s. These days, I try to use fashion to give other people tools to express parts of their own identities, which perhaps haven’t been available to them before.”

This is something Per seeks to do both through his designs and his, sometimes rather unorthodox, choice of materials. And with his already iconic designs, including eyewear made from recycled Absolut bottles, it is not surprising that men around the world are increasingly turning to Per to find a new niche of personal expression.

“The competition is fierce as the market today is completely oversaturated with young creatives trying to make their mark. To make it in such a harsh environment, you really must find an audience who believe in what you do. If there is one advice I would give new designers, it would be to acquire a skill and constantly work to improve it, never give up, and remember to always be fully dedicated to your cause.”

Before letting Per back to his busy schedule of preparing for Fashion Week Stockholm, we end our conversation by asking about his Absolut collaboration. The tone of his voice becomes lighter and the words seem to bubble out of him. “Growing up, Absolut’s fashion projects always presented me with ways to stay in touch with the latest from the designers I loved around the world. When being offered a collaboration of my own, I was thrilled to become part of their continued history of support for fashion and art.”

Fashion Week Stockholm is just around the corner, and this year The Absolut Company is inviting an exclusive guest list of fashion aficionados to a very special treat. For the first time in many years, Absolut is opening its vault of iconic fashion items from the brand’s 30 years of creative collaborations. 

This special event, coined Absolut Iconic, will showcase unique pieces from the early days of legends such as Helmut Lang, Marc Jacobs, Jean Paul Gaultier and Tom Ford, but also offer a glimpse into the future with specially made items from the up-and-coming talent of HAAL, Nhu Duong and Per Götesson.

Absolut’s long-lasting love story with fashion first saw the light of day in 1987 with the brand’s David Cameron collaboration, and has since turned in to an iconic series of unique fashion items. The archives hold a rarely-seen fashion treasure, ready to once again be shared with the world – even if only for a few days.

We sat down with Anna Malmhake to get some inside info on the event and learn more about her fashion archives.

It is actually quite simple. We want to show our continued support for ground-breaking designers, and these three rising starts truly deserve some recognition.

Tell us about your Fashion Week Stockholm collaboration? What can we expect from the Absolut Iconic event?

I have to admit, it is seldom I am so excited about an event! The masterpieces from our fashion archives have been hidden for so long and I can’t wait to hear people’s reaction. What makes Fashion Week the right time to show these pieces, is of course that we get a chance to show them along contemporary fashion by HAAL, Per Götesson and Nhu Duong. These super talents have designed new pieces – new pieces that will get a unique chance to shine alongside so many fashion legends.

30 years is a long time, what is it with fashion that keeps charming The Absolut Company to “come out and play”?

I have the fortunate position to lead a brand that has always valued supporting creative talent. Absolut is always eager to highlight, and partner with, creative minds who drive positive change in society. And as young designers bringing new perspectives to both our brand and the world at large, I look forward to the next 30 years of creative collaborations.  

What is new? Why the collaborations with HAAL, Nhu Duong and Per Götesson?

It is actually quite simple. We want to show our continued support for ground-breaking designers, and these three rising starts truly deserve some recognition. This is how Absolut always operates – we are celebrating masterpieces of the past, but also searching for what will be making contemporary fashion history.

So then, what does the future hold for Absolut and fashion?

I’m happy to say that we don’t know exactly what the future will hold, and that’s why we’re so excited about it. But what I can tell you, is that we will keep cherishing our role as supporters, partners and facilitators for the talented creatives and progressive thinkers who try to make this world a better place, and inspire us to break our own patterns.

What other event do you look forward to participating in during Fashion Week Stockholm?

It is very hard to pick a favourite among all the events! But I will willingly admit, that being back in Stockholm after living abroad for some years – just the audience that Fashion Week Stockholm attracts is amazing! Watching “street style” – you do not see so many stylish people gathered by square meter anywhere else in the world, I think!

This year marks the 10-year anniversary of The Absolut Company – at least as a company name. We wanted to hear the insiders’ story, so we had a chat with Björn von Matérn, Eric Näf and Paula Eriksson, who have all been at the company for over 10 years. They have seen some major changes – and noticed a few things that never changed – over the years.

The Absolut Company’s history stretches back well before 2008, when Pernod Ricard acquired the company. Prior to the acquisition, TAC was a state-owned company in a monopoly position, with full control of the Swedish market. The company also had a different name, Vin & Sprit. During the ‘90s and the following decade, the company went through two defining changes. The first coincided with Sweden joining the European Union in 1995. Because of EU regulations, Vin & Sprit could no longer act as the only operator in the market and the spirits producing monopoly in Sweden came to an end. 

