Brand strategy knowledge in Iceland is still lacking. Do you agree?

I am afraid so, most people in my field would agree with that statement. Strategy isn't yet really part of the advertising or marketing equation. People talk about doing it, or want to do it, but in the end the strategy they think they are doing is just not quite what they need to do.

But this isn't just a client problem, it is also within our own ranks, so to speak. As an example, in Iceland, we’ve got these good creative agencies that still don’t really use or sometimes understand how to use a creative brief, which is the most basic “product” a strategist creates, because they don’t have the right knowledge or an experienced brand strategist on staff.

The glaring problem is that the local advertising agencies don’t have strategic planners on staff. For example, almost every small agency in the US or UK has one or two strategists on staff, it is just part of the agency structure.

So, how can a CEO in Iceland be convinced to hire a brand strategist? What’s your pitch?

The best way to convince a CEO is to show, not just tell. CEOs want to see results— so the key is to present solid case studies. If you’ve worked with a proven brand and you can show tangible results, that gives you credibility. It’s about leverage. If you’re asking someone to spend money, you need to demonstrate the value it brings, the return on the investment.

Don't just talk theory. Show them how it works. When you can say, “This strategy brought measurable results,” it’s a game-changer.

There aren't a lot of Icelandic strategists who can show these type of results from big, serious campaigns. That is why we are losing business to foreign strategy consultants. Which I feel is very sad and bad for our industry as whole as we are losing a great opportunity to educate and teach new Icelandic strategists every time a job goes abroad.

You’ve worked on some very high-profile campaigns. What was the insight that unlocked the creative?

One of the best examples I can give is the “Inspired by Iceland” campaign from 2010. It was one of the early earned-first campaigns, blending PR, content marketing and social media. The key insight came from a global survey asking, “Would you recommend this brand to others?”, basically an early version of the NPS question.

When we asked about a nation brand like Iceland, the response was overwhelmingly positive. People were excited to talk about the country to others — and that was the insight that was at the heart of the campaign — both in messaging and in media choices.

The insight to the Icelandair campaigns was similar: we had to unlock and give people the materials so they could share their experiences on board this quirky little airline from Iceland.

As a young brand planner in the US, you’ve worked on a few Super Bowl campaigns. What was it like?

Yes I worked at Carmichael Lynch at the time, a great creative boutique in Minneapolis. For Volvo, launching their trucks in the U.S. market was all about finding the right insight. The insight was about luxury: the drivers sleep in their trucks, often in cramped quarters. The Volvo truck was luxurious, so the idea was to have the drivers put pressure on the truck owners (very few drivers own their trucks) to spend the extra money to buy a Volvo truck.

The next agency, Forsman & Bodenfors, came after us but used the same insight, but had Jean-Claude Van Damme do his epic split and more great stuff. But it was always about luxury and quality.

Also, the Super Bowl is of course a massive opportunity for brands to showcase themselves, but there’s only one day when every truck in America stops moving - when the game is on.

That is why we spent almost all the media budget on that buy every year. I got to spend a year visiting truck stops, talking to truck drivers, getting a feel for their world. Such sweet guys!

What advice do you have for anyone looking to become a brand strategist in Iceland?

Get into the field and experience it. Start doing small projects, just so you can get into the nitty gritty of things. It’s all about hands-on learning here in Iceland, since we don't have the luxury of going into agencies in larger markets and being able to learn slowly.

Also, learn everything: understand statistics and doing qualitative research, as well as try to learn and do focus groups and interviews. Sociology and psychology play a big role in understanding human behaviour and how people connect with brands. That’s where the magic happens — meeting and understanding the target group: the people who are buying, or not buying, the brand you're helping. We can’t specialise too much in Iceland, so you need to learn it all to be good. Because after a while, you'll feel it in your gut if you've cracked the strategy, if you've found that insight that unlocks everything!

I teach a journalism course at a local university on strategy. I tell them, 'What you're learning is great for getting a job in advertising.' They understand human behavior, they can write, and they know how to find data. They have the perfect background to be strategists and work in advertising or marketing.

So, is brand strategy, really, about understanding people?

There’s a famous case of got milk? The insight was that milk is boring. So, how can you make it better? The answer: focus on what comes with the milk. Historical research showed that what accompanies the milk is just as important. It elevates the milk.

Brand strategy is about insights. That’s the core of brand strategy: insights come from understanding people. You don’t find them in business theory. You have to know when an insight hits you. Sometimes you talk to someone on the shop floor, and what they say unlocks the strategy. And it’s a brand strategist who owns the brief. The brief has an insight that unlocks the creative.

In October, you won an Icelandic Design grant for Steina, a developmental toy and design object. It was created by your mother, the clay artist Elísa Jónsdóttir in 1961. What's next for this project?

I think everyone needs to give back something. We can't always just take. So that is really what I am doing now. I'm working on this family project with the Steina toy with all my nieces and nephews, so that it brings the family together in a different way.

I’m also very fortunate to be working with a number of charities, including Bleika Slaufan, Alzheimer, Ljósið, and Píeta Samtökin, to organise fundraising drives through KR, my local sports team.

These are also outreach projects aimed at strengthening the local community, specifically in Vesturbær and within KR. We’ve actually done a lot of research on this, and it’s an ongoing initiative, which I think is particularly interesting for a brand strategist to be involved in.

At the end of the day, brand strategy isn’t just about brands but people and communities.

Find out more about Kristján on his website.

Photos courtesy of Kristján Schram

Want to be interviewed about all things brand strategy and branding?
Email me: s.graudt@gmail.com