CoolBrands - 'Around the World in 80 Brands'

The chances are, because of The facT ThaT you’re reading

This, you’re one of The 25.000 opinion leaders

worldwide who receive This book. “your mission is,

should you decide To accepT iT, To share

These sTories in your social neTworks, facebook, TwiTTer,

linkedin...”

Colophon

Creative MindsAnouk Pappers & Maarten Schäfer

DesignLonneke Beukenholdt & Laura van As, Blikveld

Editor-in-chiefFrancesca de Châtel

WritersMark Gray

Cecily LayzellPamela Rubin

Daphne Pappers

Partners / With collaboration ofGustavo Aguiar

Carlos VieiraNizan Guinaes

Franklin OzekhomeSolomon Ikhioda

Clara Chinwe OkoroMarc Capra

Hristina Vasileva

Publisher CoolBrands

CoolBrands House #5AMSTERDAM

www.coolbrandshouse.com

ContactTo order books or to share your story

[email protected]@coolbrands.org

Printing Printer Trento Srl – ITALIAISBN 978-94-90900-00-7

© 2012 CoolHouse BVThe CoolBrands book can be ordered at [email protected]

All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic,

mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

The stories you are about to read are narrative and partially ficitional, meaning that not all content relies on actual facts.

ISBN 978-94-90900-00-7

Disc la imerThe content of this book is based on reality, and could be true. Some situations have been adjusted to fit the concept. Names of people, places and dates may have been altered to suit the narrative context. For example, the TED meeting with Richard Branson took place in 2007 in California. In the book it is set in the UK to match Virgin’s “place of birth”. The story of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi was compiled based on input from the Prince’s press office and our personal experiences during a visit to Masdar. No animals were harmed during this trip.CO2 emissions generated by travel by plane or car have been compensated by planting trees in the Atlantic Rainforest, by IPE in Brazil.All images are sourced from our own photographic archive, from brands themselves or from image data banks such as istock.com, except when image captions specifically mention a different source. Contributors who feel they should be credited for work contained in this publication are kindly requested to contact us so that errata can be mentioned in subsequent editions.

contentThe storyteller and the brand anthropologist

Amsterdam - In the footsteps of the great explorers

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Rabobank - The secret of cooperative banking

Boom Chicago - Branded for life

London calling

Richard Branson at TED

Virgin Galactic - Global cooling and space travel

Berlin

BMW i - The mobility enabler

Henkel - Achieving more with less

Geneva

Maximilian Büsser & Friends

Nespresso - Building a passionate brand community

Paris

Louis Vuitton - Some journeys cannot be put into words

Rabobank - Connecting to each other

Sol de Janeiro

Bob Jeffrey - The man behind Woldmakers

Diesel - The go-to statement for a generation

Gustavo Aguiar - PUNK

Dubai - To infinity and beyond!

Discovering The Ajman Palace

The old spice Souk in Dubai

Kempinski Mall of the Emirates

Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Etisalat - A sustainable contribution to healthcare

Cairo - Descent into the Pharaoh’s Tomb

Serengeti - The Maasai wildlife channel

AMREF Flying Doctors

Rabobank - Connecting to the society

Cape Town - Queen of the skies

Sossusvlei - Big Daddy and I

Deola Sagoe - The princess of African fashion

Ken Egbas - Nigeria CSR Awards

Clara Chinwe Okoro - The ICE lady

Vlisco - The Afro-European love brand

Rio de Janeiro - Cidade Maravilhosa

OSKLEN - Brazilian Soul

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Instituto e - Make sustainability cool

H.Stern - House of design

Oscar Niemeyer - The legend

Lenny - Carioca at heart

Eike Batista - The power of passion

Iguassu Falls - Fight with a toucan

São Paulo - The city of many

OMO - Dirt is Good

Um Teto Para Meu Pais - Building a house in a favela

Irmãos Campana

Henrique Alves Pinto - The power of the mind

Pantanal - Close encounter with a jaguar

Amazon - Swimming with pink dolphins

Yucatan - The end of the world as we know it

Bacardi - In search of the roots

New York rocks

Mark Sherwood - The Lovemarks Company

GE - Healthymagination

Melissa - Plastic dreams

Michael Mendenhall - What’s your Archetype?

Route 66 - Born to be wild

Harley-Davidson - Mean but green

Disney - The mouse became a tiger

Liz Dolan - Satellite Sisters

San Francisco - Run for the sunset

Steve Jobs - Just three stories

Shanghai - Lost in translation

Tom Doctoroff - What Chinese Want

Pepsi - A thirst for creativity

Shanghai Tang - The Nomad of Hong Kong

Bangkok - Cutting-edge sightseeing

Pen-Ek Ratanaruang - New Thai Cinema

Greyhound - Original Thai lifestyle

Apollo Tyres - Entering the global arena full speed

Sydney - Full-Frame

Craig Davis - Brandkarma

Rabobank - Connecting to the future

Interview with Maarten and Anouk

Special Thanks To

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Anouk Pappers Brand Anthropo log i s t

I was born in a small town in the south of the Netherlands. As long as I can remember, I dreamt of travelling the world and discovering other cultures, just like in the Jules Verne adventure novel ‘Around the world in 80 days’. In the story the main character travels by train, on ships, in hot air balloons and on the back of an elephant through faraway countries. And I was determined to do the same when I grew up.

I couldn’t wait to finish high school, move to Amsterdam and go to university. I choose to study Anthropology and Communication, because that would prepare me for my trip around the world. The one thing about the course was that it consisted of reading books about other cultures and books written by other people who had travelled, not me. So I hurried to finish my degree so I could start doing the same.

I became a partner at an internet research company, where my job was to promote a research tool called The Internet Monitor, worldwide. I travelled the world all right, but I stayed one day in New York, one day in Milan and if I was lucky two days in Stockholm. All I did, was doing presentations, staying in business hotels and getting up early to get to the next airport in time. The only culture I experienced was dinner in local restaurants. So I decided to start a new company and create my own around-the-world project.

Since 2002, I have been interviewing brands around the world and publishing their stories in print in CoolBrands books and online on the website coolbrandshouse.com. I was traveling the world, listening to brand creators, but also taking the time to immerse myself in different cultures. I could finally call myself a brand anthropologist!

In recent years, I have noticed that the stories have changed as a growing number of brands told us their story following the triple bottom line; People, Planet, Profi t. The good thing about PPP is that it goes way beyond Corporate Social Responsibilty. It takes the issues of sustainability and puts them at the heart of the company. People and planet are integrated in the core business, so profi t depends on them. One can’t survive without the other, how perfect is that? Following the triple bottom line gives a brand a better way to measure its real success along the three axes: economic, ecological, and social.

While I was looking for these so-called ‘meaningful’ brands, I found some really good stories. Brands that understood that they should have a purpose in society. Increasingly, what differentiates brands from their competitors is purpose. In the long run, a brand without a purpose will have a tough time surviving. People buy into these brands not for what they do and make, but for why they do it and make it. The purpose of my trip around the world is to look for brands with a purpose and share their story.

Maarten Schäfer The Secret o f a S to ry te l le r

I have this joke I use to make a lasting impression when I first meet people. Instead of saying “I have dyslexia”, I say “I have sex daily”. I say it with a totally straight face, which makes people unsure of what I just said.

“You have what?” they ask.

And with the same straight face I say, “I have dyslexia. You know: difficulties reading, a short attention span, mixing up words...” Most of the victims think it’s funny and do not forget me easily.

Having a short attention span is not always a disadvantage. It actually helps for storytelling, and allows me to get straight to the point and skip all the superfluous information. It forces me to talk to the right side of the brain in emotions or images, instead of feeding the left side of the brain with information.

In 2002 I started interviewing brands and my first question was, “So, what’s your story?”The vast majority of interviewees started giving me a long official account or even showing me PowerPoint presentations. Which for me with my short attention span was of course hard to process.

A few years later it struck me: brand representatives have trouble telling their story for two reasons. One, they know too much. They want to show you all aspects of the brand and therefore can’t distinguish between want to be complete and do not want to leave anything out. Second, they aren’t dyslexic. They assume everybody has an attention span of 45 minutes or more, so they keep talking and think the information is being absorbed.

“Haven’t they ever heard of information overload?” I asked myself. “People don’t want more information, they want your story. And besides, most people have a genuine distrust of top-down narratives and corporate jargon. People trust information from friends and family. Something like 70 or 80% of all purchases are influenced by peer-to-peer communication.

In 2009, I decided to stop interviewing brands and go into third-party-storytelling. I will tell the story for the brand. The tone of voice is horizontal, like in peer-to-peer communication. The story is written in a narrative way in which I engineer the main message. The stories are fun to read, easy to understand and easy to transmit. Ready for word-of-mouth.

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In the footsteps of the great explorers

We are cycling through Amsterdam’s historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an enduring testimony to the city’s rich history. During the Golden Age in the 17th century, Amsterdam’s port was at the centre of a global trade network, with ships sailing to Asia, Africa, the Americas, and merchants trading goods across Europe.

We pass in front of Paradiso, the iconic rock music venue where bands like The Rolling Stones, The Sex Pistols, The Cure and Nirvana performed, but also more recently Lenny Kravitz and Amy Winehouse. Along with the nearby Milky Way, it became synonymous with the hippie counterculture and the rock music of the ‘70s.

We turn right and then left and cycle along the Prinsengracht, one of the main canals, where warehouses built in the 17th century are still in good shape. Much has changed since then: in those days merchants travelling to Brazil were away for months, maybe even years. Today, businessmen fly to São Paulo and are back in the polder within days.

We pass the house where Anne Frank lived, talking about an authentic story, and enter the Jordaan neighbourhood where strolling through the small streets and drinking caffé latte has become the favourite pastime of the locals. Our quest to travel around the world to write stories about cool destinations, visionary people and brands with a purpose starts here in Amsterdam.

We turn right at the end of the canal, zigzag through some smaller streets and end up in front of Central Station. We now enter the oldest part of town where the sailors and merchants set sail in their wooden ships, ‘the port of Amsterdam’.

Now, 670 years after Amsterdam received city rights, our trip Around the World in 80 Brands starts at the same point from where explorers left for their overseas journeys. And to where they returned with experiences, knowledge and... stories.