Björn and Eric, you were both working with marketing when you joined Vin & Sprit in ’93-’94. What was it like trying to market and sell products when you had no competition?

Eric Näf: Well, it was a somewhat different mindset back then. As you say, it was still a state monopoly with no competition in Sweden. At the same time, everything was changing. When we joined the company, it was in full swing of adapting to the free market. It’s quite a challenge to turn a business with 100 percent market share into something entirely different. You really didn’t know what to expect. But we all had felt an air of anticipation and pioneering spirit around the place. 

It was still a state monopoly with no competition in Sweden. At the same time, everything was changing.

Björn von Matérn: Yes, and we, as marketers, were the knights in shining armor supposed to make sense of it all! Joking aside, we joined a company with lots of knowledge and experience in producing high quality products, but without the knowledge of marketing or selling the products – at least for the Swedish market. Because, why would they? In a monopoly, you don’t have to care about market shares or competition. This place had a different mindset back then. So, I think people were a bit skeptical about what we could provide.

In the next decade, Vin & Sprit and its flagship brand Absolut Vodka would reach new markets and see new record profits.

However, in 2006, the year before Paula Eriksson joined Vin & Sprit, it was going through its second major change in just over a decade. After the monopoly had come to an end, the government in Sweden decided it no longer had any reasons to own Vin & Sprit. 

Paula, what was it like to join the company in the middle of the selling process? 

Paula Eriksson: In some ways, I think it might have been an even bigger change than in 1995. We had been a state-owned company for over 90 years up until 2007. So of course, it was a strange feeling for everyone involved. We were familiar with acquiring other businesses – like small breweries and distilleries, the Grand Hôtel in Stockholm and a pharmaceutical company – but this was a totally new experience. This time, we were preparing to be sold instead. It was a strange feeling around the place. 

BvM: I remember It was really hard to keep the momentum going during that time. The selling process lasted for two years and we were in some sort of limbo, with no real idea of what was next. 

And during that time, I think we all felt a bit exposed. When you’re about to be sold, you have to make a due diligence where every area of the business gets scrutinized. Even our competitors could see everything you did, all the details. It really made us uncomfortable. 

PE: Yes, it was difficult, but we really fought through!

EN: Yes, we really did! There were lots of speculations over who would place the winning bid, and I think we were all a bit afraid that we would become some sort of traded commodity, where you only see the numbers and pay no interest to our history or heritage.

After months of due diligence and years of an uncertain bidding process, the French family-owned company Pernod Ricard finally acquired Vin & Sprit in 2008, in competition with three other bidders.

So, I guess you were all pretty satisfied with the outcome?

PE: Definitely. I was part of the due diligence process and met with all of the bidding companies. When I met with the team from Pernod Ricard I was really impressed. They really seemed to care about us – our brands, our cultural heritage and what our long-term potential was. And they seemed like really good people too!

EN: We have always had a great atmosphere in this company, so it was encouraging to see Pernod Ricard really believing so strongly in nurturing good corporate culture. They really stressed the importance of conviviality and they wanted us all to get to know each other from the start. It felt like the first day at school, when someone suddenly grabs your hand and shows you around the place. I was quite impressed with that, given the fact they’re such a large company.

We have always had a great atmosphere in this company, so it was encouraging to see Pernod Ricard really believing so strongly in nurturing good corporate culture

PE: I agree. One of Pernod Ricard’s motto is to “make a new friend everyday”, which became very clear at one point when we had guests visiting from the French office. I had everything planned and booked – a nice hotel with a view and an evening off before a day full of meetings. I thought it might be nice for him to perhaps take a walk and have a relaxing dinner on his own before a very hectic day. At least, that’s what I would have wanted. But when I told my new boss at Pernod Ricard about the plans for the evening, he told me “No, at Pernod Ricard we never eat alone”.

BvM: Still, they really understood us, and showed a great respect for our know-how. Some might have been afraid that new owners would eventually move the production of Absolut Vodka away from Sweden. But from Pernod Ricard’s perspective, that was out of the question. They knew the importance of origin and heritage. 

PE: Yes, they now the importance of terroir– the concept that Swedish vodka is produced in Sweden, Scotch in Scotland and a bottle of Beefeater London Dry Gin can only be produced in London. 

