Stories have the power to change you

Stories have the power to change you.
Some will make you wonder.
Some will make you dream bigger than ever before.
Some will make you laugh.
Some will make tears run down your cheeks.
Some will change how you see the world.
Some will ask you to leave the old you behind.
Some will tell you that you can fly.
And some will show you how.

So I find out that we have an ancient family shield

I just became a fan of Eli Paperboy Reed

Might be it is old school - but it swings.... I just happened to find this in a load of cheap sell outs at the record store. Kind of 50-60-ish rock swing blues - smooth and happy....

Be careful of commodity thinking?

Richard Tait, co-founder of Cranium, one of the the fastest selling board games in history. When asked, Richard said what led to their success. He says, "Starbucks". Every other board game maker followed the traditional path of game expos and mass channels. Richard and Whit Alexander didn't know a thing about board games when then started, so they missed the traditional retail buying windows. Running out of options, they naively pitched Howard Schultz about selling their game in their cafes, which had only had coffee merchandise before then. This nontraditional launch gave Cranium an edge over every other game launched that year the traditional way. Sure, the game itself had to be brilliant to be successful. But, finding a completely new path to market was just as important to their success. ..."

pretty catchy video - simple cool work

Revenge from Lernert & Sander on Vimeo.

Great Metallica quote

Everyday for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters.....
                  .......Metallica

Crone & Co - new adress

YES - we are moving to new premises - CPH City - most vibrant new creative part of town.
Halmtorvet 29, Baghuset 7A, DK-1700 CPH V

Nokia is getting it...."We are not a cell-phone company" they say...

Last year, Nokia sold 472 million cell phones and generated $70 billion in revenue, earning $7 billion in profit. It is the 88th-largest company in the world by revenue, counts more than 1.1 billion customers, sells its products in more than 150 countries, and runs an operating system translated into more than 180 different languages. Nokia's share of the global cell-phone market is greater than its next three competitors combined. Yet when I ask CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo to describe Nokia, the first thing he says is, "We are not a cell-phone company."

Woco / Visit Denmark wins prices...but what about results?

It´s somewhat great that Visit Denmarks wins great prices for creative campaigns. But to me it´s like the ad agencies dilemma - they shout about their prices..... BUT WHAT ABOUT THE RESULTS........ does the campaign matter...do you gain more business to Copenhagen.....

Social media bandwagon......

I like this.....find Waldo - marketing .....

maybe some more experiential approaches would work :-)..... --> WWW.CRONEANDCO.COM

This is a cool project - www.kk.dk/cykelchip

Somewhat cool - chipping up cycles to minimizde theft. If you can overcome the potential feeling of being monitored.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2008 has been a great year for Crone & Co, as we keep on growing and again peaking the present year. It is hard to believe that we are now already entering our 5th. year - time has passed so fast. I want to thank everyone who has been part of our continous success ever since we started.

Happy New Year - and thank you for 2008. I am looking forward to seeing you all in 2009 and together make the coming year even more succesful for all of us.

Replace fear of the unknown with curiosity

Read it - "eat it" - do it :-) !

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay

This summers favourite read - was The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. What a great story. A personal story, a family story, fun and sad - a colourful story that I highly recommend.

CSR - Corporate Social Responsibility Fashion Show

This one is worth some reflection is it not? What is your opinion on this matter. I have been working a lot in this field both on the client side with Microsoft - and after on the vendor side and feel that lately things seem to go a bit out of hand - ever since Al Gore made this a big PR stunt (though I deeply respect his cause - do not get me wrong). To me though - really many seems to jump on to this as merely - exactly the latest "business fashion" - to some extend - just as when everyone in the mid 90´s urged to have a .com adress on the web. Without really considering why and how this should be used and related to their businesses? And if this is really something one should scream about or simply just behave ethical as a part of "daily living".

Dive Master - the diving jungle - be careful out there

The diving society - is one of the weirdest and most chaotic I have ever experienced. Since many years I have been absolutely scared to be in the hands of many times very irresponsible people around the globe. So finally I simply had to educate myself. Lately I finally became a divemaster - simply to be able to take care of myself and my family members when ever we go diving.

People diving all over the world - educate yourself - the people in the different systems do not seem to care for your life - but only for your money. So be educated!!!!! I have so many scary experiences due to lack of responsible dive guides.

New business to be established soon

Exciting times. A new tipping point (I hope). Spending the last 6 month on detailing some new concepts in to the market. More info coming up soon.

A hell of a start of 2008 - wow

2008! Starting out more crazy than any year before. We´ve never been this busy already start January...really - it is a fantastic experience - being kick started into a new year - one can only be extremely excited and even more motivated than ever. And believing that we are on the right track with what we are doing for and with our clients.........