Europe - NetherlandsAmsterdam

38.774 miles to goTime of departure 10:07

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We all look at the man and woman sitting at the table eating a salad. “Chad who?” I ask.“Chad... You know Chad the drummer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers,” Anouk replies, “I’ve been a huge fan of their music since I was 16. I’m sure it’s him!”“Well go say hello,” I say.“Chad is famous for his ghost notes, his beats and his fast right foot,” Anouk continues. “Rolling Stone listed him as one of the ‘100 Greatest Drummers of All time’.”“Well go say hello,” I repeat.“Nah.... He’s enjoying his meal in peace with his wife,” she says with a touch of doubt in her voice. “On the other hand, I would have done anything for this chance when I was 16... But then again, I am not 16 anymore. Let’s continue the meeting.”“So we were talking about visual storytelling,” I continue. “We should use the imagery as....”“Sorry, I’m going to say hello anyway,” Anouk says getting up. “I’ll be right back.” She walks towards the adjacent table and I see her talking to Chad and shaking hands. I see Chad making a gesture inviting Anouk to sit down at their table.Twenty minutes later I fi nish the meeting and Anouk is still chatting at the other table. “Pssst... Pssst, Maarten, come sit at our table,” Anouk says.“Our table?” I say, “I thought this was our table.”“Come on,” Anouk repeats while pointing at an empty chair next to her. “I’d like you to meet Chad and his wife Nancy. Chad has invited us to come to the concert tomorrow, as guests of the band. ‘Meet and greet’ and everything. Isn’t that cool?”“Very cool,” I say, “but tomorrow we have a fl ight to London, remember? Our trip around the world... Meeting interesting people and brands?”“Exactly,” Anouk replies, “Chad and Nancy are interesting people and the Red Hot Chili Peppers are a genuine rock brand. The brand, uh... band, was formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The product portfolio consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk rock, and psychedelic rock.”“And, if I may add,” Chad interrupts, “the Red Hot Chili Peppers have won seven Grammy Awards and sold over 65 million albums worldwide. More than most consumer brands.”“Sorry, but you forgot something important,” Nancy says. “The Red Hot Chili Peppers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.”“They have brand awareness of close to 100%,” Anouk says. “Brand identity; cutting-edge rock,” Chad adds.“And the brand perception, even more rock,” Nancy says.The three of them start laughing. “Come on Maarten, London will still be there next week,” Chad says.“And you don’t have to travel,” Nancy adds, “we’re right here in Amsterdam!”I look at the three laughing. “Okay, okay,” I say, and sit down at “their” table. “But can I bring my camera to the concert?”“Of course!” Anouk says before turning to Chad. “Is that possible, Chad?”“That can be arranged,” Chad replies.“Well, in that case, I guess we could start our trip around the world next week,” I surrender.“Excellent! Cool!” Anouk exclaims as if she had just turned 16 again. “Rock rules!”

Tonight we have the fi nal meeting with the operational team in Amsterdam before we start our trip around the world with a fl ight to London tomorrow. We meet up with our creative designer and our chief editor in de Ysbreeker, a grand café overlooking the Amstel River.“Every time we have a meeting with a brand,” I say, “somewhere around the world, we will gather the input and write the fi rst draft of the story. We’ll send this to you, together with the pictures we’ve taken or the brand’s image material.” “Your job is to make sure that the style of the text is in line with our storytelling guidelines,” I continue. “Personal, short, narrative with a wow factor. And the images are there not only to support the text, but to provide visual storytelling at the same time.”“Sorry to interrupt, but isn’t that Chad?” Anouk says, pointing to the table next to us.

Meeting

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Meet ingRabobank i n the po lder

“It’s quite amazing,” says Anouk as we drive through the flat polder landscape, “while banks around the world are struggling, Rabobank seems to be going from strength to strength. I wonder what their secret is?”“Well, let’s find out,” I say as we pull up in front of a large estate.

“Welcome to the countryside!” says Joost as he gestures towards the lush fields stretching to the horizon. “Let me show you around!”

As we enter the cowsheds, Anouk turns to Joost: “So we’re curious to know why you brought us here – what does organic farming have to do with Rabobank’s ongoing success?”

Joost laughs. “Well actually, the two are very closely related: I brought you here to show you our beginnings. It all goes back to our cooperative roots. They continue to shape our vision today.

“In 1896, a group of farmers started their own funds and financing system since official banks were reluctant to do business with them. And this is still who we are today: a bank founded by farmers who help each other in hard times. Failed harvest, floods, droughts, cattle diseases – you name it, and we’ve been there.”

We continue our sightseeing around the estate and arrive at the fields behind the barn, where dozens of black and white cows are quietly grazing. “I still don’t get it though,” I say to Joost, “what makes you more resistant in the current crisis than other banks, what’s the secret?”

“The answer lies in our cooperative philosophy: we have no share holders, only members,” says Joost. “This means that, unlike other banks, we don’t have to focus on short-term profit to satisfy others. We can fully concentrate on our customers and our long-term strategy. The only people we have to please are our customers.”

“But how do you translate that into a model for growth and expansion?” I ask, as we enter a large room where the cheese-making process is in full swing.

“We work on the premise that together we can achieve more than alone,” Joost says as we walk into the storage space where large circular cheeses are stacked on shelves. “Everything we do is based on this conviction. It is the reason we exist: what farmers couldn’t accomplish on their own, they achieved together. We still stick to this cooperative philosophy: making connections. We make connections to the customer, to society, to the future and to each other. These are the four pillars of the Rabobank brand.”

Joost stops and turns to us with a wink: “And that,” he says, “is our secret”.

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The secret of cooperative bankingWe’re on our way to the Flevopolder in the Netherlands to meet Joost Augusteijn, Rabobank’s brand strategist. Instead of inviting us to his office, he has asked us to meet him at an organic dairy farm in the middle of the Dutch polder. “I think it will help you understand our story,” he told us over the phone.

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read more sTories on www.aroundTheworldin80brands.com

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I open my inbox and see that I have received an email from Saskia Maas, co-founder of Boom Chicago.“Hey Anouk, I saw on Facebook that you’re starting your trip Around the World in 80 Brands. I think we should meet before you leave. Why don’t you come to our show tonight? It’s called Branded for Life. It might give you some ideas for your project.” – Saskia Boom Chicago is an Amsterdam-based creative organisation that makes comedy shows and television productions. They also have a live show at Chicago Social Club in Amsterdam’s Leidseplein nightlife district. I’ve been to several shows in the last few years and was always impressed by the sharp sense of humour. I rang Saskia and set a meeting for tonight, an hour before the show starts. I cycle into the centre of town and park my bicycle in front of ‘rock temple’ Paradiso. I cross the square and enter the historical building on the far side of Leidseplein. Saskia is talking to the man behind the bar. “Come in,” she says when she sees me. “I’ve reserved a VIP table for us.” I follow her into the theatre, which is still almost empty. Some people on stage are going through the last-minute details before the show starts. “Tonight’s show is called Branded for Life,” Saskia says, “it’s about brands, advertising and marketing, and the impact they have on our daily lives. We try to fi nd the excesses, pull slogans out of context and make fun of it.” “Sounds interesting,” I say, “I’m always interested in brands. The marketing and advertising are often too simplistic and predictable... and easy to make fun of.”“Together with Andrew Moskos and Pep Rosenfeld, who are Boom Chicago’s original founders, we come up with topics for new shows. We’re always looking at what’s going on, what’s at the core of things, what we can call ridiculous in modern life — and then we hold up a mirror to it. We make fun of nearly everything. In the end it really is just meant as a joke, so we try to stay respectful.”The men on stage fi nish their preparation and disappear through a door. In the auditorium, waitresses are arranging the tables, waiting for the fi rst guests to arrive.“Just recently we came up with Deep Undercover,” Saskia says, lowering her voice as if somebody might hear her, “an interactive crime-solving game that takes place through Amsterdam, fi nding clues in Chinatown and contacting secret agents in the Red Light District.”“I love interactive games,” I say, “interaction is something brands need to do to keep their customers involved.”“Our shows in the theatre are always interactive. It’s called improvisational theatre. One actor gives the others a starting point, the second replies, then the third comes in, etc. until the circle is complete. The starting point often comes from the audience.”In the meantime, people have started entering the theatre. First a few, then more and more of the seats and tables are fi lled. Drinks are served and the sound of talking and laughing gets louder.“Boom Chicago has been partnering with TEDxAmsterdam for some time now,” Saskia says. “Pep has hosted and spoken at previous editions and Boom will be the venue for the 2013 TEDxAmsterdam auditions round.”“Cool. Boom Chicago has become a brand itself,” I say. “Why don’t we write a ‘Boom story’ for our project Around the World in 80 Brands?”“Now we’re talking,” Saskia says, as the lights in the auditorium dim, “show time!”

Branded for Life

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Michael Diederich

DrewDiFOnzo Marks Saskia Maas (l)

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London calling

We’re crossing the Thames in a black cab, speeding over Westminster Bridge. On our left we see Westminster Palace, the centre of political life in the United Kingdom. The taxi driver turns around and says: “Its Clock Tower, known as Big Ben after its main bell, has become the iconic landmark of London... and the United Kingdom in general.”

We take a right on Parliament Street and drive in a northerly direction. “That’s Trafalgar Square,” the taxi driver says, pointing out the front window. “And up there is the Viscount Nelson, who won the battle of Trafalgar.” I look out of the window and then turn to the driver, “Could you please hurry, we don’t want to be late.” The cab turns right onto Strand and drives parallel to the Thames eastward, we turn left, then right and pass St. Paul’s Cathedral on our left-hand side. “The dome is 111 metres high,” our driver says, “it has dominated the London skyline for 300 years.”

Without looking out of the window, I bend forward towards the driver: “It is a beautiful cathedral, but can you please step on it!” The cab makes a right turn on King William Street and turns left to exit on Tower Hill. “This is the Tower of London,” the driver says while pointing out of the right window. “It was built by William the Conqueror in 1078. It was the home of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom in a certain period.”

“Sir,” I say to the driver, trying my best to remain polite, “we’re not here to make a sightseeing tour of London. We’re here for the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, which will start in 45 minutes. Could you please hurry!” The driver nods without saying a word and accelerates. After 30 seconds of silence he turns around and says: “Did you know that the London Olympic Stadium is the most sustainable ever built? It features a low-carbon concrete, made from industrial waste.”

Europe - United KingdomLondon

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Meet ing Richard Branson at TED

The most exciting part is that we will get to speak to Richard after his talk and interview him for our storytelling project.

But first we’re spectators on the third row of the packed auditorium and we join in the enthusiastic applause as Richard emerges onto the stage: radiant smile, long hair, jeans and a shirt – his usual maverick look.

Chris launches straight into the interview and Richard talks about the beginnings of his business empire: how he started the Virgin record label in the 1970s, developed Virgin Airlines and how the business kept growing even with its ups and downs. Then it starts getting interesting.“These days I devote 50 percent of my time to Virgin Unite, a charitable organisation that tackles some of the world’s most challenging issues,” Richard says. “I strongly believe that we cannot let ourselves become the generation that irreversibly damages the environment. We have the knowledge, the financial resources, and – most importantly – the willpower to prevent this.”

Anouk turns to me and whispers: “This is what we want to talk to him about!”

“We are dedicating the profits of our transportation business – around $3 billion – to developing renewable alternatives to carbon fuels,” Richard continues.

“Not only is he a visionary, this man also puts his money where his mouth is,” I whisper back.

“And then there’s the Virgin Earth Challenge, where we offer a $25 million prize to the first person to come up with an economically viable solution to the greenhouse gas problem.”

