What is it about Sweden and commercial creativity?
How do they produce so much great work? At Cannes Lions 2016 Sweden won 54 awards. Making them the world’s second most creative country per capita.
Over the last decade, the agency Forsman Bodenfors has led the charge, collecting Titanium, Glass and dozens of Gold, Silver and Bronze Lions. Inspired by their lead, others have followed.
Most recently Akestam Holst, creators of Ikea’s “Where Life Happens” campaign, have gained remarkable success. For themselves and their clients.
Åkestam Holst isn’t just known for its creative trailblazing. It’s also been a pioneer in office culture by promoting diversity and equality in its workforce.
How do they do it and what can we learn?
Join us in the Gibson Hotel with Åkestam Holst Executive Creative Director, Magnus Jakobsson (one of Ad Age’s 6 best Creative Directors in the world), and Planner, Karl Wikström, as they self-assemble Swedish creativity.
- Named Ad Week’s International Agency of The Year 2017
- The most awarded Swedish agency in Cannes Lions 2017
- Winner of six Cannes Lions in 2018 (click here to learn more)
- Winner of a 2018 World Changing Ideas Award for the Humanium project
Magnus Jakobsson, Executive Creative Director, Åkestam Holst
Magnus Jakobsson is one of Sweden’s most awarded creatives and creative directors.
Following nine successful years at DDB Stockholm, helping to establish it as one of Sweden’s leading agencies, Jakobsson joined Åkestam Holst and its Nordic network The North Alliance in 2016 as executive creative director. The results speak for themselves.
Fueled by Jakobsson's leadership, Åkestam Holst has become Sweden’s #1 agency, dominating the Swedish market in both creative awards and effectiveness awards. The global footprint of the agency has grown significantly, as demonstrated by awards like AdWeek’s only International Agency of the Year and ADC’s Boutique Agency of The Year. In 2018, half of the Cannes Lions Sweden brought home were awarded to Åkestam Holst.
Notable works produced under Jakobsson's leadership include the on-going ”Where life happens” campaign for IKEA, and the Humanium Metal initiative.
Jakobsson was nominated as AdAge’s Creative Director of The Year 2018, and was on the exlusive list "50 Creative Leaders 2018" put together by Creative Review UK, alongside creative icons like Sir Paul Smith and Björk. He says that most of his success comes down to picking the right ”freaks and geeks” and giving them free rein to do what they're good at.
Karl Wikström, Strategy Director, Åkestam Holst
Karl Wikström is a senior strategy director at Åkestam Holst, and has spent more than a decade championing creative strategy at agencies like Lowe, DDB Stockholm, TBWA and now Åkestam Holst.
Wikstrom is one of the architects of Åkestam Holst’s new vision and rebranding, and is the agency's representative in Google’s global creative council. His name shows up in small print at the bottom of credit lists for various golden lions, cubes, pencils and notably a Grand Prix.
Wikstrom is also a long-time collaborator of Magnus Jakobsson since their time together at DDB, and Jakobsson has described him as ”Sweden’s best creative strategist - as if 100 clever strategic thinkers were using one body as some kind of host animal.”
He believes that great creative ideas are paradoxically priceless and worthless at the same time, and that ideas are nothing without the right execution and proper distribution.
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Add to Calendar 2018-09-14 08:30:00 2018-09-14 10:30:00 Europe/Dublin Sweden - Where Great Happens What is it about Sweden and commercial creativity? Join us to find out how Åkestam Holst create such award winning work ... Gibson Hotel, Eastpoint St, North Dock IAPI info@iapi.com
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Add to Calendar 2018-09-14 08:30:00 2018-09-14 10:30:00 Europe/Dublin Sweden - Where Great Happens What is it about Sweden and commercial creativity? Join us to find out how Åkestam Holst create such award winning work ... Gibson Hotel, Eastpoint St, North Dock IAPI info@iapi.com