This weekend it became clear to me just how much we, and I think that everybody living in the modern world would agree with me on this, are dependant on technology. I learned this the hard way, because this weekend, my dad, Mr. Fix-it, tried to make our internet-connection wireless, and as a result he completely shut down our entire network - phone, internet and somehow he managed to disconnect our tv as well. My dad - the handyman.
It only took him a mere 4 hours to get us back online, but during those 4 hours I was completely isolated from the rest of the world, seeing as I'd forgotten my cell at a friends house as well. I litterally did not know what to do with myself. I couldn't get in touch with anybody, couldn't watch tv, check my school schedule for the next day or do any of the things I normally do when I'm home. That's when I realized how dependant I am on the wonders of technology to keep me entertained.
But it's not just for pure entertainment that we've become so addicted and dependant on technology.
My friend goes to Ørestad Gymnasium, which is a school of the future.
Everybody has their MacBooks with them to school everyday to write their notes on, the teachers tell them by mail wich homework and which assignments to do for the next day - assignments that are handed in by mail as well, and if the teacher doesn't feel like coming to work he just makes the lesson virtual - which means they do it by mail. They all operate under the same system, a system called "Fronter", and they've become so dependant on this system that if it were to break down, the entire school wouldn't know what to do.
This school is called the school of the future, which basically means that if our dependance on internet and other technologic marvels continue to grow in the speed is growing in now, this school will represent how the future of this country will look like. We will all be hooked up to something in one way or another, and should the progress in the invention of new tools and tricks to ease our everyday-life through technology and machines, continue, in this rapid speed, we are most likely to become completely dependant on machines in a few years time.

But right now, I’m just happy that when I get home I have a computer, tv and a phone just sitting there waiting for me.

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...not just for pure pleasure, but to lead your business further. Years ago, in 2002, I wrote an article in Ledelse i Dag with Christian Madsbjerg (ReD Associates) about this; 'Lær af avantgarden' (published in Ledelse i Dag, nr. 48, april 2002) - what business can learn from the avantgarde (log-in for full text). At the beginning of the new millennium, the arts-in-business alliance was definitely put on the agenda, in public, in research and in the arts and business development.

Today, the message that business can grow from understanding and converting movements within contemporary art into business, is still relevant. This advice is not just about business investing in up-coming artists, to gain profit on their art works and having them decorate the office space – but about business learning from the processes and conceptual ideas of the avantgarde. And about business leaders staying updated on the contemporary art scene.

What business can learn from the avantgarde
Companies or leaders that understand to develop their competencies, products and services through dialogues with contemporary art movements or in co-operation with artists often stands strong and get a leap ahead in the competition. Why? Because contemporary art – especially the avantgarde – points towards our future. The avantgarde movements shine a light on what the established, mainstream society still isn’t ready to see or face. That’s a potential for leaders to translate and convert into business.

For the article in Ledelse i Dag I had the pleasure of discussing this subject with such interesting people as artist Bjørn Nørgaard, architect Merete Ahnfeldt-Mollerup, Svend Lundh, CEO at Collection Källemo AB, Superflex artist Jakob Fenger, Michael Rasmussen, VELUX communication and brand manager and Johnny Quist Mortensen, managing director of VELUX. All of them explain how they succesfully have worked with the arts or artists in business.

The points in the article start from an outlining of how the historical avantgarde confronted a past of more closed, static or finished works of art, and broke with it through working with a focus on process orientation, the conceptual and an involvement of the spectator as part-taker in completing the art work. By analogy with this, the article argues that we in 2002 accordingly saw a development in business where many successful companies focused on designing processes and platforms with room for content development by users and consumers: Flexible products and services with room for individual dreams and needs of consumers, rather than static prefabricated products. Those flexible consumer-scapes aim for high customer involvement and leave room for consumer driven product development and customization. Many of these consumer platforms place the relational and the community at center stage. A new customer character mixed of the roles of the consumer and producer came at play, often named the 'prosumer'. (Quite like the new role of the spectator in historical avantgarde art). Then along came web 2.0, communities as MySpace, YouTube, LinkedIn, Amazon, eBay, Flickr, del.icio.us, mitkbh, blogging, you name it…

A spot where you can be inspired and pick up the latest vibes on the contemporary art scene is at EXIT 07 – the final exhibition of the graduates from The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, displayed at Kunstforeningen Gl. Strand – that I just recently saw and where the pics in this blog post are from. It’s worth seing and shows ‘till July 8th.