Crone & Co have had a fantastic 2007, several new exciting and existing clients using us more and on a broader scale. What a thrill!. This has given the foundation for a Crone & Co - 25-30% growth - compared to 2006. We never expected to come out this well. Thank you clients, employees, freelancers and partners !! (and all you supporting our ambitious mission/movement, read: family, friends and partners).

2008 - is going to be great and extremely exciting as I promise and commit: We will invest everything in pushing our services, quality limits and creative boundaries higher and higher. To keep on providing cutting edge solutions to our clients.

The more control - the less joy

joy x control ≤ 1

interesting quotation from my favourite Danish philosopher, Thor Nørretranders

Some good reads

Finally Holidays and time for reading - here some great reads that I had the time to read during Christmas:

The Council of Ten by Christian Mørk (a real page-turner - I am sure this will be a movie one day) - http://www.christianmoerk.com/council_of_the_ten.html

Everything is illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer (a really exciting - yet at the same time really weird read - or I´d rather call it a journey... And the author was only 25 when writing this book - as said by Joyce Carol Oates: "He will impress you and he will break your heart" - As I write this I realise it´s coming out 2008 as a movie: http://wip.warnerbros.com/everythingisilluminated/

Happy New Year

Merry X-Mas and a Happy New Year to friends, family, clients and partners !!

Thanks for a great 2007 !

Award at D3 Gaming Expo

This week-end Crone & Co got it´s first award. Why not brag about it :-) It´s cool to win the price for the best stand at the largest Nordic Gaming event - also when the client is Electronic Arts!! read more at: http://www.croneandco.com/News07.html or at http://www.playstadium.dk/2007/11/18/d3-reportage-fra-ea-standen/ where you can see some videoclips made by playstadium

Brand Ego Tripping - true or false ? what you think ?

Of course ironic - yet a lot of truth though...... DO NOT forget the fundamentals of marketing in the urge to create experiential communicative and activating campaigns....... I am definetely so much in favour of experience-based solutions.....yet they need to relate to the target audience, they need to keep the objective in mind (among other things). Don´t fall in the trap of only focusing on the now and here cool factor. Pretty basic you´d say - but pretty often forgotten I´d say....... due to the ego trip of the idea creator. And temptations to only focus on the solution.

Any views on this?

The Kite Runner

During vacation I had the opportunity to read this great book. It really is stuff for the mind on the situation in Afghanistan, on the Taliban regimes....etc.... Terrifying and touching story by Khaled Hosseini.

http://www.khaledhosseini.com/

New Media? Social Media?

There is a tendency these days to go crazy about blogging, youtube, myspace - so called Social Media.... But really - these are ONLY new methods to do what has always been a truth: To communicate well with your "stakeholders". This is exactly how you think when you are working with PR. You can decide to stay in silence and let people talk - or you can take and be part of the discussions. In the later - you do have some kind of influence instead of none. And as always when you talk - you might get valuable feedback. BUT you can´t control the discussion.

The new is though that the discussions is taking place much faster, it´s global and it´s certainly eased by the new types of technologies......... But take a deep breath. It´s just new methods/means to reach your predefined objectives and challenges. Having said this - I believe everyone should explore and figure out what they can do for you - these "new media"....

Crone & Co are recruiting more people

Hey there. Please check by croneandco.com - we are recruiting now for more passionate people.

Where the Hell is Matt?

I fell instantly in love with this one...... he even has a webpage wherethehellismatt.com Brilliant....

Denmark? The Capitol of Sweden....?

In a report from 2006 questioning people from all over the world about what Denmark is known for - a common reply was: "Denmark is the Capitol of Sweden"!!!??

It is somewhat interesting, however it is not true :-) Yet when going in to details - It´s a little bit scary. Since the next thing is that Denmark should produce both weapons and cars? Well luckily we do not produce weapons - unfortunately we do not produce cars either.

A rather diffuse picture amongst people in general. Luckily the different international chambers of commerce do not reply like above..... But it does appear as if we - the Danes - need to sharpen up in terms of catalyzing giving the general world a somewhat more precise impression about our country.

Report made by the Danish Business Association : "Dansk Erhverv" - www.danskerhverv.com

Nico's going sushi!

Pedro Biker - Evergreens in Danish Design

Great Danish jazz from the 60-ties.

Pedro Biker (4. januar 1925 - 17. maj 1973) was a Danish mucisian, singer and TV/Radio news man. Born in Portugal, grew up in Denmark. I came by some of his recordings the other day recently republished by Universal Music. What a long time overseen international standard Danish Jazz musician, crooner he was.

I can highly recommend several of his recordings..... Really old school yes. But good easy listening :-) !! Start with Evergreens in Danish Design....

Paso Tonale

Skiing on a sunny day in the alps with the lake below.

What a wonderful wiew. Finally I figured out how easy it is to blog with my mobile.....

Amy Winehouse

What a voice. Motown sound, R&B, Soul, pop, yet not pop and yet even reggaeish at some parts.... Great CD.