Roaring applause from the audience – talk about ideas worth spreading!

“We believe space is the solution,” Richard says. “Virgin Galactic is the solution. Researchers will be able to fly experiments into space more often and this will help resolve key questions about the earth’s climate. Virgin Galactic represents nothing less than the dawn of a new era.”

“This is what we should ask him about,” Anouk says. “How can space travel save the world from global warming?”

We are on our way to an event organised by TED, a global platform for sharing ‘ideas worth spreading’. Richard Branson is tonight’s main guest and he will be talking to TED’s curator Chris Anderson.

For us as entrepreneurs, Richard has long been a source of inspiration – we are particularly interested in his vision for saving the planet. He believes in making a difference and is always looking for the next big thing. I wonder what the next big thing is going to be tonight.

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Photo: Robert Leslie - TED2007

The dawn of a new era Richard sits up straight again. “This is where Virgin Galactic comes in,” he says. “Virgin Galactic heralds the dawn of a new era: the possibility for ordinary people to travel into space, to carry people around the planet outside the atmosphere with minimal harm to the environment. London to Sydney in just two hours instead of 23.” “This sounds spectacular, but where does global cooling come in?” I ask. “First we have to make Virgin Galactic a commercial success, then we can use space travel to fight global warming. Our aim was to find new technologies that can drastically cut the cost of taking people into space in order to make it commercially viable. To achieve this we teamed up with Burt Rutan’s SpaceShip One. “We asked people who said they wanted to be the first passengers what their key motivation was. They said they wanted to experience weightlessness and the classic view of the earthrise through the windows. If we can provide those experiences, people will happily pay $200,000 for a seat on that flight. That’s how we finance the project.”

“Isn’t launching a shuttle into space very polluting though?” Anouk asks. “Bad for the footprint?”

Richard smiles. “A NASA shuttle launch had the same environmental output as the whole population of New York over a long weekend holiday. A Virgin Galactic flight has a lower environmental footprint per passenger than a one-way business class ticket from London to New York on an Airbus A340. A different technique with a different footprint.”

The big picture“Let me be clear, Virgin Galactic is about making money, but the exciting thing about this project is that it is not about space tourism in the end. It allows us to put things we don’t want in our delicate atmosphere in space – things like server farms. Remember, CO2 emissions from IT are twice as high as the emissions from aviation.” “So you see space as the solution to global warming?” I ask. “Part of the solution,” Richard corrects, “as I said to Chris earlier during the talk, all the profits from our transportation business, around $3 billion, will be dedicated to the development of renewable alternatives to carbon fuels.” “And then there’s the Virgin Earth Challenge,” I add. “Exactly,” Richard says. “We offer a $25 million prize to the first person to come up with an economically viable solution to the greenhouse gas problem. This is a huge challenge and I want all the best brains in the world thinking about it.”

“Wow, Richard,” I say. “It seems that you have found the next big thing again. This really is an idea worth spreading!”

Global cooling and space travelWe’ve just attended a TED event where Richard Branson was in conversation with TED’s curator Chris Anderson. TED is a platform for sharing ‘ideas worth spreading’ – we’ve been following it for years, regularly browsing through their video database for inspiration.

Of course, for us as entrepreneurs, Richard is right up there on the list of inspiring people, not just because of his business savvy, but also, more importantly, because of his visionary views on the environment and the future of our planet.

After Chris wraps up the 40-minute conversation we head over to Richard’s press rep who promised us a five-minute meeting with him.

She takes us to a private meeting room backstage, where we find Richard relaxing on a sofa. “Sit down,” he says as he takes a swig from a small bottle of Evian. “Richard, earlier on stage you said that you don’t want us to be the generation that irreversibly damages the environment – are things really that bad?” I ask.

Nine billion and counting“The population of our planet is going to hit the nine billion mark by the middle of this century.” He leans forward as though to underline the gravity of his words: “Think about it: that’s three times more than when I was born. On top of this, climate change is happening faster than most models predicted.”

“Ok,” says Anouk. “But earlier you talked about space travel. How can space travel help fight global warming?”

Richard raises two fingers: “One of the solutions is that we start taking some of the most energy intensive-processes out of our fragile atmosphere. Put them in space and power them through solar energy. Think for example of server parks for our constantly growing IT infrastructure.” He sits back and takes another swig of water. “Aviation is often named as a key cause of climate change, but IT has overtaken aviation in terms of its CO2 output.” “And secondly?” I ask. “You raised two fingers – what is the second way that space travel can save the planet?”

“Utilisation of space is essential, not only for communications and GPS, but also for agricultural monitoring and climate science. Researchers should be able to ‘fly’ experiments more often to help us understand key questions about the earth’s climate.”

“But how?” I ask. “NASA has discontinued its manned space programme. The era of the political ‘space race’ is over.”

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Europe - GermanyBerlin

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Checking in

Our train slides smoothly into the Hauptbahnhof. “The largest interchange in the world,” I read on Wikipedia. “An unprecedented technological masterpiece.”

“Look at that curved glass roof construction of the platform hall ,” I say to Anouk, “do you have any idea of its size?” Anouk doesn’t really seem to care, as she exits the train without answering. “321 metres long and 210 metres large!” I call after her. I get my camera out of my bag and take some pictures from the sunlight passing through the roof onto the trains. I focus on the passenger flow and push the shutter. Anouk is already on top of the stairs, looking at me impatiently. I know this look. It appears most of the time when I’m taking pictures of important things like a roof construction or a speeding train.

“I am really craving a coffee at the Adlon Hotel!” she says. “The weather is nice so let’s walk to the hotel, check in and head for the coffee bar.”

We walk along the river Spree in the direction of the Brandenburger Tor. When we reach the Reichstag, I see the sunlight reflecting in the dome that was constructed after the reunion of East and West Germany. Its transparency is a metaphor for the functioning of democracy, I read on my smartphone. “Shall we have a glance inside and take some pictures of the dome and the sun reflecting in the glass panels?” I propose.

Anouk agrees, albeit reluctantly. Once we are inside, I start recording the best angles and perspectives I can find in order to show to full advantage both the old and new architectural styles. A few minutes later, Anouk shows up telling me that she is going to get some info at the entrance. “Sure,” I say, “I’ll take some more pics of the silhouettes of the people walking in the dome.”

Twenty minutes later I take, what is probably shot number 100 of the Reichstag. “I must have covered every angle now,” I think to myself. “But, where is Anouk?” I walk to the entrance but she is nowhere to be seen.

“I’ll just wait here for her, she will probably show up any moment now,” I say to myself. “In the meanwhile I can check in on Foursquare and post a picture of the dome.” I take out my phone and open my Foursquare app. “Hey, Anouk also checked in on Foursquare: ‘Having a café latte at the Adlon, ready for some serious shopping on Unter den Linden’.”

Early this morning we left Hotel Adlon in Berlin and made our way south towards Frankfurt. A five-hour trip, giving us enough time to prepare for our meeting with Uwe Dreher, responsible for global marketing of the BMW i brand.

We spoke to Uwe on the phone a few days ago. “Can we meet at Frankfurt Airport,” he suggested, “as I have a flight to New York later this week. I am travelling around the world to prepare the launch of the BMW i cars at the end of 2013,” he said.

Actually, we are lucky to be meeting him in between his travels. We pass Frankfurt to the west, heading towards the airport. The traffic starts to get heavier as we get on the ring road. I turn to Maarten in the passenger seat, who is reading a presentation on the BMW i concept car that Uwe sent us in preparation for the meeting. “So, what’s so special about the new BMW i sub-brand?” I ask him.

“Well, to start with this is an entirely purpose-built car,” Maarten says. “The construction of electric cars has, up to now, been based on the ‘conversion’ approach – integrating electric components into vehicles originally designed to be powered by a combustion engine.”

“So that means you can be really innovative, because you don’t have the limitations of the existing car and can start with a blank canvas,” I say.

“From scratch,” Maarten confirms, “which is reflected in the car’s architecture, which they call the LifeDrive concept. These are two separate, independent functional units. I quote: A Life module and a Drive module. The upper part is Life – the passenger compartment made up of a high-strength and extremely lightweight passenger cell made from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic. The bottom is the Drive part, which brings together all the operational driving functions and includes everything a car needs to do its job.“

“Shoot!” I say, hitting the breaks, “a traffic jam. Just what we need.” The car comes to a complete standstill, before the cars in line start slowly moving forwards again.

“If you were driving a BMW i3, which will be possible from the end of 2013 onwards, you would now have a ‘Traffic Jam Assistant’ at your disposal,” Maarten says while browsing through the presentation. “It says here: By letting the vehicle ‘go with the flow’, it allows the driver to get to his destination in a more relaxed state of mind. Like Active Cruise Control with Stop&Go function, Traffic Jam Assistant maintains a specified following distance from the vehicle in front. Advanced camera technology allows the vehicle to follow the road.”

“That’s exactly what I need right now... a more relaxed state of mind,” I say with a smile. “Luckily here’s the exit to the airport. Uwe told us to meet him on the observation deck and to park near Terminal 2.”

Meet ing Uwe Dreherat F rankfur t A i rpor t

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A few minutes later we enter the parking lot in search of a spot to leave the car.

“Here’s one,” Maarten says, pointing to quite a small space that needs some advanced backwards parallel parking skills.

“I don’t really like this one,” I say, “I’d rather find an easier one.”

“If you had a BMW i3, you would have a Parking Assistant,” Maarten says. “I quote: The Parking Assistant makes parallel parking easier by performing the entire parking manoeuvre automatically. Acceleration and braking is now performed automatically, and if multiple manoeuvres are required, the vehicle can also automatically switch between forward and reverse direction.”

“I really want a BMW i car,” I say, “but until then, maybe you can park.”

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We’re on the visitors’ terrace at Frankfurt Airport overlooking the airfield. At the gates at Terminal 2 we see people boarding planes that will take them to São Paulo, Tokyo or Los Angeles. “My plane to New York leaves in three hours,” Uwe says, “so we have some time to talk.”

Uwe Dreher is the global marketing director for BMW i. We spoke to him over the phone a few days ago and asked him if he would share his story with us. “To prepare for the launch of the BMW i cars at the end of next year, I’m having to travel extensively,” Uwe said. “My life resembles the George Clooney movie Up in the Air. Maybe we can meet at the airport.”

And so here we are, on the visitors’ terrace at Frankfurt International Airport.

“The idea for establishing BMW i as a sub-brand of BMW started some years ago,” Uwe says. “We did global research on mobility 10 years ago and were kind of shocked by the findings. Research in Tokyo showed a change in the behaviour of young people. Until then, when you turned 18, normal behaviour had been that you wanted to get your driver’s license and bought a car. That meant freedom. Nowadays, in mega cities like Tokyo, having a car means hassle, congestion, traffic jams, parking problems. And because public transport in a city like Tokyo is perfectly well organised, you need your own car less and less.”