Not to be compared to any larger movements in the avantgarde arts, but picking up inspiration at EXIT 07 two things struck me:

* The creation of illusions and the use of techniques, optic tricks or change of context to turn the old into something new
As the fine optic illusion of a humming-bird by movement (artist Tove Storch), the now well established but at EXIT 07 also well done photo realistic painting technique with paint on canvas, and the sculpturesquely display of objects from contexts where they had no status as sculptures.
    Like art works often do, these pieces invite us to have another look at the world before our eyes. We think we have seen it all before. Then it turns out to be something different, dressed in the recognizable, but turned up-side down – here by the mixing of genres, by relocating objects from one context to a new, or by the use of intelligent tricks, ideas, techniques or technology – like in times of illusions. Are those these times?

* Controlling the world and nature through cultivation of micro-cosmoses
Either at a small or over dimensioned scale – that draws the spectator close, to leave out the rest of the big world; like controlled micro-worlds as those a child constructs with toys, bricks or stuff from the beach or woods. At EXIT 07 the nostalgic reference of childhood is explicit, in installations, sculptures and micro-sceneries. So is the micro-cosmos management of nature in reserves or sanctuaries, as it is done with pets or reptiles.
    The conflict between nature/culture is an often told story - but never the less still a highly relevant topic during recent climate debates. Wild nature is a somewhat nostalgic idea today. Our planet is cultivated, and most of the remaining wild nature is contained in reserves or under protection of UNESCO and the like. There seems an irony connected to the micro-cosmoses displayed at EXIT 07. An ironic tale of our concepts of nature as a well organized and controllable force, preserved in show cases. But the micro-cosmoses displayed at EXIT 07 also make one wonder if these are times of a need among people to stay detailed with a focus on their own managable micro-worlds, where a part of our future is our growing engagement in context-orientated 'pocket' or sub communities in an otherwise polarized and unmanagable world? Or is the world just getting smaller, being reflected in a single leaf or in the echo-system of one sanctuary, as in the show cases at EXIT 07, that seem to offer small islands of privacy, ‘nerdyness’ or closeness.

A third thing to mention about EXIT 07 is the humor present in many of the art works at display – an element I really like in contemporary works of art. Check out the photo of the bike/ladder! And also Tommy Petersen, in addition part of Akassen (art group) and Troels Sandegård are EXIT 07 artists that I definately think will do work worth watcing in the future!

Visit EXIT 07 to see what it tells you! And what questions it leaves you with about our future, that might inspire you to grow new solutions...

Daring yet classic - 2007 is a year for Marimekko pattern design. I got the buzz as a sudden urge to buy Marimekko stuff as Christmas presents in December. Why? The fabrics contain a funky nostalgia within their designs - funky especially in my case, since I wasn't even born, when Marimekko topped in the 50ties, 60ties and 70ties with Jacqueline Kennedy as one of the brand's first ladies! So how can one go retro on something and get all nostalgic about it, when one wasn't even around at the time Marimekko made it in the first round?

Marimekko spans time and made it into a new century by combining uniqueness, simplicity yet novelty with classic good quality that has turned its fabrics into an iconic, easy recognisable and trust-worthy industrial design classic. A brand that succeeds in bridging the generational gap, by appealing to its consumers and stakeholders - primarily women - then and now - a dream to achieve for many brands!

In fashion, graphics are in. And this year also Kunstindustrimuseet devoted attention to the Finish flowers and iconic fabric designs, showing the exhibition "Marimekko - The Story of a Nordic Brand' since March until the end of May. Also designers as Helle Hoegsbro now include Marimekko fabrics in her designs, making new interpretations of how to use the patterns.   