Listen at Amazon: link

Second Life

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

crone & co - new adress

Njalsgade 21G, 5th. floor
Copenhagen 2300
Denmark

Phone +45 3210 6655
Fax +45 3210 9955

The Art of Possibility

Read this book - it opens us to the treasures of our great human capacity. An inspiring and uplifting read.

Link: Amazon

We will rock you - Queen - London

Just visited London and had time for a show. Let me recomment the musical: We will rock you.
Go see that show - it´s really good entertainment. Also for youngsters (my son is eleven and he had a great time too). And fun to have those "old ones" brought back to life. Really good actors and musicians.

www.queenonline.com/wewillrockyou/

New office - start 2007

Finally! Found a great new office at Islands Brygge.....

We can´t wait to move in.... Looking forward to welcoming you all at Njalsgade 21 G. From start 2007.

Who´s greenest

Well - time for self-reflection.... What do you think ?

crone & co version 2.0

Well...soon year end 2 of crone & co is a reality. We are so thankful and proud having had the opportunity to help engage audiences for so many new prominent clients during 2006. So glad and proud to welcome those clients into our portfolio. I AM certainly also thankful for all you guys having supported me in teaming up creating these strong solutions for our clients!!!

Based on these clients trust and our own continous teaming up and passion for what we do. IT IS TIME NOW to move to the next level. Soon to go public with crone & co version 2.0. Keep you posted. :-)

Window Cleaning Skyscrabers in Chicago

Cought these guys hanging on a simple rope - cleaning windows on one of Chicagos skyscrabers. I still can´t believe they where doing it like that. Such guts... Wooouuw.... Click photo to make it bigger

MTV Europe Award Copenhagen - a milestone for a more an more hip city

By the way I love the creative work - MTV is a creative melting pot: http://ema.mtv.co.uk/site.jhtml

So much for branding and emotions !

Sorry - keep posting these Tim cartoons. But they seem to constantly entertain me. Here´s some sanity on qualitative analysis !!!

Nicolai in Karlsson på Taget!!

I am so proud - my "little" son, Nicolai, has been picked for the lead role in a national touring family theater: "Det Ny Familie Teater" (the new family theater). He is to tour all of Denmark all through to X-mas in the play called "Karlsson På Taget" (Karlsson On The Roof, by Astrid Lindgren). This is an exciting dream come true adventure for him. I wish him the best of luck. He has been working so hard.

Read more at: Det Ny Familie Teater

Culture & Consumption, McCracken

Recently I had the honour and pleasure that Grant McCracken, Chicago-based author and cultural anthropologist send me his latest book Culture & Consumption II. It´s exciting to read McCrackens thorough insights into modern consumer culture. Especially the chapters at the end holds my interest and recommendation for anyone interested in advertising and how culture and advertising are interactively linked to each other in creating meaning for the individuals in our society. How marketing managers are actually meaning creation managers of our society!

Amazon: Link

9/11 - prepare to fly - ended as a grotesque marketing theme...

September 11. & 12. - 2001. That is probably the weirdest days as marketing director with Microsoft. "That day" we where intensively planning for a coming launch of Windows XP while we at the same time could see direct CNN transmission from the most cruel terroristic act in our lifetime ever. Actually the following day´s morning - meaning today September 12th. - 5 years ago, my team and I did an information and engagement meeting for all our cooperating partners to participate in the coming high profile big launch event. That morning 5 years ago it appeared totally redicolous. From that ancle: Not only did the whole energy of everything run out and seemed so unimportant as the most grotesque part of it all was that our theme was: "Prepare To Fly"...................

TIMBER!! Help - we are drowning in paper !! Paper is killing paper !!

A note on The Danish Newspaper "war".

Living at Frederiksberg (CPH) in a 4th. floor flat and apparently announced a hot spot for all those new newspapers too, having those brought directly to our door. I am at one side amased to see how much paper is being brought by someone else to our apartment and I actually love papers, ads, magazines and everything. But on the other side: Hey - we are now receiving so much paper that we are drowning - and those at the other end appears to forget - SOMEONE HAS TO BRING ALL THAT DARN PAPER DOWN TO THE GROUND FLOOR GARBAGE CAN AGAIN :-) With 2-3 morning newspapers, the 2 newcomers and soon one more + the 2 local newspapers + the free Sunday Paper and on top all the advertising, and I have probably even forgotten some.... In one week we get more paper through our letter box than 2 persons can carry down again at week end. The lumberjack shouts TIMBER, when they fell trees in the forest - so do I when I look at my floor below the letter box in the morning. TIMBER !!!!!

I am now installing my own "TIVO letterbox" - called Stickers: Plastering my door over now with stickers saying no thanks to ads, no thanks to free papers. I CAN´T COPE WITH ANY MORE INFORMATION BROUGHT TO ME AS TONS OF PAPER, with more or less same content also. I can´t see the forest for the trees any longer. I am even considering cancelling my regular morning papers..... Afraid that if this doesn´t find a decent level soon - PAPER WILL KILL PAPER! Save the forest :-)

YES - Go change the game !!