“For a car manufacturer these findings are kind of worrying,” I say.

“Another finding came from San Francisco, from the upscale residential areas,” Uwe continues. “Traditionally, in the parking lots in front of the expensive houses, you would find upscale cars, like BMW or Porsche. But research showed that, increasingly, cars like the Toyota Prius hybrid were replacing the high-end luxury cars. Sustainability was the new chic!”

“Interesting findings,” I say, “but that was 10 years ago. What has happened since then?”

“We did some field trials,” Uwe says. “We developed our electric Mini E and BMW ActiveE fleet to gain widely applicable hands-on experience. The BMW Group is the world’s first manufacturer of premium automobiles to deploy a fleet of over 600 all-electric vehicles for private use in daily traffic. We knew that putting electric components into a car designed for a fuel engine was not the solution.”

“And behind the scenes?” I ask. “What was the secret plan, behind the scenes?”

“We started from scratch, defining the next generation electric car, an electric born car,” Uwe says. “Why does a modern car look the way it does? Because it is based on the traditional conception of what a car should look like. Not this one, which we call a purpose-built electric car.”

The sound of an aeroplane taking off, forces Uwe to pause for a second. We follow the plane as it accelerates down the runway and lifts off. “BMW i is not just cars,” Uwe says as the decibels fade away. “It’s a global mobility project, for which I travel a lot.”

“Have you reached the ‘über elite black card ConciergeKey frequent flyer status’ already?” Maarten asks. You said your life resembles George Clooney’s in Up in the air. In the story he’s trying to get to 10 million frequent flyer miles.”

“I remember,” Uwe says, “No, it’s not that bad.

“In my story, the idea is to answer the two trends,” he continues. “The sustainability chic in San Francisco and the mobility issues in mega cities like Tokyo. The car gives answers to the first one. The BMW i3 will be the most advanced electric car in the world. And it will be the most sustainable car in the world – in production, in use, and in recycling.”

Uwe pauses for a few seconds to let his words sink in.

“For the mobility issues in mega cities we had to come up with a concept beyond the most advanced electric car,” Uwe continues. “In addition to the vehicles themselves, the mobility services are another component of BMW i. Not everybody in the world’s major urban centres still wants to own their own vehicle. Together with Sixt, the car rental company, we created a state-of-the-art mobility service called ‘DriveNow’, a free-floating car-sharing system, aiming precisely at this market. The special highlight of this service is that vehicles do not have to be picked up from and returned to specific locations but can be hired and left wherever the customer wishes.”

“So when I’m in San Francisco, in the Golden Gate Heights,” Maarten says, “and I want to go for a ride to Fisherman’s Wharf, I look on the DriveNow app on my mobile phone, to see where I can pick up a car?”

Uwe nods.

“So I drive my BMW or MINI to the Wharf to have lunch, overlooking the San Francisco Bay,” Maarten continues, “and I look on my app to see where there is a parking space available for half a day?”

Uwe nods again. “And if you want to leave the car at Fisherman’s Wharf... that’s fine too,” he says. “Customised, flexible and above all uncomplicated. BMW i sees itself as a mobility ‘enabler’. The focus is on providing solutions for more efficient use of existing parking space, intelligent navigation systems and premium car-sharing. More innovative services are coming soon in a growing number of cities. We’ve actually only just begun.”

“Wow, can you tell us more about these mobility services?” I ask.

“I can,” Uwe says, “but then you have to take the flight to New York with me, that would give us an extra eight hours.”

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BMW ithe mob i l i t y ‘enab ler’


Yesterday evening we received a phone call from Alain Bauwens, responsible for International Marketing Laundry Care at Henkel. “Are you still in Frankfurt?” He asked. “I want to share with you the new sustainability strategy that we developed: Achieving more with less. Can we meet in Munich?”

We have known Alain for quite some years already and we spoke a lot about Henkel and sustainability. But we knew something new has come up. “Munich? “I asked. “The head office is still in Düsseldorf, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is,” Alain said, “but I would like to meet in our Wash & Coffee bar in Munich; that might also be of interest for you. It’s a laundrette re-imagined by Persil and our business partner Bosch-Siemens. Next to the washing part, there is a part coffee shop and a part community hub, with events that include everything from stand-up comedy to live music to charity drives. A perfect place to meet and talk about Achieving more with less.”

“That sounds like a plan,” I said, “see you tomorrow.”

Well, tomorrow is today and we park our car in front of Wash & Coffee in the centre of Munich. We stand in front of this laundrette, look inside where we see a very stylish interior. People sitting at the small tables having a coffee, eating a sandwich or surfing the web while waiting for their washing cycle to finish.

As we enter the store we see Alain sitting at a table observing the screen of his laptop. Next to him we recognise Lutz Mehlhorn, who is responsible for new business at Henkel’s Laundry & Home Care business sector. As we come closer they look up and a smile appears on their faces. “Welcome to Wash & Coffee,” Alain says, “so what do you think?”

“This is a real cool concept. What is the idea behind it?” I respond.

“It’s a Persil brand extension,” Lutz replies, “ a concept that goes beyond the product. Traditionally we put our products in the supermarket and wait for the consumers to come and make their pick. Wash & Coffee is an out-of-the-box concept; it gives us the opportunity to be directly in contact with the consumer. Beyond providing the best laundry care equipment, the personnel explain how to use the modern appliances, the detergents economically and with a maximum energy efficiency.“

“Consumer engagement?” I ask.

“Yes... engagement, interaction,” Lutz continues, “but it’s not only about our products. By organising events like meetings or live music, we play a role in the local community. It gives us the opportunity to work our way up in relevancy.”

“So, this is a way to connect to the consumer in an innovative way?” I ask.

“Indeed,” Alain answers, “being in touch with, especially young, consumers gives us new insights, which helps us to adapt our products and services.

“We opened the first Wash & Coffee concept bar here in Munich. And also in Amsterdam we created this consumer engagement tool.

“By the way, would you like a coffee?” Alain says, “so I can tell you about our new sustainability strategy and our new targets.”

“Café latte would be nice,” I say, “the sustainability story would be great... but do you think I can get our laundry out of the car and use one of the washing machines while we talk?”

Meet ing Ala in Bauwens

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Social Progress

More social progress and better

quality of life

Less energy used and less greenhouse

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More value for our customers and

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Safer workplaces and better health &

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Less water used and less water pollution

Less resources used and less waste

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Performance

MORE VALUE

REDUCED FOOTPRINT

Materials and waste

Safety and Health

Water and wastewater

Energy and climate

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We’re in Wash & Coffee in Munich, having a café latte and talking to Alain Bauwens, responsible for International Marketing Laundry Care at Henkel and Lutz Mehlhorn, who is responsible for new business at Henkel’s Laundry & Home Care business sector.

“Actually, following our new Sustainability Strategy 2030,” Alain says, “the 20-year goal is achieving more with less and tripling efficiency. We summarize this ambition as Factor 3.”

“That sounds ambitious,” I say, “does this include the entire value chain?”

“The entire value chain and all business sectors,” Alain says. “By 2030, we want to become three times more efficient. Triple the value we create without increasing our footprint made by our operations, products and services.”

Alain pauses for a few seconds to stress the importance of what he is saying. “For this we need the commitment of not only the 47,000 Henkel employees around the world, but we also intend to involve our customers, consumers, suppliers and industrial users.”

“We know that sustainability has been in Henkel’s genes for many decades,” I say, “but in the last years you have been accelerating the movement, haven’t you?”

“That’s true,” Alain replies, “we are convinced that not only do we have a duty to future generations to pursue sustainable development; sustainability also makes economic sense for us and is an important competitive factor. It reduces costs, drives innovation, and strengthens our position in the markets of the future.”

“More and more brands understand that they should operate according to the triple bottom line of People Planet Profi t,” I say. “This is where brands today can still differentiate themselves from their competitors. People buy into these brands not for what they do and make, but for why and how they do it and make it.”

“Exactly. We believe that sustainable business practices will contribute to our company’s success and strengthen our leading position. This leading position in sustainability is regularly confirmed by independent external ratings and rankings,” Lutz adds. “One example is Henkel’s listing in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index ever since this was established in 1999. Last year, the company was named sustainability leader in the Non durable Household Products sector for the fifth time in a row.”

“And now you came up with Factor 3,” I say, “how are you going to achieve this goal?”

at the retail outlet. The smaller and more compact product leads to easier handling by the consumer. Less plastic in the trash can. This increases what we call Social Progress. And last but not least, the quality, or performance of the detergent remains the same, which is also an important part of the strategy.”

“You said that you involve all your stakeholders in the sustainability strategy, so what can I do as a consumer?” I ask.

“Well,” Alain replies, “imagine if all consumers would wash on low temperatures and still get their laundry cleaned and fresh as they are used to. The reduction in CO

2 emission would be huge. It’s one of our goals to cause this behaviour change among consumers. Through targeted communication, we point out the advantages of our products and encourage resource-efficient use. Talking to our consumers here at Wash & Coffee is only one example. Another one is our laundry calculator on the internet which shows how much CO2 emissions can be avoided by washing at lower temperatures.”

“I understand,” I say, “and if you drive progress along the entire value chain with every product, you can obtain your sustainability goals by 2030. I’ll drink to that! Let’s have another café latte!”

I look at the tablet and try to figure out how to interpret the graphic. “Can you give me an example of adding more value and decreasing the footprint?” I ask.

“The permanent challenge the product developers of our laundry detergents and household cleaners are facing, is how to achieve ever better washing performance with even lower energy consumption. Persil Megaperls and Purex Cold Water are two such laundry detergents that deliver their full cleaning power even at low wash temperatures. Energy savings of up to 40% can be achieved simply by reducing the washing temperature by 10 degrees – from 40 to 30 degrees, for instance.

“Another important aspect is the compaction of laundry detergents: By concentrating the liquid, the volume and the weight decrease. This means there is less material and less water used in the production process. Less CO2 emission during transport. These aspects also contribute to a reduction of the footprint,” he says, pointing at the bottom part of the graphic.

Alain takes a sip from his coffee before continuing. “On the other side of the model,” he adds while pointing at the top part of the circle, “we have to deliver more value. We do that by using less space in the warehouse and

Alain takes his iPad from his bag and puts it on the table. “Have a look,” he says pointing at the tablet, “Henkel is concentrating its sustainability activities on six focal areas. In each of these areas we aim at delivering more value, or reducing ecological footprint.

A graphic, showing six different elements appears on the iPad, and in the middle it reads: ‘Deliver more value at a reduced footprint’

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Ach iev ing more w i th le s sHenke l ’s new sus ta inab i l i t y s t ra tegy

Social Progress

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Henkel concentrates its activities on six focal areas that reflect the challenges of sustainable development as they relate to the company’s operations.