Looking back to when The Absolut Company became a part of Pernod Ricard, can you name something that has shifted in the mindset – as a company?

PE: I think we’re a more professional company than before. Becoming a part of a much bigger group and realizing that everyone around you also know this business inside out was an important lesson and a humbling experience for us as a company. And it has spurred us to do an even better job, always looking to progress.

Is there anything that will never change?

BvM: Yes, the approach that we’re in the entertainment industry. Not only in what we’re selling – yes, we’re selling spirits, a dream, a vision, an inspiration – but also in how we do things at the company. Just look at our office and how we do things around this place. We’re having fun at work. We have a fantastic restaurant, and our quarterly meetings are more a show than a meeting. And we’re doing everything out of joy.

EN: Yes, we’re definitely in the entertainment industry. And we’ve also always had a long-term approach and ambition. We don’t just go for the quick deal. We’re really here to stay, for generations. We had that approach long before Pernod Ricard came into the picture, but the fact that they also see it that way is just a huge bonus. 

Pelle Sjönell has become an admired name in the global communications industry for his disrupting creative work – currently as BBH’s worldwide chief creative officer – but also his commitment to driving positive change in the marketing industry and society at large. 

He is actively working to support global female leadership as part of The Wilson Center’s ​Women in Public Servic​e Project, and he has chosen to donate the proceeds of his latest book – ​The Art of Branded Ente​rtainment (co-authored with the Cannes Lions Entertainment Jury) – to the Four A’s diversity project in the marketing industry. 

The current edition of the phenomenon Pelle Sjönell shows a man who has gone full-circle in his career, but at the same sets the direction for where the marketing industry is headed in the future – and it all started in the darkness of a Swedish movie theatre back in 1985.

Born and raised in a family of academics, but with a rebel mind who couldn’t stand the limiting structures of the school system, Pelle found his calling when he snuck into the local movie theatre to watch a James Bond movie at the age of 13. Before the movie started, Pelle got to experience a piece of content that would instantly change his life – a Levi’s commercial made by the British marketing agency BBH. The emotional response of the ad blew him away. Today, Pelle refers to this as his ”Beatles moment”. He had just seen something that he instantly knew he wanted to do himself. He wanted to communicate through entertainment and emotions. 

Born and raised in a family of academics, but with a rebel mind who couldn’t stand the limiting structures of the school system

The road from that night in a small Swedish theatre, to taking over the very office of Sir John Hegarty (founder of BBH) 22 years later, has been long. Pelle started out as a kid who had big dreams and a skilful way of moving through, and mastering, various parts of pop culture. He has been both a rocker, a breakdancer and techie.

​This ​fingerspitzengefühl for shifting trends in society, Pelle attributes to his Swedish heritage. He thinks Swedish society has never seen itself as truly European, and that his northern homeland somewhat lacks a soul of its own, which has lead to a culture built on tapping into the cultures of others and then tweaking it with creativity. Growing up in Sweden turned Pelle into a creative who was never boxed in, but rather spent his time in-between the boxes of various subcultures. It also made him brave as creative leader. With the Swedish society being one built on social support and kindness, Swedish leaders tend to be both kind and brave enough to try new ideas. Having a ”bad” idea in Sweden won’t get you fired from your job, and, thus, Swedish creatives learn that it’s safe to both innovate and make fast decisions. 

Pelle brought that management style with him from the hallways of Stockholm’s Berghs School of Communication to the global brand boardrooms in LA and New York. His work has fine-tuned the branding strategies of brand behemoths such as Absolut, Google and T-mobile, but he is far from done. Looking to the future, he is making the prediction that marketing will once again go through radical change, but also become even more true to its core.

In our age of automatisation and big data, Pelle says he knows his job as a creative is in danger and that the more complex the world becomes, the problems will arise in society. To him, however, that doesn’t have to neces​sarily be a bad thing. ​”I love problems”, he says, and continues to explain how ​”creativity is problem solving, so without problems there is no creativity. The more problems ​in world, the more creativity will be unleashed.” 

He agrees with the industry that data-driven marketing automation is a breakthrough that will change how brands communicate, but he does not think marketers necessarily must become data wizards as a result. ​”When you did TV commercials in the olden days, you didn’t have to learn how to build a TV”, he explains. In the same way, modern marketers won’t have to know all aspects of the algorithms and machines running modern society – they just need to learn how to evoke empathy and emotions through those media. He fears brands that build their future on automation will soon be in big trouble unless they combine that strategy with a great deal of empathy for people and society. 

