September 5, 2019 at Nalen. With Electrolux, Indiska, Mäklarsamfundet, Storytel, Kinnarps, Zoégas, Groth & Co, and British Nationwide Building Society - with spoken word advertising.
Anders Johnson reported on how companies are actually described in popular culture and schoolbooks.
As a consultant, she had the struggling clothing chain Indiska as a client. It ended with her buying the company. Where others saw an old company on the brink, she saw strength in a long history. Karin Lindahl, CEO and owner of Indiska, talks about the journey she is currently in. (Note: Three years later, in 2022, Indiska went bankrupt. Since then, new owners have continued the business.)
Electrolux celebrates 100 years in 2019. Throughout its history, the company has remained relevant – and that by always improving the customers' living environment. Martin von Arronet, Communications Director at Electrolux, talks about how Electrolux today uses history to support its future plans. He also goes through his list of "ten tips when you celebrate a company anniversary."
"Forgive us, Maria!" said advertisements from the coffee manufacturer Zoégas in the autumn of 2018. Until then, the company story had focused on her husband's (short) contribution to the company. Anja Petersen, the researcher who rediscovered Maria, and Sofia Anderhall from Zoégas' marketing department, told how they reinstated Maria's role in the company's history. The conversation was led by Anders Houltz, research director at the Centre for Business History.
The mortgage institute Nationwide Building Society has for 175 years helped Britons finance their homes. Every decision the company makes today is based on seven principles created throughout history. For every new initiative, they ask what the founder, Mr. Cooper, would do today – and take the discussion from there. Archivist Sara Kinsey explained how it works – and showed historical poetry films about mortgages.
Evy and Jarl Andersson founded the office furniture company Kinnarps over 75 years ago. Sibylla Jacobsson, their daughter and the company's chairwoman, explained how the legacy is kept relevant and inspiring for today's 2,300 employees.
The audiobook publisher Storytel, founded in 2005, owns Norstedts, founded in 1823 and Sweden's oldest publishing house. How does one balance old and new in the same group, with the goal that the book should continue to grow, in all its forms? Storytel's chairman Rustan Panday explains.
Groth & Co was founded in 1869 as Scandinavia's first patent agency. When the agency celebrated 150 years in 2019, they wanted to celebrate – but how do you make patents for light bulbs and separators relevant today? And how do you go big when you are a small player? At the History Marketing Summit 2019, Mats Lundberg, CEO, and Viktor Backemar, Marketing Manager, talked about how they worked with the anniversary in a conversation with Anders Houltz, Research Director at the Centre for Business History.
At the end of the First World War, a hot housing market had attracted many unscrupulous types to call themselves "brokers." An industry organization was created to protect the profession and promote good brokerage practices – and it has now done so for 100 years. Joakim Lusensky, Head of Communications and Analysis at Mäklarsamfundet, spoke at the History Marketing Summit 2019 about how the association is using its anniversary to continue developing both the profession and the industry.
How is the history of the Swedish business community really portrayed in books, films, and media? What types of companies, industries, people, phenomena tend to be highlighted – and what is usually forgotten? Writer Anders Johnson should know after having written nearly 150 books about Swedish business history.
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