Europe - SwitzerlandGeneva696 miles from BerlinTime of Arrival 12:10

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From Vevey we are about to cross Lake Leman, to Geneva. Enjoying a boat trip offers a nice change when you mostly travel by car. At the CGN ticket booth, the next departure is listed for 1.22 pm. With only 11 minutes left, too tight a schedule for a coffee really, that is, if it’s on time! “Let’s wait,” I propose and before we know it, the boat arrives.

Sitting on the deck, I visualise Switzerland as a brand. What would its brand values be like? “Security, exactness, reliability, high quality would certainly feature on the list,” I enumerate out loud. Maarten doesn’t seem to listen, as he is looking at his watch all the time. “What’s wrong?” I ask, “Is your watch broken?” “No, no, nothing special,” Maarten murmurs, “just checking.” “Okay, let’s see, Switzerland is of course famous for its top brand watches, financial services and its favourable climate for entrepreneurs.” As we pass the beautiful vignobles de Lavaux cultivated as terraces, Maarten is still focusing on his watch. I rouse him, saying: “Have a look at this fantastic lake, surrounded by UNESCO vineyards and majestic Alps. I can already see the fountain, we’re almost there!” While Maarten keeps his eye on his watch, I admire Geneva’s architecture. Then, as the boat ties up, he suddenly stands up and cheers: “5, 4, 3, 2, 1! Yes, incredible, exactly on time! What you just said about Swiss brand values is absolutely true: a boat trip that is said to take 1 hour and 5 minutes, and which actually leaves and arrives on time, there is nothing more accurate!” “True,” I agree stepping on to the quay, “but let me check out another Swiss value: I urgently need to test if Swiss chocolate also meets my high expectations!”

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Meet ingCharr i s Yad igarog lou a t Max imi l i an Büs ser & F r iends

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As I enter the boutique I see a sleek sit-on toy car with a huge key sticking out of the boot, probably to wind up the mechanism. On the left is a cool-looking motorbike, which is actually much too clean and shiny to be a motorbike. The name on the tank reads Chicara Nagata. I look around and all I see are fantastical mechanics: a walking lamp, resembling some kind of science-fiction creature; not far from it is something that looks like the C-3PO robot from Star Wars, as if I had been transported into the future, but then a strange future imagined by George Lucas.

All of a sudden I see it. “There it is!” I think to myself. “The MoonMachine.” I walk towards a table displaying an awesome-looking watch. I have been in contact with Charris Yadigaroglou who is Communication Director for MB&F, a high-end Swiss watch manufacturer. And when I say high end, I mean HIGH end. They call their watches ‘horological machines’ because a watch is usually developed to tell the time, while MB&F’s creations are primarily micro-mechanical sculptures; timekeeping is secondary.

“Anouk?” I hear a voice behind me. I turn around and see Charris standing next to C-3PO. “Welcome to the M.A.D. Gallery, a magical universe of horological machines and ‘Mechanical Art Devices’. Isn’t she cool?” he asks, pointing to the MoonMachine.

“Awesome,” I say. “So this is the work of Maximilian Büsser?”

“And friends,” Charris says. “The company is called Maximilian Büsser AND Friends. That’s very important because it’s exactly what makes us different. All luxury watchmakers work with the same top artisans, but don’t talk about them. A top luxury watch brand wants the watch to be produced by the brand. We want our watch to be a collaborative piece of art. We want to give our subcontractors recognition and mention them in our communication. We call them friends.”

“I understand,” I say, “that way the subcontractors feel more involved because they get recognition for their work.”

“And they will take that extra step if necessary,” Charris says. “We create very complex pieces of art which demand a lot of extra steps. But everybody feels challenged and the starting point is always not if, but how to get the job done.”

Charris looks at the MoonMachine again as if it could disappear into another dimension at any moment. After a few seconds he turns back to me and continues: “But that’s not the only reason. We all have corporate backgrounds. Before we joined MB&F we worked for large, hierarchical companies. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could work only with friends? With people who share the same human values?”

Charris pauses for a moment and I wonder if he is expecting an answer. “That’s the philosophy behind the ‘and friends’ idea: to bring together talented horological artisans, artists and professionals – all friends – to design and craft each year a radical and original horological masterpiece.”

Charris pauses again to give me time to react. I’m impressed by the apparent simplicity of the idea and don’t know exactly what to say. I look at C-3PO, hoping for inspiration. “It’s uh... it’s awesome,” I say finally.

“Isn’t it?” Charris says. “By working together with a team of talented individuals, using their passion and creativity and acknowledging each individual’s contribution, the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts.

“MB&F is above all a human adventure... a human adventure with just one goal: to create incredible horological machines.”

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We are in Lausanne, on Lake Geneva, walking through the steep streets of the old town with Hans-Joachim Richter. We’ve known Nespresso’s Director of Corporate Communications for many years and meet every once in a while to catch up with the latest developments at the brand.

“Let’s take a walk,” Jochem says, “and decide on which story to tell.”

We pass the Cathédrale de Notre Dame, one of Lausanne’s most famous landmarks. “I never get tired of the views here,” he says, looking up at the cathedral’s Gothic spires.=

When we met in 2007 he told us about the company’s stringent coffee selection. Only the top 1-2% of all the coffee grown globally meets the quality, taste and aroma standards required for Nespresso’s capsules.

In 2009 he told us about the success of the George Clooney campaign, which had just won a number of major advertising awards.

In 2010 he updated us on Nespresso’s sourcing and sustainability efforts. This Ecolaboration™ approach enables Nespresso to secure the highest quality coffees and improve the standard of living for farmers by paying them a premium.

In 2011 he told us about Nespresso’s Unique Business Model. The route to market, directly through the website, boutiques and call centres, provides a unique competitive advantage for the brand.

We wonder what he will tell us today.We start walking up Rue Pierre-Viret. Jochem points out the Palais de Rumine, home to five of Lausanne’s museums.

“Did I tell you about our Unique Business Model and route to market?” Jochem asks.“Actually you did, last year,” I say.

We take a sharp right at Rue de la Barre and walk towards the towers of Château Saint-Maire.“And our AAA Sustainable Quality Sourcing Program. Did I tell you about that?”

“Actually you did, in 2009,” says Anouk.

“Of course,” Jochem says, as we reach the square in front of the castle. He looks pensive. Then he stops and turns to us. “I know what I haven’t told you,” he says, lighting up. “I have a great story about our global brand community. Let me tell you about it over coffee. I know the perfect place.”

Meet ing Hans-Joach im Richterin Lausanne

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We cross the Place Saint-Francois, heading towards the distinctive ‘N’ above the entrance of Lausanne’s Nespresso boutique. We have spent the morning exploring the steep streets of the old town and are in need of a pick-me-up.

We are with Hans-Joachim Richter, Nespresso’s Director of Communications. He pushes open the door and inhales deeply. “There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly brewed coffee, is there?” he says. “And nowhere quite like our boutique to tell you about our global brand community!”

We follow him past a curved coffee bar to a seating area, where people are sipping coffee in chairs shaped like Nespresso cups and in the same colours as the capsules. “This is a real sensory experience,” says Anouk, looking around.

“That’s exactly what we’ve tried to create,” says Jochem. “Drinking coffee should be a pleasure, an event. The enjoyment is a combination of so many things; the flavour, aroma, temperature, who you’re with and even whether you’re grabbing an espresso on the go or relaxing over a lungo.”

We sit down but at the last moment I change from a green to a purple chair. “Green not your colour?” asks Anouk.

“Green is Capriccio,” I say, “and I’m more an Arpeggio kind of guy.”

“A man who knows what he wants!” says Jochem. “We have a lot of consumers with very specific tastes, while others like the freedom to pick and choose. That’s the great thing about the capsule system – a different coffee for every cup.”

He leans forward in his chair. “We currently have 16 premium coffees in our permanent range which we’ve developed to appeal to every taste preference. Only a small percentage of coffee grown globally meets our quality standards, so developing new products can be a challenge. That’s where our global brand community comes in. Our members can play a part in this process.”

“Brand communities can be a powerful asset. How have you built yours?” I ask.

“All our consumers have the option to become Club Members. Through the Club we engage directly with thousands of consumers every day, but we’ve also seen something exciting happening beyond our control. Many of our members aren’t just consumers anymore, they’ve become brand ambassadors. More than half of new Club Members experience Nespresso for the first time through existing members. You have to keep in mind that the brand community exists in the first place to serve the people in the community.”

A waiter dressed in a black suit comes over to our table to take our order. “Let me introduce you to some of our most characteristic coffees,” Jochem says.

“I’d like a latte please,” says Anouk.

“To me, drinking fine coffee is like drinking fine wine. I miss the subtle taste and aroma details if I add milk and sugar,” says Jochem before he gets back to his story.

“It’s crucial that the brand community is part of the business strategy,” Jochem continues, “not just the marketing strategy.”

The waiter comes back with short cups of black coffee topped with a dense crema. Volluto, he tells us, a lightly roasted blend of Arabica beans from small plantations in Brazil and Colombia.

“This is very a refined way to discover coffee,” I say, taking a sip. “I can see why you chose George Clooney to represent the brand.”

“It was actually our Club Members who chose George Clooney as their ambassador in 2004,” says Jochem. “His charm and sophistication perfectly fit our brand identity, which is one of the reasons the campaign has been so successful. It’s also another example of how we engage with and listen to our consumers.”

The waiter brings us three Ristrettos. Anouk looks disappointed. “This is our most intense coffee. Unless you have a high caffeine tolerance, you might not want to drink all of it,” says Jochem. “There’s more on the way.”

“The Nespresso route to market already means there are multiple touch points between you and the consumer. What role does social media play in Nespresso’s brand engagement?” I ask.

“The Nespresso Facebook community has grown to more than 1.6 million fans. Each post on our page can receive thousands of ‘Likes’ and hundreds of comments and shares. That’s an invaluable source of consumer feedback for us and a clear indication of the passion the brand inspires among coffee connoisseurs.”

The waiter comes back again with Naora, one of three Limited Edition coffees created each year, he explains. “Continuous dialogue with our brand community means we can anticipate and meet our consumers’ expectations, but we also want to keep surprising them,” says Jochem. “We introduced Naora, a late-harvest blend with distinctive blackcurrant tones, in early 2012.”

Anouk leaves her cup on the table. “All the coffees I‘ve tried have been great,” she says, “but now I’d really like a latte.”

