I’m intrigued by your company name, what does it mean?

We started Peel in 2018. We always wanted to be international, and our strength was understanding Iceland. When we created Peel, we wanted to say we wanted to peel through the bullshit to the core of the brand. Similar to peeling an onion.

We avoid the 'theatrics' of larger agencies. In the past, the media setup was heavily traditional, and agencies used to rely on paid media. We wanted to focus on tech and data, but we quickly learned that the Icelandic market wasn’t looking for analysis. Clients would say, ‘No thanks, we just want to see something nice.’

The market here is so different from the rest of the world. When a new expert comes in and tries to apply global methods, it doesn’t fit. Flexibility is essential in Iceland: we’re talking about 350,000 people if you’re not running international campaigns.

How do you work as an advertising agency in Iceland?

We've wanted to be a small agency from the start. Traditionally, the Icelandic way is growing a company from within, when you have 10 agency people in a meeting with the client. We bring in the best experts in Iceland, as needed, rather than having all expertise in-house.

Clients, particularly in the US, find our small agency structure interesting, because they have specific teams for strategy, for example. I’m the CEO of Peel, I do project management and strategy. So I’m in a lot of those meetings.

When we launched Peel in 2018, we believed, naively, that we could collaborate with all the ad agencies but Iceland is such a small country and the pool of clients is so small that agencies have been protective.

Our setup proved perfect for the 2020 Visit Iceland tender. We understood that no Icelandic agency could run the Visit Iceland account without a global partner because we are a small island and we need to allow the expertise from abroad to help us in a way.

We ended up working with two global agencies, one of them M+C Saatchi.

Did you just ring the front desk and get the CEO of Saatchi on the phone?

Daniel Bremmer, a creative director we knew from our old jobs at Íslenska ad agency, helped us connect.

I don’t think this would’ve happened unless COVID happened. Because they were really keen on finding new opportunities. We clicked right away. We were able to talk to big bosses right away.

They appreciate Iceland's production capabilities, and we value their brand strategy and creative input for international campaigns.

Working with team members across multiple time zones in New York, California, and Australia, was crazy, because I was in meetings with all of them. I’ve never worked that hard before. I also had my first child around that time, so I don’t remember much from that time.

You’re probably most famous for country branding. What’s the difference between branding a company and a country?

A country is not a typical company. It’s way harder to find the essence of a country. You need to find the right tone. You can’t make it something it’s not. A company can evolve and change depending on the CEO. It’s about finding the truths in the brand of Iceland.

Working for your country is one of the most difficult things you can do because you are creating something that the rest of the world is going to see. It gets way more personal for you. At the same time, it doesn’t matter what you do, the people who live in the country are going to judge it the harshest.

How do you uncover these truths? How do you know we’ve nailed this?

Visit Iceland has been building its brand for a long time. In recent years, the focus has been on 'Looks like you need Iceland.' When we began this campaign during COVID, we had no idea when it might be possible to travel to Iceland.

Our approach was: What is true for what Iceland can offer? We identified key values: humour, earned media, humility, and authentic Icelandic feel. We needed global creative input to push the boundaries, but with genuine Icelandic involvement, and all production was to be local.

What are the core values that Brand Iceland consistently aims to project and what common stereotypes does it try to avoid?

Brand Iceland has long prioritised values like sustainability, humility, and a sense of fun. And we're very conscious of avoiding stereotypical portrayals like elves or bearded men in sweaters. Instead, we emphasise Iceland's progressive nature: high education levels, job opportunities, gender equality, sustainability, and quality of life.

How did you translate these values into specific campaigns, especially during COVID?

We launched 'Looks like you need…' by analysing the world’s needs. Our first campaign, 'You need to let it out,' addressed the global lockdown. We understood people felt trapped. A report highlighted their need for release. We asked: how can Iceland provide that?

We have so much space here in Iceland, and a lot of agencies noticed the same. We needed to have something interesting for people and for the press.

Something bigger than a story of, hey come to us, we have space. It needed to be true so we built speakers so people could release their tension. The Icelandic press initially criticized it, the government wanted to pull funding but it gained global attention.

How did the 'Sweatboots' campaign come about?

As travel began to reopen, fear remained. We wanted to transform the symbol of COVID, 'safety blankets,' into something positive: 'Sweatboots.' We emphasised sustainability, aligning with Iceland’s brand. We produced 100 boots, sold at a pop-up store in the centre of Reykjavik, and incorporated footage from the volcanic eruption. It was about turning a negative into a positive, while remaining true to the brand’s values.

‘Outhorse your email’ addressed the shift to remote work. We built a functioning horse-operated keyboard. We needed to show something true to show to the press, otherwise it wouldn’t be noticed globally.

By the time 'Icelandverse' happened, we knew what the brand stood for so well, we created the video in 10 days.

Do you think there’s a lesson in that campaign for all brand managers out there?

Of course. A strong brand is both great for the customer and it’s way easier for everyone who works on a brand to have a clear vision of what it stands for, what’s allowed, and what’s not a good fit for your tone of voice.

So how do you approach selling brand strategy, especially in a market that has traditionally undervalued it?

Icelandic clients traditionally under-value brand strategy compared to international standards. As a company, the first people you need to market to are your employees. When everyone, from the receptionist to the CEO, understands and embody the brand vision, they become powerful advocates. This is the best selling point.

A strong brand strategy simplifies collaboration with agencies and experts because you don’t have to figure out every time you’re doing a campaign.

What unique advantages does Iceland offer for international companies, especially in production?

Iceland is a unique place for production. We have a highly educated workforce, and working with officials is transparent and relatively easy. This allows for quick turnaround times, making it attractive for foreign companies.

We prioritise Iceland-based talent because we’re not just selling travel; we’re showcasing Icelandic culture. Local production ensures authenticity.