Fredrik Ekström
Fredrik has over 20 years of experience in brand strategy, development, and communication from working with active lifestyle brands within sports, fashion, outdoor and food and beverages. Both from agencies and from the brand side – including 6 years as Creative Director and Head of Marketing at Tretorn Europe. Through his company Above The Clouds, he is specialized in progressive lifestyle brands and transforming insights into actions. He helps brands understand global drivers, value changes, and macro trends. How that could be defined into their strategic platform and then turned into a roadmap of actions. He is a dedicated outdoor sports enthusiast with a background from the snow and skateboard industry in Sweden and scuba diving in Malaysia. Today he is a dedicated trail and mountain runner during summer, ski touring and all mountain enthusiasts during winter.
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ArticleThe New Creative Collectives: a strategic shift in outdoor and sports culture
How do consumers and their habits change? What do they expect from brands and with which kind of brands do they engage? In a mini-series of articles brand strategist Fredrik Ekström reveals not only consumer insights but gives advise how brands fully embrace this transforming consumer landscape. In this last out of four articles Ekström explains why Creative Collectives are a key to the active consumer.
ArticleFrom Fandom to Fundom: transforming brand engagement
How do consumers and their habits change? What do they expect from brands and with which kind of brands do they engage? In our mini-series brand strategist Fredrik Ekström explains the transformation of the consumer and in this third out of four articles introduces the expression of “Fundom” and what it means for brands.
ArticleBrand activism: The strategic imperative of “what” over “why”
How do consumers and their habits change? What do they expect from brands and with which kind of brands do they engage? In a mini-series of articles brand strategist Fredrik Ekström reveals not only consumer insights but gives advise how brands get their positioning right and evolve a deeper relationship with their customers. In this first out of four articles Ekström explains why the “what” is nowadays more important than the eternal “why”.
ArticleTrailfulness: Embracing mental well-being as a strategic imperative in the outdoor industry
In a mini-series of articles brand strategist Fredrik Ekström reveals not only consumer insights but shows strategic opportunities for brands how to evolve a deeper relationship with their customers. In this second out of four articles Ekström explains how (mental) well-being can become a crucial part for their products, services and storytelling. For this he also introduces the expression of “Trailfulness”.
ArticleSustainability has become a status symbol for Gen Z
Gen Z consumers incorporate sustainable values but wish they had more knowledge. We explore what this means for brands and the mistakes to avoid.
ArticleEngaging with the sustainable consumer: A journey without an end goal
The latest NXT Sustainable Consumer Report 2022, conducted by Swedish market analyst Fredrik Ekström from Above the Clouds, aims to cut through the fog of uncertainty around sustainability and reveal a journey we’re on, as consumers and brands. In his contribution to the EDM Sustainable Business Special, he explains the ...