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Europe - FranceParis256 miles from GenevaTime of Arrival 11:04

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The culture of strolling

We’re enjoying a break on a small terrace in Paris’s Marais neighbourhood, sipping a café au lait and watching stylish people walk by. “This city is amazing,” I remark, “each neighbourhood has a unique feel to it. What a difference between the small-scale boutiques here and the department stores in the Hausmann area. Not to mention the top brand stores based at Avenue Montaigne!” Mmm, by the way, where did that elegant Parisienne get that outfit? I ask myself. After a late lunch, we walk down the fashionable rue des Franc Bourgeois, approaching Centre Georges Pompidou – the modern art museum that is a work of art in itself. Maarten is determined to revisit his favourite Picassos. As for me, a museum visit would distract me way too much from that dress I cannot get out of my mind. How can I convince him to come with me? I wonder. Let’s try a game. “Maarten, here we go, let’s toss and see who wins. If I win, get over your endless cultural desires.” He now looks quite angry at me, glancing in the direction of the museum. As if he is going to visit his Picassos without me! Finally, he takes the challenge. I let him throw the coin…That evening, I more than happily put on my brand new purple Valentino dress, found at Avenue Montaigne…. What more can a man ask for? A stylish woman at his side to attend a special reprise of the 100-year-old Parade by the Ballets Russes, at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées. Maarten is all the more happy because the cubist costumes and set were once designed by his other idol … Pablo Picasso.

As we wander up the Champs-Elysées towards the Arc de Triomphe, we pass the Louis Vuitton flagship store, a temple of chic that attracts style-conscious travellers from around the world. Some come just to worship at this temple of style and longingly eye the elegant products; others come armed with a stack of credit cards and are ready to spend lavishly.

“I often wonder how they can keep on doing what they do with such amazing success,” says Anouk as she walks up to the travel accessories displayed in the shop window. “Not only are they constantly reinventing themselves; they are also redefining the concept of travel.”

Established in the mid-19th century by Louis Vuitton himself, the LV brand soon changed the way people perceived luggage: it was no longer just a burden, but could also be an object of beauty, not to mention that Vuitton introduced safer and more practical ways of transporting precious belongings – a totally new concept of travel.

“Remember when we met the company CEO, Bernard Arnault, a few years ago?” I remind Anouk.

Anouk nods and replies: “He’s done an amazing job since he took over in 1989, but his best strategic move was hiring Marc Jacobs as the company’s creative director in 1997. Getting a young New York designer was exactly the fresh impulse that the brand needed.” “Yeah,” I agree, “Arnault was right on the money there. They’ve had some amazing collections since Jacobs joined.”

“It’s more than just the collections though,” Anouk says, “they’ve also developed the Spirit of Travel concept as an elaboration of Vuitton’s 19th-century ideas. The Spirit of Travel transcends the LV product range – you could call it their purpose. What role does Louis Vuitton play in my life? It helps me make my journey, and my journey is my life. It’s travel reinvented on a new, more spiritual level.”

“Remember that cool YouTube movie?” I ask. “Sort of sums up their core values.”

“Yeah,” I say as we head into the flagship store, “it also pretty much sums up my vision of travel. And I think that makes it quite appropriate that we should be here at the beginning of our ‘80 Stories’ trip...I wonder where this journey will take us…”

An encounter w i th Louis Vu i t ton

onthe Champs-E ly sées

‘What’s a journey? A journey is not a trip It’s not a vacation It’s a process. A discovery It’s a process of self-discovery. A journey brings us face to face with ourselves A journey shows us not only the world, but how we fit in it Does the person create the journey Or does the journey create the person? The journey is life itself Where will life take you?’

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Tereos FranceConnect ing to each other

Joost Augusteijn, whom we met in the Netherlands a few weeks ago, sent us to Tereos, France’s largest agricultural producer that processes sugar beet, grains and sugar cane. With strategic advice and syndicated loans from Rabobank, it has recently diversified to become an industrial powerhouse, creating Tereos Internacional as the basis for further growth and diversification.

Networks around the worldWe talk to CEO Philippe Duval and President Thierry Lecomte about the major shift in direction: “Tereos Internacional wants to have the financial flexibility to move into countries with economic growth; the emerging markets. For such a major move, we needed a banking partner with experience in agro food. We have been with Rabobank for 15 years now because they have an international network of local banks, a significant presence in Brazil, and a large presence in Europe. Whatever emerging countries we would like to start operating in we know that we can count on their local network and global efficiency.”

Local knowledge“In Europe, creating Syral made us a leader in industrial starch products made from grains. We bought five plants, whereas we only had one before. As such, it was critical for us to get proper advice. Thanks to the bank’s local operations in major markets and knowledge of our critical markets, we got what we needed. More than anything, we appreciate the fact that they are present wherever we are, connect us to local parties and have great experience in the agribusiness sector. There are plenty of reasons for us to continue our 15-year partnership; we want to remain part of this global food & agribusiness network.”

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“Exactly!” Marc says. “So together with some friends I created a new lifestyle brand: Sol de Janeiro. We shared a fair amount of nostalgia for the glory days of the Bossa Nova period when Brazil captured the world’s attention with its cool beach lifestyle.”

He continues: “We had our brand, now we had to find a matching product.”

“Let me guess,” I say, “Sol de Janeiro... it evokes Rio de Janeiro with its carnival... maybe a caipirinha-based energy drink?”

“No,” Maarten says, “Sol de Janeiro means January sun, so it has to be a product that has to do with the beach... Is it beachwear?”

Marc laughs. “Beachwear could be one of the future brand extensions. In a country that was idolised around the world for the sensuality and charm of its beach culture, there was no sun protection brand that lived up to the dream of the Brazilian beach,” he says, waving his arm in the direction of the French Riviera beach.

We start strolling towards the Palais des Festivals, where the next seminar will start in 20 minutes. “So we assembled a team of cosmetic and prod-uct development experts,” Marc continues, “and created highly sensorial sun protection based on natural Brazilian ingredients.”

We reach the red carpet where the film stars arrive for the Cannes Film Festival. Marc walks up three steps and turns to us again. “We launched Sol de Janeiro in Brazil last year and this year the brand is making its entrance on the international stage,” Marc says while impersonating a celebrity. “No pictures, please!”

We laugh and applaud. “Marc, instead of attending the next seminar, why don’t we have lunch in the sun at the Mocca, across the street? We can brainstorm some possible brand extensions for Sol de Janeiro.”

Marc looks over his shoulder at the Palais and then towards the Mocca. “What an excellent idea. Right in the spirit of the brand!”

We are in Cannes, on the French Riviera, walking on the famous Boulevard de la Croisette. We decided to come here for a few days for the annual Lions Awards. A good opportunity to meet up with our global network of marketing professionals.

“Hey, isn’t that Marc Capra?” I say, “there, walking just in front of us.” We met Marc a few years ago in Bangkok where he was the chairman of an international agency. Then we somehow lost track of him. “Monsieur Capra!” I say, tapping him on the shoulder.

“I moved from Asia back to New York,” Marc tells us, “ready for a new challenge. I asked myself where I would like to live next. The country that first popped into my mind was Brazil. So I moved to São Paulo and started enjoying my new life.”

“But one question intrigued me,” Marc continues, “why does Brazil have this positive image? And was this image widely recognised? As you know, I have spent almost all my professional life working with brands. So I started considering Brazil as a brand. Why do people around the world have such a positive brand perception?”

We start walking again and pass in front of the Carlton Hotel.

“I read a survey in Forbes magazine about the happiest cities in the world,” Maarten says, “and Rio de Janeiro was number one.”

“I know,” Marc says. “Brazil is associated with natural beauty, charm, sensuality and the energy of its beach culture. The perfect attributes for a lifestyle brand.”

Marc stops walking and turns to us. “Then it struck me,” he says, “why not create a lifestyle brand, using Rio de Janeiro’s positive image? It’s a perfect example of building a brand outside-in.”

“Smart thinking,” I say. “Some brands fight great battles to get the brand perception aligned with the brand identity. Starting with the positive perception and then adapting the brand identity to it makes sense.”

Meet ing So l de Jane i ro

in Cannes

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We’re sitting on the terrace of the Mocca across the street from Le Palais. “This is the best place to meet people,” I think to myself. “The perfect pastime. Sit, drink coffee, meet interesting people.” I can see Anouk coming across the road, apparently in quite in a hurry. “The Worldmakers are in Cannes!” she says.

“Worldmakers?” I say. “Worldmakers? Do you mean The Elders? Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan...?”

“No, the Worldmakers. The interviews we watch on YouTube on the JWT channel,” Anouk answers. “The ones where Bob Jeffrey talks to thought leaders.”

“Oh, you mean the Worldmakers!” I say.

Bob Jeffrey is JWT’s global CEO and we watch his interviews on a regular basis. He is based in New York, but apparently he’s in Cannes during the Lions.

“Let’s try and meet Bob,” Anouk says.“Great idea,” I reply. “Let’s sit here, drink some coffee and wait ‘til he passes by!”“Only joking,” I add.

I leave some money on the table for the coffee, get up and follow Anouk across the street. Instead of heading to the conference building, she turns left towards the beach. “Where are we going?” I ask.Without slowing down Anouk answers: “We have to make a plan. I have to think.” She goes down the stairs to the beach, kicks off her shoes and walks down to the sea. “This is the perfect environment to think about how to get hold of Bob Jeffrey,” she says.

“We don’t have to get hold of him, we just wanna talk to him,” I think to myself without actually saying it so as not to disturb Anouk while she’s brewing up her ‘plan’.

There are not actually that many people on the beach. On the boulevard there are quite a few with badges on a key cord though who are clearly attending the Lions festival. Out to sea, about 300 metres from the beach, a big yacht is preparing to enter the marina. “Maybe he is on that yacht, drinking champagne,” I joke. But Anouk’s not reacting – she’s obviously still trying to come up with a way to ‘get hold’ of Bob, while overlooking the Mediterranean.

“I’ve got a plan,” she says all of a sudden. “In 45 minutes there is this conference with writer and philosopher, Alain de Botton. I can imagine it’s the kind of conference Bob would attend. The conference is taking place in Theatre Debussy. We have to spot him as he enters Le Palais, which will give us four minutes to walk with him to the conference room. In those four minutes we tell him we’d love to interview him and publish his story in our book Around the World in 80 Brands.”

“Great idea!” I say, “let’s synchronise our watches and take up our positions at the entrance!”

Thirty minutes later we’re on our way to Theatre Debussy, talking to Bob Jeffrey.

“Bob, thanks for talking to us,” I say. “How did the idea for Worldmakers come about?”

“Well, there are two main ideas,” Bob says. “It’s related to who we are at JWT. We are ‘Worldmade’. We seek inspiration from around the world and we find the spark of creativity in international interaction. We can learn a lot from the people I interview. People that make things happen.”

We walk through the central hall of the Palais des Festivals, up a flight of stairs, and turn left towards the theatre.

“And the second?” I ask. “The second idea is...” Bob thinks out loud, “…that in addition to gathering inspiration, JWT also wants to inspire the world by interviewing the world’s most respected thinkers. ‘Worldmakers’ is an interesting source of valuable knowledge.”

“Does it have anything to do with talking the talk and walking the walk?” Anouk asks. “When JWT is pitching multiplatform business, this is a nice little hook that could impress potential clients.”

“Of course,” Bob replies. “It shows the agency is doing the same sort of thing – online video – that we want our clients to do as well. It shows our expertise in the matter.”