Worth a look - Electronista and Gamer Scan

Electronista — tracks the latest and greatest news in technology, including cameras, cell phones, computer hardware and software, digital audio players, and HDTV. The site also tracks the tech industry, and the events and personalities that shape it.
Link: http://www.electronista.com/

Gamer Scan — is a gaming news website for those who embrace computer and console gaming not as a hobby, but as a way of life. Both sites will be continually updated throughout the day with the latest news in each respective industry — as it happens.
Link: http://www.gamerscan.com/

Life of Pi - book recommendation

This book is darn funny, awkward, disgusting, intelligent and so captivating.... I can only give it my best recommendations. It is really hard to explain this book. You simply have to read it. It´s deep - yet a light read. Though a harder read if you want to play with all the symbolism in it too.... I am sure I haven´t cought just a decent amount of that - Yet I don´t believe you have to - to find this story really exciting and entertaining.

Let me know what you think of this book?

Link to Amazon

The Brand P&L Machine

I believe we don´t need that machine. It´s like that anyways is it not, ha ha :-) ?

What do you think?

Less Powerpoint - more attentiveness and interaction

Spread the logo: We want living, attentive, dynamic, interactive meetings.

The Da Vinci Code - the movie - it is good?

I got to see the movie yesterday. I really don´t understand the critics - why do they say it´s a lousy movie. Well I am probably not that culturalled skilled - to deal with a kind of elitarian discussion on this. Yet I believe the movie was absolutely okay entertainment and very fair towards the book. I am glad to recommend the movie. Not as my favourite or the most fantastic movie I´ve seen - but it´s definetely worth viewing! Totally unseriously: I might be blinded by my excitement with Audrey Tautou.

Do the Second Cycle Index test made by Peter Kolind

Interesting tool made available by Peter Kolind - to check your organisations preperedness for succes and not bureaucracy.
This is a really valuable tool. I hope it will help kill bureaucracy to facilitate fantastic management and leadership.
Do the test or the tests.... Highly recommendable!
Link: The Second Cycle Index Test

Jack was here

Yesteday Saxo Bank had invited Mr. Jack Welch to Copenhagen.
Interesting perspective and ancles on management. "Let the old people talk and learn from them....." I really believe this is true. What appears as very difficult - Jack transforms to easy language. He is a true leader - that I really relish listen too. I did yesterday - as did 1200 other people in Tivoli Copenhagen.
BERLINGSKE LINK: JACK ARTICLE (sorry this clip is in Danish)

Honda Civics Ad Choir - Very creative

Take a look at this brilliant ad. Quite innovative or what. Intelligent !
Link: Honda Civic Ad

Bob get´s around

Complete rethink mobile home/car ?
link: www.treehugger.com
Could be pretty fun to own one of these !!

it-bizzen.blogspot.com - Dorte Toft

Then one of our more prominent Danish IT journalists went blogging. She´s way ahead of many of her journalist colleques. it-bizzen.blogspot.com

Jack Welch a fantastic simplifier of how to win

Just listen to his very brief - "spot on" on definition of strategy. He has to be an icon for any in business. Be it newstarters or well established. I am eager to see him live in Copenhagen in May. Video link click the 3rd link called strategy

How many lines do you have to write to qualify as a writer?

I wonder. How many lines do one have to write and have published and paid for - to grand oneself the fine title as a writer. In these super narcissism times - I believe I will call myself a writer now (well writer light, that´s okay). Sounds cool to me. I once skipped journalist school for economics :-( But as I am now paid to write articles anyways. I don´t have to regret that..... Early morning babble I know...sorry... Articles: Don´t be to hard on me, writers are very sensitive - you know :-): link I´d honestly be quite happy to receive comments. Is it rubbish - or is some of it worth reading?

It´s crazy - look at the web stats for croneandco.com - March has exploded

This is crazy...... the stats where okay before - but March has exploded. Amazing what a new webpage can do out there...even though I am personally not satisfied with it yet.....

Da Vinci Code trailer - promising!

I am probably hit by the common Da Vinci Code Hysteria....but I am actually looking forward to the movie.... Sony just revealed a trailer for the film, check it here: http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/thedavincicode/?TId=9796760013

litfusedesign !

I don´t know them - just fell over their website. What a cool experience....http://litfusedesign.com/

Who has good webstatistics on their hosted webservices?

Recently I got quite dissapointed by B-one´s statistical services. They´ve changed from letting you easily know the name of the different hosts having visited your site - to now a manual solution only telling the IP numbers. So now all the work is put on their clients shoulders - for one to manually having to take each IP number and convert it via for instance Myip.dk or other converter services. Please if any out there has a vendor - that provides a more customer friendly statistic service - tell me !!