What is Marimekko's success about?
The code behind Marimekko's success seems to be their ability to ride on the edge of change and time. The design platform roots in inspiration from New Worlds: Abstract art, pop art, functionalism, ornamentation and impulses from exotic or foreign worlds, as well as nature, combined with romanticism, purity and urban modernity, all united within the coolness of a Nordic brand universe. On top of that, Marimekko was always driven by women. Founded by the visionary and experimenting Armi Ratia (1913-1979), who, with a back ground in advertising, in 1951 presented a progressive management style and concept for creating designs for independent women with Marimekko. The brand name Marimekko is actually combined of the Finish word for 'little dress' (mekko) and Mari, an anagram for Armi, its founder - one of Finland's most famous female entrepreneurs.

The openess towards change - in society, design and the arts - and the feminine core of Marimekko explain part of the brand's success: Marimekko was born at the same time as the 'women's liberation' started to grow. This value is truly inherent in Marimekkos business concept, in its designs and products as well as in its history of management style. Female front-runners of the 50ties, 60ties and 70ties who took public centre stage to contribute outside the family in myriads of ways dressed up (and dressed their homes as well) in Marimekko - from Jacqueline Kennedy to flower children and intellectuals. The Marimekko brand seems loaded with dare, freedom and novelty, yet without ever compromising soft and caring femininity. Even within the company, Armi Ratia's management was progressively challenged by young house designer Maija Isola in 1964, when she presented her 'Unikko' collection with huge and colourful flowers - just after Ratia in public proclaimed that florals would never be a part of Marimekkos designs! 'Unikko' became a big success and is probably to be considered Marimekko's signature pattern ever since.

A brand promise and history worth revisiting
Marimekko's brand promise is one worth revisiting for women in 2007, even though it works with a touch of nostalgia. The brand promise actually tells us the story of where women of today come from, and possibly unite the many different roles women now fulfil, where the stereotypic distinction between either 'Hausfrau' or 'Female Power Suite' stopped making sense. This brand promise and story, as well as the distinct qualities of the pattern designs seems to be a code of Marimekkos achievement, since the company is now experiencing a - yet slow-foxy, but certain - come-back, as their corporate story, numbers and display show.

Sure - Marimekko had its downs in the 80ties and 90ties, when fashion went all black and craved for huge logos, and interior design tightened up and went straight and pattern-less. But when you made it big in the first round, you are always destined for a great come-back in the app. 20-year classic fashion cycle - unless you really f... up! (So, Whitney - get a grip...The Time is Now!; red.)

What's to learn from iconic Marimekko's span in time
Without going deeper into Marimekkos brand story, five lessons to learn from Marimekkos success in spanning time seems to be:

1. Do what you believe in: And do it all the way through your business! That's also quality.

2. Keep it simple: So you stay true and recognisable at all times. That's also part of your unique concept.

3. Look for change and conceptualise it into your business, to grow: Look for change around you and within your self - it's your vehicle to grow! Then make it into your business to conceptualise how signs of change can be met with new solutions and concepts. Pin-pointing change to provide a solution or products that fill the gaps of change through time is of value to others! And that's off course one key to a successful business adventure. We see this in many forms all the time; Pharmaceuticals providing new solutions to changes in populations' health, IT/technology and e.g. social software providing platforms and products to fill many gaps in the walks of work and life (on different levels, socially, practically, strategically and creatively), and development of products/services that match needs among new consumer groups, making them feeling understood and a part of consumer society (like Marimekkos independent women of the 50ties and 60ties, today's Tweens - the 8-12 year old Kids That Grew Old Younger - who has their own media scapes, consumer communities) etc...    

4. Thrive in change: Since change is inevitable at all times in business as well as in life, prepare for it up-front. Define a core, concept and signature for your business that you truly believe in (brings us back to step 1 and 2 on this list), - but while staying true to this, load it with novelty and change from the beginning (see step 3 on this list). That will also leave you with a great and true history of having made a difference, and a good brand promise to spread in the future.

5. Keep moving: Stay open, leaving room for more change in the times to come - that's making room for your brand's learning potential. Remember to change with times (still without compromising your core values and recognisable signature) - or else you'll have to wait 20 years for your comeback!