We enter the theatre, which is slowly filling up with creatives from all around the world. We stand in the passageway talking. On stage two men are testing the cameras and lighting. Another is turning some buttons; probably testing the sound. “Testing 1, 2, 3,” suddenly radiates from the speakers.

“Alain de Botton is coming on stage any minute now,” I think to myself. “Now is the time to ask Bob if we can interview him later today.”

Behind us, the announcer takes to the stage, some people start clapping, and we still haven’t set a meeting with Bob yet. He takes a step towards his empty seat... then turns back to us. “Guys, how about we interview you two after you’ve fi nished your trip Around the World in 80 Brands. Let’s discuss it over lunch after Alain de Botton’s speech.”

Bob walks over to his place and the announcer opens the session, “Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to welcome to the Lions stage in Cannes, writer and philosopher, Alain de Botton.”

We’re still standing in the passageway applauding like everybody else in the audience. “Wow,” I whisper to Anouk. “If we get interviewed on Worldmakers, we’ll be the Alain de Botton of storytelling.”

Meet ing Bob Je f f reythe man behind Worldmakers

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Ah... Milan. If you want to submerge yourself in culture and the latest fashion and design, there is no place like Milan. The cathedral at the Piazza del Duomo, the attractive squares, renaissance buildings and last but certainly not least, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.

I stroll slowly through the wide corridor of the Galleria, looking at the latest fashion creations in the boutiques. After a while I decide to stop for an espresso in Zucca’s bar, an Art Nouveau classic. “Un espresso per favore,” I say in my best Italian.

A sharply dressed local, who’s also having an espresso, tries a new opening line on me. “This gallery has a structure formed by two glass-vaulted arcades,” he says,“ intersecting in an octagon covering the street that connects Piazza del Duomo and Piazza della Scala.”

“Interesting,” I say. “Thank you for the information.”

The man smiles and continues his ‘history approach’. “Actually, this Galleria was an important step in the evolution of the modern shopping mall, of which it was the direct predecessor. You could say that this is the mother of all shopping malls as we know them today,” he says. With a charming smile he adds: “Let me pay for your coffee.”

“Well thanks again,” I say, “but I have a meeting to attend. Next time I will buy you a coffee, though.” I drape my bag over my shoulder and leave the coffee shop, waving goodbye to my new friend and ignoring his ‘when is next time?’. I cross the central part of the Galleria and walk towards the Piazza della Scala.

My meeting is in the Diesel flagship store, the largest Diesel store in the world. Three days ago I received an email from Christina Käßhöfer, the Marketing Director for Diesel in Germany, one of its main markets in Europe. “I’m following your trip Around the World in 80 Brands on Facebook,” she wrote. “Can we meet in Milan? It will give you the best possible Diesel experience.”

I enter the Diesel store and am welcomed by a cool-looking shop attendant. “Please have a look around,” she says. “And if you need any assistance...” Before she can finish her sentence I see Christina beckoning me to come over. I have known her for some years already and she keeps me up to date whenever something new happens in Diesel country.

“For me, coming to Milan is always a sort of pilgrimage,” Christina says with a smile. “Renzo Rosso started here from scratch in the seventies. Our founder spent countless nights brushing jeans to make them look and feel worn. After all, everyone knows that the jeans you like best are the ones you’ve been wearing for years.”

We walk further into the store and Christina takes a rough-looking pair of jeans from a rack and shows them to me. “Although we now all love vintage clothing, Rosso’s idea was quite revolutionary back then,” she says.“ He decided that raw materials, workmanship and the unbeatable combination of comfort and style was exactly what the world needed. It was time for authenticity’s comeback. Not everyone got on board immediately though.”

We walk up the stairs, entering the men’s department. “It looks as if Diesel is selecting its people on good looks,” I say. “They all look amazing, ready for a Vogue photo shoot.”

Christina smiles before continuing her story. “Diesel took the Italian jeans market by storm, giving Rosso the confi dence to venture abroad. The brand hit the shelves in Germany in 1994, leaving an indelible mark on the industry and public alike. It’s what Diesel does best: make a lasting impression that not only creates brand awareness, but also triggers curiosity and builds demand. Constantly.

“But it doesn’t happen without effort,” Christina explains: “Reaching the press and the retail industry is easy. They know what we stand for, and understand the concept. But reaching the end consumers, touching them in their hearts, is more difficult. After all, people want long-lasting and authentic brands. As it turns out, Diesel is exactly that. We want to fit into a lifestyle in which people cannot do without Diesel.”

“Just like Converse,” I say, “Even if you don’t really need another pair of sneakers, you still go out and buy a new pair of Chuck Taylors.”

“Exactly,“Christina says. “And so Diesel is going to further cultivate its designated renegade status until the brand’s whole line of casual fashion becomes the go-to statement for a generation.”

Meet ing Diese l i nM i lan

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We arrive at Milano Malpensa Airport after our afternoon meeting in the Diesel flagship store. We check in for our flight to Dubai and we make our way to the duty free area, to buy some magazines at the newsstand. “I want to buy Time magazine, Wallpaper and Vogue Italia,” I say to Maarten. “Can you see whether you can find something on the new BMW i3 concept car in the car section?”

A few minutes later I’m heading to the checkout counter with my magazines where Maarten is already waiting. “I couldn’t find anything on BMW i, but I found the new Donald Duck to give me some storytelling inspiration,” he says with a smile.

As we walk out of the newsstand I see somebody we know, browsing through the international newspapers. It’s Gustavo Aguiar, whom we met last year in São Paulo and who helped us to build our network with opinion leaders in Brazil. He owns an ad agency, but he’s also involved in several other cool initiatives. I wonder what he’s up to now? “Gus, how’s life?” I say, while putting a hand on his shoulder.

He turns round and a smile of recognition appears on his face. “Guys, what are you up to?” he replies.

“We’re in the middle of our Around the world in 80 brands project,” I say. ”We might need your help when we get to Brazil. What are you doing in Milan?”

Gus puts back the newspaper, as if he’s lost interest all of a sudden. “Well, I’ve started a new, very cool initiative,” Gus says. “It’s called PUNK. It’s a way of thinking... why do we do the things we do in the way we do them? Like the Punk movement in the ‘70s, it’s an expression of nonconformity and opposition to mainstream culture.”

“Wow, what have you been smoking,” I joke.

Gus smiles. “After several years in the advertising business,” he continues, “I began to see there’s an alternative way of communicating brands, products and ideas. The world is changing fast, technology is breaking down all the limitations and former rules no longer apply!”

Gus pauses for a few seconds to let his words sink in. “To think in a PUNK way, is to feel, to look around, to understand the new rules and develop something that stretches beyond the obvious. Something that provokes a conversation.”

“Shall we walk? I don’t want to miss my plane,” Gus says. “What is your gate number?”

“We have another two hours,” I say, “but we can walk you to your gate. It all sounds very conceptual. How does it work in the real world?”

Gus smiles again. “In the real world we work with artists: painters, sculptors, poets, photographers, etc,” he says. “Artists are more receptive to trends and movements. Historically they have been at the forefront of all changes in society and they have the skills to materialise their feelings.”

“So to work with them,” I say, “to work in a PUNK way, let brands explore new possibilities for communication?”

“Exactly,” Gus replies. “And to challenge brand elasticity beyond the traditional boundaries. Actually, that is what PUNK stands for, Publicity Under New Knowledge.”

“And has it been successful?” I ask.

“For our client Triumph we first developed a campaign in the same way any other agency would,” Gus says. “Then we developed a PUNK campaign where artists interviewed our client and us, and then created their own version of the campaign. The photo shoot they created was something different and brilliant! A completely different angle for looking at the brand. And why? Because it was not done by advertising people or people from the brand who are limited by brand guidelines and commercial boundaries.”

“This the Punk revolution of the ‘70s all over again,” I say. “Opposition to mainstream culture in branding and advertising.”

“It’s not a revolution,” Gus replies. “It’s about showing brands that there is another way. Showing them there is a world outside the guidelines, the rules and the way we are used to doing things.”

In the meantime we arrive at the gate where Gus is boarding his plane to São Paulo. “I’m really sorry we can’t continue this conversation,” Gus says. “Boarding is starting in a few minutes.”

“Yes, I’m sorry as well,” I say, “because this is really getting interesting.”

“YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE,” the voice from the speaker says. “TAP FLIGHT 1233 TO SÃO PAULO HAS A DELAY OF TWO HOURS.”

Gus looks at the announcement screen above the gate, then at his watch, and then back at the screen again. “Great!” he says, ”That means I have enough time to tell you the rest of the story. Come on, I’ll get you a coffee!”

Meet ing Gustavo Agu ia r

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To infinity and beyond!

Driving through Dubai is like leafing through The Guinness Book of World Records. The biggest shopping mall, the biggest dancing fountain, the biggest indoor ski slopes; if it ain’t larger than life, you’re probably not in Dubai. We decided to shoot for the stars: Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.

A few thousand years ago you had to go to Giza, Egypt, to find the tallest manmade structure. The Great Pyramid was about 140 metres high and held the world record for over 4,000 years. In 1889 however, Gustav Eiffel designed his iconic tower for the 1889 Paris World Fair, the first structure to exceed 300 metres. But the ooh-la-las would not last long, because in the 1930s New York was gearing up for another whopper: the Empire State Building stacks more than 100 floors up to 400+ metres, a considerable feat that even King Kong could not ignore. Another 40 years later the ball was in Asia’s court, as the Taipei 101 shattered New York’s record with its ballsy 500 metres of towering glass and concrete.

Leave it to Dubai to raise the bar once and for all. Burj Khalifa has 160 storeys, reaching the soaring height of 828 metres. The building is part of the two-square-kilometre flagship development along Sheikh Zayed Road called Downtown Burj Khalifa. We enter the building through the Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shopping mall of course. In less than a minute we rocket smoothly from the ground floor to the highest observation deck on earth at 442 metres. The Burj Khalifa elevators firmly hold the world record of fastest elevators in the world. And did we mention that Burj Khalifa holds two other world records? It has the world’s highest mosque on the 158th floor and the highest swimming pool on the 76th. To infinity and beyond!

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middle east -United Arab EmiratesDubai2.912 miles from milanTime of Arrival 21:11

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Discovering The Ajman PalaceWe rented a car at Dubai Airport and instead of driving into town, where the action is, we head up north towards Ajman, in search of a more authentic Emirates experience – a place where you wake up in the morning and immediately know you’re in the Middle East – not like most hotels in Dubai, which have the same interior design as hotels in Paris or New York.We enter Ajman and wind our way through the narrow streets of the city centre, passing the Gold Souk and on our way to the fish market where dhows are unloading the catch of the day, we make a short stop at the Ajman Museum. We head on through town until we reach the coastal road where large residential towers line the beachfront. Between the high-rise buildings we spot a heritage resort with an unmistakable Emirati feel to it. “This is it!” I say, as I turn into the driveway.