CO2 encapsulation to avoid increasing the ozone hole

I just had the pleasure to work with an EU project ENCAP/CASTOR. To realise that the power industry is actually working pretty hard to find solutions for the increased amount of C02 coming from the worlds increased power consumption (which is only increasing - now also as China´s industry is exploding). The global warming - the green house effect - is the problem. Actually the project is dealing with how to capture the CO2 when using for instance coal as the fuel for generating electricity. Then they also do research to figure out how to incapsulate the CO2 in the ground. For instance in depleted old oil reserves deep below. They simply expect to pump the CO2 in to the ground - and reserve it there. I am happy to understand that something is being done to try dealing with the increased CO2 problem. Something that you normally never hear anything about except that we have this problem.

She wants me out of the house?

Yesterday it was my Birthday. And Pernille gave me a full Yoga class. - and for X-mas I got a Thai cooking class.... I wonder what the next thing will be... Appears as if she wants me out of the house or what? But she says she want me to think of something else than work and those tons of my exciting projects. I am amased of her creativity in this gift area. And it is quite fun, I am working with creating experiences - she is paying all these guys to give me one..... We are indeed in an experience economy.

Malcolm Gladwell blog

Excellent writer Malcolm Gladwell, of Tipping Point, Blink, and New Yorker fame, has started blogging. Link

The Danish IT award - Janus Friis

Yesterday Janus Friis was awarded the Danish IT industry award. Good choice - the best choice - and congratulations to Janus. Link (Danish)

For more info about the Skype founders check this: Link

On Making the Right Choice: The Deliberation-Without-Attention Effect

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/311/5763/1005

Ap Dijksterhuis,* Maarten W. Bos, Loran F. Nordgren, Rick B. van Baaren:
"Contrary to conventional wisdom, it is not always advantageous to engage in thorough conscious deliberation before choosing. On the basis of recent insights into the characteristics of conscious and unconscious thought, we tested the hypothesis that simple choices (such as between different towels or different sets of oven mitts) indeed produce better results after conscious thought, but that choices in complex matters (such as between different houses or different cars) should be left to unconscious thought. Named the "deliberation-without-attention" hypothesis, it was confirmed in four studies on consumer choice, both in the laboratory as well as among actual shoppers, that purchases of complex products were viewed more favorably when decisions had been made in the absence of attentive deliberation".

Source: Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Roetersstraat 15, 1018 WB, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

The Flying Luxury Hotel - talk about new experiences

Even though the Aeroscraft dwarfs the largest commercial airliners, it requires less net space on the ground than any plane because it doesn't need a runway. The airship takes off and lands like a helicopter: straight up and down.


Tomorrow's cruise ship will sail through the air, not the water.
Read more: The Flying Luxury Hotel

South Park version 2 - It´s ridicolous and very childish

This is totally useless - I am probably nostalgic - since I used to love these guys. Thought the SouthPark era was over and out...this looks as a funny little comeback. But totally waste of time.....: http://spstudio.claudia.hosting-friends.de/spstudio.html

Serre Chevalier - amusing skiing

Just got back last week from a great ski-trip. Just Nicolai (my son) and I. Living in an old joint hotel. Those from back from 1800 something - with carpet on the ceiling and walls.... Sporadic hot water for the shower and so forth. Amusing somehow.

Serre Chevalier is a skiing eldorado. We had 5 days with complete blue sky and 2 with great powder. It´s a very amusing skiing area - you ski amongst the woods and so forth. Anyone who have never skiid - take them to Serre Chevalier and they will be sold ...... www.serrechevalier.com - I will suggest not staying in the city called Briancon - but stay in one of the other ones - they are more amusing and the slopes goes more near the city. But I can only recomment going to Serre. And the people are very friendly and it´s really laid back - not any smart skiing/trendy attitude.....really relaxed and cosy.

Something to think about - from thought to action

Top 10 list Europe 2005 Readers' Choice Awards

Apple keeps on amazing. Google likewise - and well Skype is in there on top 3!! Great.

An exciting book: Ayn Rand - Atlas Shrugged

Today I had a very interesting book as a gift. Thank you! I had never heard about Ayn Rand before. But obviously she is a very well known American philosopher. Shame on me. Known for her philosophy of Objectivism. So this books theme appears to philosophically adress that general governmental micro-management of private enterprise and reallocation of wealth will not do societey good on the long run. Well that is what I understand from the introduction. Sounds like something as "the survival of the fittest"......

Looking forward to reading it. It´s almost 1200 pages....so it will probably take a while. I´d be happy to hear what other thinks about this book and Ayn Rand in general.

First year as entrepaneur - Happy New Year everyone!

So this was my first year as an independent entrepanuer. 2005 over and done.
Everyone tells me I´ve had a fantastic and succesful start.
What do I know - I´ve never tried it before :-) Though I do realise things has turned out well. Several clients stayed with me in the transition and no one left (thank you!!) - several new ones arose during the year (thank you!!). And on top of this there has been many great new experiences with both clients, cooperating partners and employees.