Now the 20-year fashion cycle and women's history has turned in favour of Marimekko! So - I really hope my (independent yet caring) mother likes the apron I gave her for Christmas...

Just bought a new hit that I wanted to play the other night. But unlike iTunes this service doesn't allow you to play their files on a Mac. We can fly to the moon but we can't download songs to Macs (unless you use anything but this site).

I just stumbled on this interview in the CBS magazine (Copenhagen Business School) about blogging and how the use of social software can help a company show it's authentic identity. Download the article as PDF.

Article by Anders Hochheim, photography by Mads Armgaard.

Historie om Specialekontoret nu også nu DRs online nyheder

Radioavisen (the danish national newscast) woke me up this morning to talk about Specialekontoret. The idea is to create the best physical and mental environment for students. I just grabbed it with my Mac. You can hear it here:

Specialekontoret DR P1
or find it on DR Radioavisen - it was on at 8.00 this morning.

If you're working in a business consider if you could support the project. It's a great way of getting involved in the development of Denmark as an innovative nation, it's a great way of getting young managers training in coaching, it's a great way of getting the next generation of talents into business. There's lots more to know about the project. Read about it on www.specialekontoret.dk.

Lately I've been asking myself what the authentic danish brand is all about. Almost a year ago I was discussing this with Wally Olins as I was asking his opinion as (however well-informed) an outsider (Wally is british). I think his answer was something like "sameness", that the danish people like the fact that they are all relatively similar and share lots of very specific interests, rituals and habits.

Driving to Dansk Erhvervs (the danish business association) event "Branding Denmark" today I was discussing with Sandra how difficult it is to understand your own identity. As most danes have never known anything but living in Denmark it's difficult for them to see what's unique about their country, about their national identity. They've always seen the design, the architecture, eaten the national dishes, known the way we lead our schools and organizations, how we've structured our social system and our environmental values and hence they cannot see all these things that differentiate us from other countries. Things, on which we can base activities that are now being framed as "Branding Denmark".

We arrived at the exact same moment as Anders Fogh (I didn't want to bother him as he was filling his pockets with candy from the reception, seems Sweet-tooth and I share a craving for candy) which mean we didn't get all of Simon Anholts talk. Anholt has developed a way of mapping how different countries reputations are comparable. But we got Anders' talk fifteen minutes later. And the panel discussion with Arlas well-prepared and serious Astrid Gade Nielsen, Parkens Flemming Østergaard who claimed he didn't know a thing about branding and CEO of Bestseller, Troels Holch Povlsen who kept me and the rest of the crowd giggle throughout the session.

As I discussed with Majken on the way home the debate easily loses focus. Suddenly everyone is discussing wether or not danish companies should place little flags on their products and asking when the danish flag was dismissed from the über-danish "Lurpak" butter-packages. And the friendly Prime Minister Sweet-tooth didn't miss the chance to advocate for his deeds through the past years including stop of tax-increase etc. Since every dane is a specialist on danish values and virtues everyone gives it their best shot which is the exact problem of the case at hand: There are too many opinions, way too many objectives and an insane number of activities about to happen. And not a lot of choice as that would rule some activities and virtues out of this game. In order for a branding-project to work few strengths and only one idea has to be in focus.

On a more positive note, lots of people in the lot seemed to understand that unique events matter. However events are quickly turned into a tiresome light-category of sports and the royal wedding. Not that I have anything against either but how about opening our country to foreigners. Or opening our mind to people who are different from ourselves? What kind of event would that be? Sort of a Cartoon-crisis-turnaround? And a solution to some of the problems we are facing as danish companies try to increase their workforce in fierce competition with other companies with the same staffing-needs? Two political events that has changed the perception of Denmark is the Cartoon crisis and Denmarks participation in the war in Iraq. When was the last time the official Denmark did something good that impressed the world? Like helping someone or changing the world in a good way? Was that the soccer-success of 1992?