As an example, he mentions the rise of self-driving cars. When promoting smart self-driving solutions, companies must take into account all the jobs which will be lost in the process, and find ways to both communicate empathy and offer hands-on support for those who end up on the ”wrong side” of innovation. Brands shouldn’t just say that they offer AI or big data as part of their solution – they must also show that they still care about people.

Pelle Sjönell is convinced that the empathy and emotional response which the Levi’s commercial evoked in him, will still be the key ingredient for creating great communication. Just because technology changes doesn’t mean people do. He also sees the need for empathy as a key part of figuring out how to succeed in the future machine-driven society. ”Today marketers are learning to sell with the help of machines, but soon we’ll need to learn how to sell to machines. The machines will have similar empathy needs as people do – they just take on different forms, such as energy, updates, batteries and algorithmic relevance.” As a result, the future of marketing will be one characterised by even more empathy – for both people and machines.

And perhaps Swedes will keep paving the way for the future of marketing as they have for decades now? At least Pelle Sjönell will.

The Next Web, brainchild of Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten, secured its position as the leading European tech conference with its 2018 instalment. Two intense days with seven topic tracks and 15,000 visitors provided clear insights into where our digital society is headed. We put our finger on the pulse of TNW and found five trends to take notice of:

1. Data is everywhere, changing everything

Data has been a buzz word for years already, but it keeps spurring new interesting discussions as the ”oil of the future” is quickly seeping into an ever-growing number of industries. James Whittaker of Microsoft held an invigorating talk about how the world is being reduced to data, and that this is true for people, places, and things alike. If you don’t have an understanding of your data or a plan for how to use it to improve your operations, you’ll most likely end up on the losing side of your industry.

It’s also evident there is now a growing focus on action when it comes to data. It being a complicated area to master, many TNWtalks focused on how to get started with value-adding data analytics. David Arnoux of Growth Tribe was one such example, showing the audience how to do marketing machine learning without knowing how to code. 

Data has been a buzz word for years already, but it keeps spurring new interesting discussions as the ”oil of the future” is quickly seeping into an ever-growing number of industries

A third discussed aspect of data was, not surprisingly, what humans should do once the robots and artificial intelligences have made us obsolete in the workforce. Though a clear answer to this seems yet to be agreed upon, one interesting point made by Pamela Pavlicsak was that as machines increase their emotional intelligence, so will humans. Thus, a society run on machines may actually be a more emotionally developed one than the society we currently live in. Food for thought.

2. Don’t believe the hypes

At the same time as the data gospel filled the halls of TNW, a contrasting message of almost equal volume could be heard among the myriad of workshops and panel discussions. 

Tech ethnographer Tricia Wang pointed out that ad tech is a $35bn industry, but that 70% of marketing executives are unhappy with their ad tech results. She claims big data has gotten us further away from our customers and that collecting eyeballs at any cost is not the way to build brand relationships. Just because technology changes doesn’t mean people do. A similar message came from Pernod Ricard CEO Alexandre Ricard who stressed the importance for brands to create trust if they are to survive in the long rung.

SendGrid’s Len Shneyder made the case for email being more relevant than ever, in spite of the rise of the Slacks, Messengers and Whatsapps of the global communication landscape. Email as a marketing tool is still delivering an unmatched average ROI of $38 on every dollar spent, and with GDPR, its place in any communication strategy looks stronger than in a long time. 

So overall, there is a ”back to basics” wave in terms of what and how to communicate as a brand.

3. Blockchain will be the new internet

As expected, blockchain played a major role at TNW2018, with a multitude of talks, panel sessions and workshops on the matter. For the next few years, it looks like the cross-section of disruption will be found somewhere in the combination of blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT). There were numerous discussions around how blockchain technology could potentially be used to disrupt entire industries (banking, insurance, communication etc.) but one of the standout sessions was held by CryptoKitties founder Bryce Bladon, who showed how blockchain might come to create an entirely new structure for the art industry, where digital art pieces finally could avoid the problems of piracy and lack of value.

Blockchain was a dominant theme at TNW, but also a new one, which means we’re still in the infant phase of the technology, and the main insight from the various sessions on the topic is that blockchain has tons of potential but we don’t yet know exactly how it will be used. 