Happy new Year to everyone. And indeed thank you for a fantastic 2005.

Is this somewhat familiar? - IT products especially. But really any project, campaign etc.!

IO Interactive spends 1/4 of a billion launching Hitman

At a presentation a few days ago Janos Flösser, managing director, IO Interactive, revealed the astonishing numbers they spend on launching the next version of Hitman. Approx 110 millions in development costs - and then even more than the double on marketing the game. In total appx. 250 millions to launch the next version. It is crazy and as Janos said - if we fail (sales) - our company is no more. It´s amazing that we have a player out of Denmark - "making it" - on this extremely competitive market. Fantastic.

Its only virtual money - but you get in the news :-)

Sometimes it is really funny what hit the newspapers. I never planned to even win or make anything out of this game - except some fun. Then suddenly it appears that I have been ahead of everyone - more than 20.000 investors for 2-3 month. And I have even won real stocks on the way. And even had a 2 pages article in Børsen (Danish Financial Time). And people push all kinds of stock related questions to me now :-) I wish I had made private investments - since 250.000 DKK now is worth 300.000,- but it is unfortunately only virtual money in an online game with the newspaper..... Darn.... ;-()
2 pages in Børsen - due to winning virtual money: http://www.renecrone.com/Boersen%20stocknewsl.pdf

Band Makes Number 1 through digital downloads

I happen to fall over this story from UK, that the band Arctic Monkeys made UK chart number one some weeks ago (and music history) when, even though the CD was out, their single 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor' went to number one through digital downloads.... Not that I am an upright fan - its more the digital concept.

Meanwhile, some very big corporations are investing goodness knows how much money into the physcial format known as HD DVD and Blu-Ray. Might be they have to realise, that the kids don't need physical format anymore? Arctic Monkeys.

What is it?

Fantastic ad - http://www.whatis-it.com/.
What is it?
Advertising going netwice - these days...

CPH on craigslist

As Copenhagen presently experiences various formal analysts praise as a trendy, cool and wanna goto city, a more "undergroundish" appraisal is getting CPH on craigslist. The San Fransisco based phenomenon - they wouldn´t live without over there. Since the CPH part is still rather new - users hasn´t loaded that much content yet. That will come soon. www.craigslist.com

We are the worlds "happiest" people!

This is fun - though I find it quite difficult to figure this tool out. The world database of happiness: http://worlddatabaseofhappiness.eur.nl/. But never the less - a local paper interviewed the guy doing the analysis. Concluding from the analysis - that the Danes should be the most happy people in the world. With a scale from 1 to 10 - Denmark scored 8 together with Malta and Switzerland.

"Click around. It'll either make you think about happiness in new and revealing depth, or it will make you happy to discover that even if you never study happiness, you can still experience it."

Brain research on the use of celebrities in advertising

This is from "fast take" - quite interesting. But somewhat not surprising or? And the tendency is even increasing.... quote:

"Seven of the ten most-recalled ads of 2003 included celebrities. To use a celebrity spokesperson or not, that is the question -- at least in the insular world of Madison Avenue. This summer, it seemed as if medical science had taken a step closer to finding a definitive answer when researchers at UCLA and CalTech found that simply flashing the letters "H-A-L-L-E-B-E-R-R-Y" triggered a strong cognitive response in a single human brain cell. The letters drew the same reaction as a picture of the Academy Award-winning actress. The trick also worked with Jennifer Aniston and the Sydney Opera House. Although this brain research is preliminary, the implication is that fame -- or at least familiarity -- tops everything when it comes to stimulating recall. In other words, it's possible that celebrities are actually taking up residence in individual neurons. "

CPH: The Worlds 6th. most used congres city!

According to a 2004 research by Union of International Association´s our city Copenhagen is the 6th. most used congres city in the world and the 5th. most in Europe - going 2 places up from previous years analysis.

It´s impressing noting who´s below CPH. Ahead is: Paris, Vienna, Brussels, Geneva, Singapore. And below is: Barcelona, London, Berlin, Seoul.

Congratulations Copenhagen! Just being on the top 10 list is impressing. But even reinforcing the position is overly impressing.

Barcelona gets you!

CPH is definetely a great city. Though just coming home from a site inspection in Barcelona. I am so thrilled with this city too. You can sense the creativity and lightness of living - all over the place. Great architecture, great new shops, bars, restaurants, music places etc. etc. Don´t know where to start/end. Just: If you haven´t been there - go there. There is really exciting inspiration for everyone.

Interesting "how far" a city like Barcelona really is in terms of modernism - and how some of the old kept elements like the tapa bars, the markets etc. seems to be so more than right than ever. An exciting city indeed.

I wonder when we will see indoor food markets like this one on the Rambla in Copenhagen? (Grøntorvet is nothing compared!) The time seems so right for it these days. High quality food, specialities, anything you can think of..... Maybe just a matter of time?

