FREELANCE CREATIVE STRATEGIST
Creating Future Focused Brands
MY SERVICES
INSIGHTS & REPORTS
I specialize in consumer behavior, trend insights, and bespoke PR reports. Through my Future Series, I publish my own annual reports—The NXT Sustainable Consumer and The NXT Outdoor Consumer. These insights uncover tomorrow’s opportunities and guide strategies and activations.
BRAND STRATEGY
I do global brand, consumer-centric sustainability, and PR/marketing strategies for progressive lifestyle brands. It’s about strengthening the link between what you promise to fulfill and how you’re positioned in the head of the consumer—so you can win their hearts and minds
ACTIVATIONS
With over 20 years of strategic PR and marketing experience for lifestyle brands, I create global campaigns, thought leadership initiatives, and creative PR-driven concepts. Through earned, paid, and owned channels, I create activations that spark engagement and commercial results.
INSIGHTS, BRAND STRATEGY AND ACTIVATION
INDEPENDENT, IN-HOUSE
OR INTERIM CONSULTANT
I have 20+ years of experience shaping brands and activations for lifestyle brands in outdoor, fashion, sports, and food & beverage.
As an independent or interim consultant through Above The Clouds, I unite deep consumer insights, strategic planning, and creative execution to deliver results.
When you hire me, you get a dedicated partner committed to solving the problems you have and creating value for you and your brand or organization.
REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE. REAL IMPACT
ABOUT ME :
FREDRIK EKSTRÖM
I bring 20+ years of hands-on experience from the inside of brands — as Brand Strategist, Creative Director, Head of Marketing, and PR lead for global lifestyle companies.
From leading sustainability strategies to repositioning brands and launching global campaigns, I’ve helped businesses grow with clarity and purpose.
Today, I use that experience to support clients as a future-focused, creative, and reliable partner — whether you need real insights, a strategic refresh, or someone to drive your communication and marketing forward.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
STRATEGY: GLOBAL BRAND STRATEGY - HOUDINI
HOUDINI: GLOBAL BRAND,
WINNING GAME STRATEGY
As a strategic brand consultant, I created a new Winning Game Strategy for the Houdini brand globally. The work was carried out together with Houdini and included brand DNA and positioning, target audiences, consumer archetypes, customer key needs, and messaging. Resulted in a new approach to brand marketing and a storytelling playbook for activations and campaigns.
CASE: GLOBAL WINNING GAME STRATEGY, VÉLOSOPHY
VELOSOPHY: GLOBAL BRAND
WINNING GAME STRATEGY
Created a Winning Game Strategy with purpose to reignite the brand globally. Vélosophy isn't just a bicycle brand; it's a philosophy and a movement celebrating creativity, sustainability, and social responsibility. Vélosophy aims to be the most beloved philosophy-driven bicycle brand, with a mission to put life in motion and inspire others to care for people and the planet.
By conceptualizing the brand through the "Part Bike - Part Philosophy" approach, we could create a new storytelling playbook and a brand marketing approach with campaign building blocks and target audience tiers.
CASE: GLOBAL BRAND CONCEPT - WEEKDAY
WEEKDAY: GLOBAL BRAND, STRATEGIC LEAD CONCEPT
As a brand strategy consultant for WEEKDAY, I created a Long Lead Brand Concept for the global market. The objective was to create a scalable concept for a broad reach target audience, based on Weekday The Creative Collective. I based the concept on insights about Gen-Z relations to street fashion and long lead trend drivers.
The xx-day concept i created now acts as a long lead direction with a strategic framework to build seasonal campaigns with distinctiveness and recognition but also open for freedom of seasonal creativity.
CASE: GLOBAL BRAND CONCEPT - TRETORN
TRETORN: GLOBAL BRAND,
THE GHOST NET PROJECT
As Creative Director for Tretorn Europe, I created and led the development of the Ghost Net Project. A sustainability brand development project and retailer collaboration.
The objective was to show sustainability commitments through real product development, where we turned ocean trash (ghost nets) into treasures.
We launched the project through PR, thought leadership, retail collaborations, and marketing. My role was creating the concept, acting as strategic and creative lead, designing and providing visual direction, developing the go-to-market strategy, and managing activations.
CASE: NORDIC PR-CONCEPT, SAMSUNG WATCH 5 PRO
SAMSUNG: NORDIC PR CONCEPT ARCTIC CIRCLE TRAIL, PR TRIPS
As a Senior PR Strategist for Samsung Mobile Experiences in the nordic markets i created the strategic concept of Arctic Circle Test Trips for Watch 5 PRO. And i managed the execution and the trip with journalists.
The primary goal was to engage nordic sport and lifestyle journalists for an authentic test of Samsung Watch5Pro.
Through three-days-trips to the arctic circle i provided an authentic learning opportunity and a once in a lifetime trail and nature experience, ensuring a product test they would genuinely remember and wanting to talk about.
IN-HOUSE CONSULTANT NORDIC PR MANAGER
SAMSUNG, IN-HOUSE PR-MANAGER NORDIC REGION
Acting In-house Senior PR Manager Mobile Experiences.
Directing parts of a larger way-of-working transformation for the Nordic Markets. The work included to establish new PR-way-of-working protocols, strategic approach and GTM road map. Management of nordic PR-agency network, including concept development, briefings, PR-summits, evaluations and strategic directions.
CASE: GLOBAL BRAND CONCEPT - TRETORN
TRETORN: GLOBAL BRAND, SAREK ECO-APPAREL
As Creative Director at Tretorn Europe, I developed the SAREK Eco-apparel category—part of the brand’s Eco-Essentials Initiative. The aim was to drive sustainable innovation and connect with both lifestyle and outdoor consumers globally.
