Creative dream team to brand the Nordic Region
After lengthy and in-depth consideration, the Council of Ministers is delighted to announce the successful bidder for the “Branding and positioning of the Nordic Region” tender – the creative consortium comprising Mensch, BIG Architects, Area9 and Ole Lund Creative. The consortium, which has been assembled specifically for the purpose, combines a broad range of design, creative and technical disciplines.
New standard for place branding
A reference group comprising experts from the Nordic foreign ministries and tourism bodies evaluated the bids. The winning project is expected to set a new standard for place branding, and to inspire and engage a wide range of stakeholders in the Nordic Region and beyond.
There is great worldwide interest in the Nordic Region right now. Our aim with this project, and with the prime ministers’ new initiative "Nordic solutions to global societal challenges", is to put Nordic ideas and solutions on the world map.
Nordic ideas on the world map
Dagfinn Høybråten, Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers had this to say about the winning bid:
“The pre-qualification round threw up a fascinating range of agencies, who presented top-class bids, but we were particularly taken by the winning consortium’s level of ambition and their agenda-setting concept. The choice is in tune with Nordic values and aspirations for innovation and new thinking. The consortium also possesses the creative and interdisciplinary talent to deploy design processes and brand activation at international level.
There is great worldwide interest in the Nordic Region right now. Our aim with this project, and with the prime ministers’ new initiative "Nordic solutions to global societal challenges", is to put Nordic ideas and solutions on the world map.”
The Nordic narrative has momentum
The winning concept – “Traces of North” – builds on the idea of curating ‘Nordic narratives’ around the world, facilitated by new and sophisticated technology – a publishing tool that will share and convey Nordic ‘traces’, both existing and future, at events, projects, places, etc. around the world.
Thinking in Nordic terms has been a really fascinating process. Although the narrative of the democratic Nordic Region currently enjoys plenty of momentum, there will always be potential for making the brand even stronger. Our ambition is to present a more multi-faceted image of the Region. We want to create a living manifestation of the Nordic brand, the Nordic mindset and Nordic 'traces' in the world.
Christina Tønnesen, CEO of Mensch says:
“Thinking in Nordic terms has been a really fascinating process. Although the narrative of the democratic Nordic Region currently enjoys plenty of momentum, there will always be potential for making the brand even stronger. Our ambition is to present a more multi-faceted image of the Region. We want to create a living manifestation of the Nordic brand, the Nordic mindset and Nordic 'traces' in the world.”
About the branding project:
The minsters for Nordic co-operation commissioned the Council of Ministers’ Secretariat to draw up a strategy for the international branding and positioning of the Region. The strategy enjoys wide-ranging support in both the public and private sectors and in Nordic networks. he Secretariat runs and co-ordinates work on the strategy in dialogue with the Nordic countries.
Strategy for the International Branding of the Nordic Region
Huge interest in tendering to brand the Nordic Region
Call for tenders: Raising international awareness of the Nordic brand