My Sarah - isn´t she lovely

Skype - Morten Lund

Unbelievable. Skype´s been sold for an incredible sum of money. The guy behind the Skype guys - Morten Lund. Small investor but large "investor/venture capital-sales" supporter for the 2 Skype guys. He´s really to be admired for helping these guys out - getting Skype in the sea. I met him many years ago - and always thought he was kind of "crazy". Never to figure out if it where purposely or simply his personality :-). Never mind - I have the deepest respect for what he has accomplished and for him as a person. Congratulation for the selling of Skype Morten. www.mortenlund.blogspot.com. I can´t wait for the next chapter.

The Android is here - check Replee Q1

Replee Q1 - name of one of the very human androids. Check this out. www.androidscience.com
Under links you will find some video clips on this....Really amazing !!
A little scary too....

THANK YOU CLIENTS!

6 month has past now - since starting my own venture. It´s been quite a journey. No regrets at all - only constant positive surprises and experiences. Thanks to my clients and their great trust and loyalty to me in this start up phase it has been a great first 6 month experience. Setting out with a start that I could only have dreamed about.

THANK YOU CLIENTS FOR STAYING WITH ME IN THIS FIRST PERIOD.
I will do my best to avoid disappointing you. I am so thankful.

Thank you, merci og tak. :-) ! ! ! !

my pride and joy 

www.clashcph.dk

I am proud to be working with some really great young people out of the Copenhagen street community, Rasmus, Alex, Tobias and many more. Hard working, inspirational and simply great people. I feel really good about this concept that we have set in the sea now - however small - great in its thought and great fun too for all parties. I believe a fine example of corporate working together with culture/community - on the behalf of culture/community rather on the behalf of corporate. A really nice understated cooperation between AXE and the subcultural environment of Copenhagen. For more see: www.clashcph.dk - strictly for the young community of Copenhagen.

Copenhagen - can we compete with "the best cities" of the rest of the world?

The other day I had the great honour to be invited to participate in a focus group with Wonderful Copenhagen and some big guys from the international meeting industry - doing some consultancy work with WOCO - to check out how CPH are doing as a city for placing international business meetings, congresses and so forth. Compared to - or with a focus to be more competitive than - other great meeting cities. Like Barcelona, Vienna, Cannes etc..

As usual discussions focused on PRICING. E.g. hotel pricing and hotel standards. Yes that is true - it´s an issue. But are we competing on price. Are we competing on hotel standards. Yes of course we are. BUT is it not so basic and obvious an issue. I mean there is some key basic product features with any products - that simply needs to be in place. That´s no need for a discussion. High quality products - competitive pricing. I believe it will fix itself - long term. But I think discussing this - is just placing the discussions in a safe field for anybody. But is it the problem? Will it help. Well maybe a little. But - I mean it is obvious that a car needs quite new wheels to not run of the road - just as any city needs decent good quality hotels to not miss visiting guest opportunities. Okay I do know that hotel standards are generally speaking not at as high a level as in other cities - and of course that needs focus - it is indeed important. But when that works - what can we then focus on? When the car is running - the basic features are in good competitive quality and pricing? The car takes you cost efficiently and safely from a to b. Is that the car (city) we want to sell. Do we believe we have any chance winning with only that?

Any product today - and that goes for a city as well - needs to compete on experiences. Be it the "buying" experience, the visiting experience or what ever experience is sorrounded by using the "product". Consider Dell. They are competing aggressively on the price (and the buying experience). I believe we don´t want to be a Dell city. Do we. We want maybe to be a Dell city - basicly (hotel standards, price/quality wice, ease of contact etc.). But will we win over the other cities only by this. No we will not. When all the others cities has that same thing in place. What do we have then - that really differentiate us from the other?

We need to take a look on how to differentiate - how to make it a fantastic experience "using and staying" in our city for business meeting and conferences. So - we need cooperation, creativity, ongoing innovation and open mindedness.

From my perspective the industry seriously needs to coorporate on a much more agressive level. That is what is lacking. And until the industry starts to do that. Each individual part not trying to do everything by themselves - but together and open minded with new perspective and new different thinking players, also from outside the industry. Then maybe we can make it as a competitive city. The creative capital in Copenhagen is certainly at a worldwide level. It´s just not taken into use in the meeting industry. No succesful business in our modern world works that way any longer. Modern business is made of partnering up, "winning" things together - each narrowing in on what they are best at. Copenhagen meeting industry - wake up. Or you will just end up in the ever, never ending nightmare of only competing on price and capacity. Focusing only on that game is in this industry and for a city like Copenhagen - in my perspective a loosers game.

Project Fox

Hotel Fox - The No. 1 lifestyle-address in Copenhagen.
Something really cool happens in this town these days - that really will ring a creative bell outside Denmark. Take a look at this really funky project www.project-fox.org - A new funky lifestyle hotel in the center of Copenhagen - launched by the funds of Wolkswagen and in solid cooperation with the hip young urban artists and designers. Setting new standards for the hotel experience.