I led the concept creation, international collaborations, visual identity, design direction, and storytelling. Together with cross-functional teams, we launched a full GoTo Market Strategy, including sales tools, trade show activation, and brand and product activations.
THE FUTURE SERIES REPORTS
To earn value, we must create value, to create value we must understand the consumer.
REPORT: CONSUMER RESEARCH & TREND REPORT
THE NXT OUTDOOR CONSUMER NORDIC REPORT
Based on 2500 respondents from the nordic region and interviews with 27 representatives from Nordic Outdoor brands. The report offers a deep dive into the evolving landscape of outdoor activities and sustainability.
You'll discover data-driven insights on consumer archetypes, sustainability readiness, and outdoor engagement. The report explores barriers to outdoor participation, brand activism, and how consumers are aligning values with their outdoor activities.
Don’t miss out on this essential resource to future-proof your business in the outdoor market.
REPORT: CONSUMER RESEARCH & TREND REPORT
NXT SUSTAINABLE CONSUMER NORDIC REPORT
The NXT Sustainable Consumer Report 2025 offers a deep dive into the evolving landscape of green fatigue, eco-consiuous consumers and sustainability as a lifestyle concept in the Nordic region. Backed by data from over 2,500 respondents across Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, this report uncovers key insights for brands looking to tap into the “green” consumer trends shaping consumer behaviour. Don’t miss out on this essential resource to future-proof your business in the fashion and lifestyle market.
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NEW REPORT: CONSUMER RESEARCH & TREND REPORT
NXT SUSTAINABLE CONSUMER GERMANY REPORT (NEW)
The NXT Sustainable Consumer Report GERMANY will be launched in June together with MM04 a Berlin based agency and founder of Berlin Fashion Summit. it will offer unique insights into the evolving consumer of circularity, status, triggers, and barriers and sustainability as a lifestyle concept. Backed by data from 1300 respondents in Germany.
The report gives key insights for brands looking to tap into the “green” German consumer market. Don’t miss out on this essential resource to future-proof your business in the fashion and lifestyle market in Germany.
INSIGHTS: UNVEIL THE FUTURE OF YOUR BRAND
INSIGHTS, REPORTS &
THE FUTURE SERIES
I create insights about future behaviors, define the strategic role for your business, brand, or campaign, and turn it into actions and communication.
TRENDS:
Insights, Global Drivers and Value Changes
CONSUMERS:
Strategic Direction, Advisory and Concepts
REPORTS:
Insights-Driven, PR-Focused, Thought Leaders
PUBLIC SPEAKER
PUBLIC SPEAKER AND TREND WORKSHOPS
FUTURE-FOCUSED PRESENTATIONS
With my future-focused presentations and workshops, you'll gain valuable insights and strategic thinking that will help you harness the full potential of the future.
I'll inspire you and your team to bring your brand strategy and future direction to life while keeping you up-to-date with the latest trends and consumer behaviors.
ISPO MUNICH KEYNOTE SPEAKER
WIN THE CONSUMER GAME - SHIFT FROM WHY TO WHAT
How do you win the trust of the future consumer? It’s not about big purpose statements anymore – it’s about action, edu-tainment, and engaging through tangible results. Based on insights from The NXT Outdoor Consumer report, with data from 2,500 respondents. As consumers shift from valuing purpose-driven statements (the WHY) to demanding action, engagement, and tangible outcomes (the WHAT), brands face new challenges in proving their relevance and responsibility. In this keynote, I presented actionable insights into navigating this shift and to position brands and organisations for long-term success.
BORÅS TEXTILE DAYS KEYNOTE SPEAKER
WIN THE CONSUMER GAME: WHAT IS HYPE VS REALITY
As the opening act for the Borås Textile Days, I presented insights from The NXT Sustainable Consumer Report on how to win the consumer game through consumer-centric sustainability strategies. The presentation centered around the paradox of status in sustainbility and reckoning with reality. It presented a summary of a wining game matrix and a road map for brands to start the transformation.
CASE: GLOBAL CONSUMER TRENDS - DOMETIC
DOMETIC, TREND INSIGHTS FOR GLOBAL BRAND SUMMIT
A future focused "insight-boost" for Dometic Global Brand Summit 2025. We focused on the global outdoor consumer and trends that define the market for 2025.
OUTDOOR Trends i focused on:
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The Fundom Unleashed
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Nature-RX
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"Green-ish" in motion
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Social connectivity
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Finally Freedom
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Un-apologetically Me
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Experiences and Play Pals
STRATEGY: ISPO MUNICH - ACCELERATING SPORT
WINNING THE CONSUMER GAME: FROM INSIGHTS TO STRATEGY
In this in depth interview for ISPO Munich, I share how brands can stay ahead by building consumer-centric sustainability strategies that truly resonate. Drawing from in-depth data and consumer insights, I reveal what it takes to win the hearts of today’s conscious consumers.
This is part of an ISPO project to inspire and educate around sustainability challenges and opportunities, exploring strategies shaped by real-world conversations with leaders at the intersection of sport, outdoor, and sustainability.
BRANDED EXPERIENCES
"From Fandom to Fundom" sets the stage for exploring how branded contemporary outdoor activities are becoming the playgrounds for the next generation of cultural creativity and community building.
If you want to get noticed,
then it's crucial to create stories
that resonate authentically with narratives that thrive outside the confines of the predictable.