4. China is taking over

Another clear trend is how China is slowly starting to take over from the US as the leader in tech. Sure, Silicon Valley still reigns supreme in many ways, but in recent years, some of the global break-out apps among teens are Chinese (e.g. Musical.ly and Tik Tok), and the Chinese focus at TNW was more present than ever this year. Chinese tech companies have moved from being copycats to acting as true disruptors in tech, and with their culture now seeping into western culture, we can expect a tech industry power shift over time.

5. Mindfulness is the new techie life goal

TNW has always been on the forefront of the ever-changing digital world, but this year showed a clear shift to also include personal development and mindfulness as a key part of the future of tech. With an entire track devoted to the theme, one can sense how the entire tech industry is starting to transform to also cover personal transformation. With tech’s overall promise to improve the world and the life of humans, this transformation makes sense and the audience seemed truly inspired by Jason Silva’s keynote on change as well as Headspace’s CEO Richard Pierson’s message that the world is finally “coming out of the meditation closet”. The tech world is now actively trying to deal with the anxiety and stress of modern society. 

In conclusion, TNW2018 showed us the ever-ongoing rapid change, but at the same time also the counter-effect of more people looking backwards and inwards to make sure we don’t get too caught up with all the rapid changes. 

We won’t lie to you. A few of the executives at Absolut were a bit nervous when the new campaign ‘The Vodka With Nothing To Hide’ launched in February. After all, the film features 28 employees who bare all to show the transparency in the production of the iconic Absolut Vodka. However, in hindsight and considering the positive reactions the campaign received, it’s safe to say that their worries were unfounded.

But what about the employees featuring in the film? They must surely have thought twicebefore appearing naked? Well, there is no better way to find out than asking them. This is Anna’s, Frederic’s, Hanna’s and Anette’s thoughts on featuring in the campaign and the reactions it got.

First of all – Why?

Hanna: We all know that working on fun and unusual projects can give you extra energy and boost your team spirit, and this was definitely the most unusual project I’ve been asked to work on during my six years here at Absolut. For me, it was a no-brainer to feature. Whatever Absolut does is usually very well thought through, and since we are really conscious about how we present the brand I felt confident enough, both individually and as part of the Absolut brand.

I was actually challenged by my colleagues. We were in a meeting when they said they would feature if I, being their boss, would do so too. I didn’t need too much persuasion, so after a while we were all signed up to appear naked in the campaign.

Anette: I wanted to contribute to the authenticity of the story we were telling through the campaign. Initially, a majority of the people who signed up were young and really fit. In my opinion, that didn’t really reflect the reality. So, I thought “I’ve been better looking, my days of working out are over and I’m 48 years old – let’s add to the diversity.” I also like a challenge, and since I’m not very comfortable with my own nudity it was also about overcoming a personal fear.

Frederic: I was actually challenged by my colleagues. We were in a meeting when they said they would feature if I, being their boss, would do so too. I didn’t need too much persuasion, so after a while we were all signed up to appear naked in the campaign.

Anna: For me, it was all about spreading Absolut’s message. This fantastic product, its quality and the genuine work in sustainability we do here cannot be stressed and repeated enough. I want the world to know this! Also, the fact that the film would have a subtle and humorous approach made it even more interesting for me.

So tell us about the day of shooting.

Anna: The final scene was shot on a cold day in September, so the time between takes were spent in bathrobes in one of our meeting rooms. A very unusual day at work, to say the least! It was intense, surreal and very fun at the same time.

Anette: I had butterflies in my stomach all morning. I was a bit nervous being nude at first, but I got used to it after a while. It turned out to be a very fun day after all. 

Hanna: It was cold, rainy and full of retakes, but the overall atmosphere was really good and everyone was happy. During the takes, everything was a bit surreal. Wherever you looked you could see naked bodies in weird positions and situations; one person jumping a trampoline, another one playing the tuba and yet another one sitting on a ladder. I agree, it was a very unusual day at work!

What were the reactions when the campaign launched?

Frederic: It’s been all positive reactions. If they told us they would shoot another film tomorrow, I think even more people would want to feature.

Hanna: I agree. All the colleagues and friends I have spoken to have been very positive.

Anette: A few of our colleagues might be a bit fed up with us now. We had a very exciting day and we often talk about the experience. But it was a huge deal for us, and everyone think we were brave. I still haven’t met anyone who has said a negative thing about the campaign or its message.

Anna: Only positive feedback for me as well. Some friends have asked me if I featured in the film and seeing their reaction when I tell them I did is priceless. Even the staff at my children’s preschool asked me!