This is where the world of communication is turning - eventmarketing when it is at its best - and taken to the max. Read also more on Berlingske.dk: http://www.berlingske.dk/kultur/artikel:aid=548612/
Congratulations Wolkswagen: "A dary move. You are setting new standards".

The best single malt I have ever had

The other day one of my brand new clients - send me a bottle of single malt - and the sweetest thank you letter. Only one month into our cooperation. And only in my second month of business with crone & co at all. Could there be a better time for just that. I am so thankful - since it really fuels my energy - to believe in what I am doing.

Paul Smiths brain on pages

I fell over this amusing book the other day by Paul Smith: "You can find inspiration in everything. If you can´t look again".
You don´t even have to read it - to like it. I didn´t knew that I was a fan of Paul Smith. But I am. It´s an exciting insight into his life, his thinking, his designs, his career..... I haven´t read it through yet. But go and buy it for what ever reason. Fan of Paul, design, customization, design, creativity, innovation...... or?

N.Y. Man to Use Tattoos As Advertisements

Talk about new media - live experiences !!
New York Man Agrees to Have Advertisements Permanently Tattooed on His Body.
Read this: http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=453128

Timbuk2.com - enjoy customizing your own bag

Customize your own bag and buy it online. Great customer experience. Fun bags from the streets of San Francisco. I had to buy one for myself and my daughter.

Build your own bag: http://www.timbuk2.com/tb2/byob.t2

Man Takes Out Ad to Win Wife Back.

It´s all about emotions!
Ain´t it just a sweet example on how talking straight from the heart - works. No surprise - but often forgotten. True, authentic and honest communication.
That´s the road to follow in both personal and professional communication. It works, it´s catchy. Just read people´s reactions. Sure we don´t know if it ends out with a reunion. But I would be surprised if it doesn´t. No matter. He certainly had his message heard.
Read the story: http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=443483
Unfortunately there´s no picture of the ad.

Mac mini! Take a look a this one!

I am a totally PC person - but I am geeting more and more in to them Mac.s - take a look at the latest and greatest from Apple. It´s really tempting to buy one.


Mac Mini

10 years with the Internet

Being in Microsoft 10 years ago - I remember how 1995 (end of 1995) was the year when Gates decided to go for the net - and shifted the whole Microsoft strategy towards an online strategy, and the great browser war, and generally the world wide web euphoria, started. It is quite funny to recall my first contact with the net. Actually I was the first in Microsoft Denmark to get an internet connection. Crazy - but true. Well okay we where only 20-25 persons in Microsoft DK at that time. Also somewhat almost unbeliveable today - but true.

I remember how I really didn´t know what to do with that internet connection - and all the techies - where jumping around to use my connection. However I was the marketing guy - getting the job to publish Microsoft Denmark on the net. Establishing Microsoft DKs homepage. I remember how you just got totally frustrated and confused by clicking around and searching on the net was a vast of impossible, unusable, ridicolous links to all kind of useless and of course sometimes - as if by luck - useful information. It was really chaotic. And then today - see how everyone uses it. How I feel old ..... internet times old - .....talking about these things. Which today seems so obvious as using the tap in the kitchen to get a glass of water. Today I wouldn´t live without it. In 1995/96/97 it was all about getting a company homepage - and every ad for any company focused on www.company.com announcements - and nobody really knew what to do with it - when they first had it. Really funny. Quite bizar - just less than 10 years ago. Just look at it today! Amazing times. Amazing technology.

Starting up

The dream has come true. Starting up my own company. After so many years being employed - it is indeed a really weird experience at first. But then again - I am finally here. I started my own. Not that I am the first on Earth to do that - but to me it is big.

And then only to realise that one of the biggest change really is the shift of company name, email and phone numbers (of course there´s a lot of practicalities to solve too). The challenges needed to be solved for the clients are no different than before. But the motivation and the eager somewhat and naturally even higher.

Crone&Co. is a reality - couldn´t figure out what else to call it :-). And people tells me this sounds okay. So well..... croneandco it is. Working on all the details soon there will be a website croneandco.com.

New adventure

Well then - now it is all set. I am settling for a new adventure. Starting up a new venture of my own. Exciting times - tipping point times :-). I am so impressed by all you good hearts out there - who suddenly where there when I needed you and has indeed helped me and still will in this transition period. I am so thankful.

Tipping Point

A silly reflection on coinsidences. As I am reaching a significant tipping point in my career - I am by coinsidence reading a book with exactly that title: "The Tipping Point". Quite exciting read on how viruses and epidemics spread - written in a marketing context. Well somehow a completely different tipping point than my personal one - and somehow actually not - depends on the eyes that see. But more on that as it "spreads" :-)....the virus I mean :-)
Ambiguity indeed. I know.....