The activities that we invest in as we try to make people outside Denmark know this little country has to be very unique, out of the ordinary, meaningful and true. They have to live up to our history and they have to show that we dare to choose to commit to actions that we believe in. Because if they are true to our heritage and are driven by a brave choice they are truly authentic. And if it's not authentic on these two dimensions they are worth nothing.

Right now my colleagues and I are trying to get our CSR-project Specialekontoret to fly. Not an easy task as we are raising 30 mio dkkr (5 mio usd). The idea is to get companies to help students through an efficient process as they do their master-thesis. Paradoxially prime minister Anders Fogh mentioned that Denmark is becoming a leading nation for education by admitting more foreign students and giving 100 MBA-scholarships to foreign students. At the same time danish students (including the foreign students that are studying here) don't have a place to work during the last crucial part of their studies. Basically, the idea of becoming a leading country for education and learning is great (and authentic, I think, as we have unique knowledge, knowhow and most importantly: a leadership model that help us develop great learning) but right now it's not happening at all. Why? Because the government is not taking enough action to make the collaboration between public organizations (schools, universities etc.) and the private companies work.

The best thing the danish Government could do to brand Denmark right now is to change our policies towards people wanting to visit or live in Denmark. And hey, while you're at it, help danish students and companies meet and work together by supporting our ambitious pilot project.

You probably don’t give it much thought on a daily basis, but packing design can make it or break it for you – as well as for the company offering products on the market.

Packing is heavily integrated into our lives. Beyond being a container for goods, well-designed packing tells the qualities of the product, the story of your possible interaction with the content. How it may qualify or enrich your life. At it’s best, it talks straight to your senses, both heart and mind - giving you a clear notion of how it will feel to use what’s inside. Preferably in a way that sticks with you after your product experience, encouraging your instant top-of-mind recognition next time you have to choose among the billion choices a modern consumer life has to offer.   

But so much for packing, if the content doesn’t match your expectations. Bummer! Or if the packing doesn’t awaken your expectations at all. Then you would probably move on without taking notice.

Differentiation as well as honest or authentic communication of your product, the qualities of it’s content, story and what it has to offer define some assets that I appreciate in packing design. In my opinion the packing of two products, Birkesaft (Birke juice) and Nordsø Bitter (Danish bitter brand), that recently caught my eye and lens of my mobile camera, share these assets. Take a look at the pictures – what you see is what you get, from the inside out!

…And what a great idea to sell Danish spring bottled – that’s a happy promise I had to shop, since I also appreciate new experiences. But to be honest, the taste seemed rather peculiar to me. Definitely differentiated. But on the other hand – I also didn’t like Nordsø or any other bitter for that matter at first - acquired taste seems to be the right word for what’s to be found on the other side of that tipping point. So maybe I’ll learn to like Birkesaft as well some day :-)

So, my friends and I landed in heated discussion the other day. Is the infamous smiley a good or a bad thing. Let me clarify the arguments:
Pro Smiley:
The Smiley let's us get our message across easily, setting the tone in written language, which can often be hard. Example: Nikolaj, my dear boss, could write this to me 'Emma, it's been a while since we've seen a blog entry from you :-)'
Or he could say: 'Emma, it's been a while since we've seen a blog entry from you'
I think it's rather clear to everyone that the latter would be perceived as slightly angry, and definitely with a bit more 'bite' than the first one. So far, so good.
However, my friends had some arguments looking farther into the future than the above. Here's what they said: The use of smileys makes us simplify our language, slowly but safely making us worse and worse at expressing our emotions through concise writing. And thereby making our glorious language (which, it seems, is already to some extent disappearing before our eyes due to lack of respect from the Danish language council who keeps trying to 'renew' the spelling rules. If a smiley could explain how I feel towards this, it would look like this :-( )
So, to sum things up, are smileys helping us, or making our written language more lacklustre than it has ever been?
(A quick anecdote, a friend of mine used smileys in his essay to make his point come across more clearly. Never in my life have I seen my 60 year old teacher so confused "But, dear, what is the point of the semicolon and the parentheses?")

(A last note: Blog is not a word accepted in the English dictionary. Isn’t it about time? I mean, if bootylicious is in it, then why not blog? Ah well, modern times!)