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Creating Future Focused Brands 

From Insights To Activations

With insights as compass, I create strategies that unveil the heart of your brand, the soul of your audience, and the creative path to connection.

INSIGHTS & REPORTS 

I believe in the power of trends- and consumer- insights to pinpoint tomorrow’s opportunities. Strategic foresight is the most valuable tool you can adopt to chart a course for the future. 

BRAND STRATEGY

For a strategy to be authentic, there needs to be a credible correlation between what we promise to fulfil and how we position ourselves on the market and in the mind of the consumers to win their hearts. 

ACTIVATIONS

I believe great communication flourish from a disruptive intersection of trend insights, immersive brand experiences, PR and cultural manifestations that moves freely between earned, paid and owned channels.  

FREDRIK EKSTRÖM

With over 20 years of extensive experience in brand activations, insights, and development, I have worked as a Creative Director, Head of Marketing, and consultant for globally recognized lifestyle brands, spanning diverse sectors such as outdoor, sports, fashion, and food & beverage. My vast knowledge and expertise are valuable assets I bring to every project. Whether you seek to launch a new brand or breathe life into an existing one, I possess the skills, knowledge, and a robust network necessary to assist you in achieving your objectives.​

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Power up Brand Strategies through Sustainability and Eco-Decisions.

A significant challenge for those aiming to steer consumption in a more sustainable direction is effectively disseminating their ideas and initiatives while maintaining relevance and appeal to consumers.

 

My specialization lies in consumer-centric sustainability, and I assist brands in comprehending how consumer attitudes, shifts in values, and trends can be translated into a strategic framework, ultimately transforming it into a roadmap for actionable steps.

Image Credit: Norr Agency, 365 Naturkompaniet.Tretorn Ghost Net Jacket X Naturkompaniet

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Above The Clouds :  Future Series & Reports

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The NXT Sustainable Consumer Report 2023 - The Post Purpose Activists - is an annual trend report based on quantitative data from a nationally representative sample of 2,405 respondents in Sweden and Denmark. The report is part of Above The Cloud's : Future Series on sustainability and lifestyle behaviours linked to consumption.

Activations
with a rebel spirit

I believe that great communication thrives at the disruptive intersection of trend insights, brand experiences and cultural expressions. With concepts that seamlessly navigate through earned, paid, and owned channels.

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My methodology is rooted in trends and cultural insights, enabling me to cultivate a profound comprehension of shifts in consumer values and how trends yield cultural expressions that foster fan engagement through associations.

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Selected Work

This is part of my personal portfolio

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Strategic Planning WEEKDAY

As a strategic consultant for Weekday, my role was to provide invaluable insights and strategic direction based on Gen-Z trends, defined by rebellion against norms and embracing individuality. The heart of our strategy was the concept, "The Class of Not Giving a F**k." celebrating individuality and embodying Weekday's mission to empower self-expression through style.

More info
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Senior Strategist SAMSUNG 

Acting In-house Senior PR strategist Mobile Experiences. 

Directing parts of a larger way-of-working transformation for the Nordic Markets. â€‹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.

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Strategic Brand Platform

Strategic brand platform and brand hierarchy for three brands. The work was carried out for BLCK Communication for a global producer of work wear. The strategy work included creation of a three brands platform. Positioning of the the brands, purpose statement, heritage texts, vision, mission, messaging and attributes. Delivery was a full brand platform for all three brands.

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Brand Concept TRETORN

The Eco-Essentials Initiative was created as a strategic brand sustainability concept. The strategy work included consumer insights, purpose statement, vision, mission, and eco-manifest.  The work also included product development, design briefings, sales training and GoTo market strategy. The initiative was activated globally through PR and design collaborations.

OTHERLANDS NFT ART Festival Samsung Nordic

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Strategic PR Concept, Nordic markets. My responsibilities: Consumer Insight, Strategic planning, Creative Concept and activation.    

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The first of its kind, NFT art festival, arranged in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland at the same time, initiated for Samsung Mobile Experience.

 

A festival that celebrates the creative and contrast-rich meeting that arises between art, fashion, music, technology and innovation when they meet through the aesthetic and absurdity that symbolises NFT’s and blockchain technology.

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Ghost Net Apparel Concept

The Ghost Net Project was created as a strategic brand purpose activation. We created it to show  sustainability commitments through real product development where we turned ocean trash into nylon treasures. We launched the project through PR, thought leadership, collaborations, and retail marketing.. My role was creating the concept, act as strategic and creative lead, design and visual direction, GoTo-Market strategy and manage activations.

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Arctic Circle Trail Run

The Concept of Galaxy Bucket List Test Trips was created with the objective to attract sport & lifestyle journalists from the nordic countries to test Samsungs new smart sport watch, Watch5Pro. The watch is a genuinely good sports watch, but to engage sport-lifestyle journalists the test needed to be authentic and extreme, they needed to genuinely learn something new and it should be a test they would remember and talk about with their friends.

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SAREK Apparel Eco-Concept 

The SAREK project was created as a strategic brand extension and sub brand development within eco-apparel. The objective was to establish a "low pulse" category of outdoor apparel, born in SAREK, within the Eco-Essentials Initiative. The work included consumer insights, concept development, sub brand design direction, visual identity, GoTo-market strategy, sales training and presentations, PR activation and collaborations.

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Nigel Cabourn Collaborations 

The Collaborations with Nigel Cabourn was carried out for two seasons and was part of the Eco-Essentials initiative. The first season was made in recycled Ventile and included sneakers, bags and jackets. The next season was made in Ghost Net Fabric and mix of recycled and reuses fabric. It included Padded Rain Jacket, Rubber Boots and Bags. 

The work included setting up the collaboration framework, being part of the design process, GoTo Market strategy and managing activation and launch.    

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LOOK & BRAND BOOK PRODUCTION 

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A Look Book should act as a mirror of your brand soul, it should connect buyers, consumers and press with your brand and brand stories. It should be a conversation starter where you are able to position your brand in the head of the consumer as you wish to be perceived. I establish a content strategy and page overview, visual direction and content production for look books, brand books presentations and folders.

Breathing New Life into Your Brand Soul

Through insights driven reports i create thought-leadership and disruptive thinking that build brands, reputation and awareness. The reports enables you to position your brand uniquely against your competition, while generating interest and demand for your thoughts, products and brand.

Let's Connect and Collaborate 

I offer a freelance consultant service where you as client get the benefits of in-depth expertise across a number of specialty areas, without having to increase your permanent staff or contract a full size agency.

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Fredrik Ekström

+46 (0) 72 729 46 32

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