Meeting Sheikh Mohammed,

the man behind the concept We walk into the hallway and look up at the central dome, a common feature in classical Arab architecture. On the left a staircase leads up to what looks like a library, on the right a restaurant with a stunning view of the beach. “Can I help you?” a voice behind us asks. We look behind us and see a man in a stylish uniform. “Oh… yes, hello,” I say. “We’re from CoolTravel and we’re admiring the Arabian architecture. Could you elaborate on the concept behind it?”The man looks around the lobby area and says, “Maybe I can introduce you to H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Faisal Al Qassimi, he is the creative mind behind the hotel.” The concierge leads us to a seating area where a man dressed in an impeccable white dishdasha is talking to two other men. The concierge bends over and whispers something in the sheikh’s ear. The man turns to looks at us and comes to greet us. “Welcome to The Ajman Palace,” he says, “my name is Mohammed bin Faisal Al Qassimi.” As we stroll down the terrace with him, Mohammed tells us the story of the hotel. “Several decades ago, my family built a holiday home on this exact location, where we would invite family and friends for the weekend,” he says as he leads to some empty sofas that overlook the beach and the calm sea beyond. “Let’s sit down,” he adds with an inviting gesture.“I was only a little boy, but I remember playing on the beach with my brother and sisters, and the dinners with aunts and uncles.” We sit down and almost immediately a waiter appears carrying a silver tray with small glasses of mint tea. We sit back and look out over the beach where our host must have played 30 years ago. “As the years went by the family grew bigger,” Mohammed continues. “Little kids grow up and get married and have children too. So the family house became too small, and we couldn’t host our family gatherings anymore.”

Memories brought back to life I picture an abandoned house on the beach, then the construction of hotels along the shore, and other kids playing on the beach where Mohammed and his brother used to play. “It wasn’t that dramatic,” Mohammed says, as if he can read my mind. “A few years ago we decided that we could not lose our family tradition. We decided to build a lifestyle resort where our holiday home used to stand, where we could receive friends and relatives, but also travellers who come to discover Ajman and want to experience Arab hospitality. This is also why we chose a classical Arabian style of architecture. We built a penthouse for my mother where she can receive her friends and family members. You could call it next-generation Arabian hospitality,” Mohammed says with smile. “Wow,” I say. “What a great story! Thanks for receiving me in your family home.”

The future plans of Salem,

the family artistA young man dressed in the same impeccable white outfit emerges from the lobby and walks up to us. “Meet my younger brother Salem,” Mohammed says as he turns to the young man with a smile. “He has grand plans for the development of The Ajman Palace.”Salem orders coffee, which is served flavoured with cardamon in a tiny porcelain cup. He sits down and rearranges his headscarf. “The idea is to use the venue as a platform for cultural exchange,” says Salem with a twinkle in his eyes. “I want to invite local artists to exhibit their art in the hotel. Besides authentic Arab hospitality, tourists and business travellers can also experience Arabian culture.”Salem pauses and takes a sip of his coffee, before he continues: “I want to showcase both traditional and contemporary art and create a space for young painters and photographers to express themselves in a modern way… but with an Arabian identity. They are influenced by the intrinsic values of our society, like family loyalty and family honour.” Salem leans forward and looks at us intently. “I studied in New York for a few years and one of the differences I noticed, is the respect we have for the older generation.”A smile appears on his face as he continues, “And of course the belief that many things in life are controlled by fate, not by humans.” He sits back in his chair and drains his cup. “The Ajman Palace is a perfect place for cultural exchange,” he says. “A place where open-minded people can meet and learn. Of course this is on a micro level, but wouldn’t it be great to take this to a higher level?”

Meet ing She ikh Mohammed b in Fa i sa l A l Qass imi

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Here I am, on a deckchair overlooking the swimming pool. I just did 10 laps and I am now enjoying a café latte and the bestseller I bought at the beginning of the trip. I haven’t had time to read a single page so far, but now is the time.Maarten left the hotel early this morning to take some pictures of Dubai from the Burj Khalifa. When I mentioned he already has taken hundreds of pictures taken from there, he answered: “You never have enough pictures taken from the highest building in the world. And this time I’m taking my new full-frame Canon EOS 5D,” he added.

“If you ask me,” I answered, “you’re better off by the pool.”That was three hours ago and just as I order my third café latte, I see Maarten arrive. “Great buildings, great architecture, everything is modern and everything is hi-tech,” he says. “I wonder whether we can fi nd something authentic, something original. It would be nice to take some pictures of the authentic Dubai.”“I think I can help you,” I say. “I have a Facebook friend, Saleh Al Geziry, who is a director at the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing. If you want some help in your quest for authenticity, he’s the man. I just saw he posted something on Facebook,” I say while I take out my iPad. “I will try to reach him on chat.”

A few minutes later I have an answer. “He wants to know whether we want to meet him at the old spice souk later this afternoon,” I shout to Maarten, who has just dived into the pool. “It’s on Sikkat Al Khail Road. I’ll tell him we’ll be there, okay?”

It is almost four o’clock as we get out of the taxi at the old souk in the eastern part of town. As we enter, we’re welcomed by the powerful fragrance of thousands of spices. We continue along the narrow, meandering alleys, filled with open and closed-roof spice shops.“I feel as if I’ve been transported back in time,” I say. “Look at all these spices. Cardamom, cinnamon, saffron, cloves, henna.... They’re not just from the Middle Eastern region, they’re from Africa and Asia as well.”“And look at the colours and the sunlight coming through the roof,” Maarten says, observing the spice souk through his camera.“Our meeting is set at the wind towers on the Deira side of the creek,” I say, while pointing in a random direction. “Let’s see whether we can find Saleh.”We walk along the winding streets and see traders and shoppers haggling with the shopkeepers. “Bargaining gets an entirely new meaning when you watch the professional hagglers in action,” Maarten says, pointing his camera at the scene.

We turn right, then left and right again, and leave the souk after 20 minutes. The sun is blinding and it takes several seconds before I can see clearly again. When my eyesight returns to normal I see Saleh standing in front of me.

“So how was your souk experience?” he asks. “Authentic enough?”“Saleh...” I say, still a bit blinded by his impeccable white kandoora. “It was great, we took some cool pics for the book, the aroma of the spices is tantalising and I even bought some saffron.”“Ha…I’m glad you liked it,” Saleh says. “Let’s have a mint tea in in one of the cafés. Then I’ll take you to the textile souk in Bur Dubai area. I’m sure you will like that as well.”

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“Nothing special,” I reply. “Go to the mall, have a shrimp dynamite at P.F. Chang’s and maybe go to the cinema.”“I have a better idea,” Alejandro says. “Why don’t you come to the poolside restaurant around 8 pm. The restaurant is closed for maintenance on the terrace, but I have a surprise. You remember Sudqi Naddaf, the chef at the Kempinski in Aqaba?” “How can we forget Sudqi,” I say, “and the great fi sh dishes he prepared for us? Why, is he here?”“I asked him to come and spend some time in Dubai,” Alejandro says. “He is training the kitchen staff this afternoon and that always ends in...something special.”It’s almost eight o’clock as we take the elevator again, down to the second fl oor. We exit and turn left towards the poolside restaurant. On the door is a sign that says the restaurant is closed for maintenance. The door is closed but as we try the handle, it opens. We enter the restaurant and it is empty and the lights are dimmed. We continue walking and hear music coming from the kitchen. “Hello!” I shout in as civilised a way as I can, not forgetting it is a fi ve-star hotel. The kitchen door opens and Alejandro comes out. “Anouk, Maarten, come in,” he says. “You’re right on time.” We enter the kitchen and see ten chefs busy cooking and preparing a large dish. In the middle we see Sudqi giving tips and tasting from the various pans. As he sees us, a smile appears on his face. “Welcome!” he says, “I’m training my chefs and we’re preparing a Mansaf. It’s a traditional Jordanian dish.” We follow him further into the kitchen. “The lamb is cooked in a broth made with a fermented then dried yoghurt-like product called jameed,” he says pointing at a large pan. “It’s traditionally served on a large platter with a layer of fl atbread topped with rice and then meat, garnished with almonds and pine nuts, and then sauce poured over all it.” Sudqi turns to us and comes a step closer. “A spice mixture called baharat adds distinctive fl avour,” he adds in a low voice, as if he’s telling a secret. It is traditionally eaten collectively from a large platter in the Bedouin and rural style, standing around the platter with the left hand behind the back and using the right hand instead of utensils.“Sudqi, don’t forget to mention it is often eaten at joyous occasions,” Alejandro says while giving him a mysterious wink.“Oh, of course... I almost forgot,” Sudqi continues, “Mansaf is eaten at joyous occasions, where we also dance the Dabke.”Sudqi claps his hands and says something in Arabic to the other men. One of the chefs takes out what looks like an MP3 player and speakers, which starts playing Arab music. The other chefs stand in line holding each other’s shoulder. We take a step backwards and stand with Alejandro and Sudqi next to the big platter of Mansaf. On the other side ten men are dancing and laughing. Instinctively I start clapping my hands.Alejandro picks up a bag and takes out two Jordanian scarves and hands them to us. “Here you are,” he says, “with the compliments of Kempinski.”

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The dancing chefsWe arrive by metro at the Mall of the Emirates, a huge shopping mall in Dubai’s Al Barsha district. It is one of the largest in the Middle East and has over 500 stores and about 80 cafés and restaurants. But the main reason we’re here is our hotel, the Kempinski Mall of the Emirates. We turn right and arrive at the mall’s centrepiece, the Galleria. We continue and pass in front of various luxury boutiques until we arrive at the VOX cinema complex. We go down a level and take a sharp left at the Virgin Megastore. On we go until we hit the indoor ski resort and see some people in kandoora sliding down the slope. We turn right and enter the lobby café of the Kempinski hotel.“Do you want to stop for a café latte or go straight up to the pool for a dip?” I ask Anouk. “No café latte today?” a voice behind us says. We turn around and see Alejandro Bernabe, the hotel’s General Manager. We met Alejandro in Aqaba, Jordan where he was GM of the Kempinski Hotel. He showed us the hidden city of Petra and took us diving in the Red Sea. We stayed in touch and met again when we came to Dubai for business. “How was your day?” he asks. “Interesting,” I say. “We spent our afternoon in the old town of Dubai, taking pictures of the spice souk. It’s a pity the aromas won’t show up on the images.”“What are your plans for tonight?” he asks.


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Where tradition and modernity meet

As we have breakfast overlooking the Arabian Gulf, we think about our programme for today. It’s not our first time in Abu Dhabi, and we know from experience that there are always new things to discover in this rapidly growing metropolis. If your idea of Abu Dhabi is just desert, think again!

During our last visit we made a few laps on the Formula 1 circuit on Yas Island. Not really my cup of tea, but “you have to try everything in life”, my grandmother used to say. But then again, she has probably never driven a 500 horsepower Nissan GT-R.

On Saadiyat Island a modern version of the Louvre is being built. A Guggenheim museum of modern art is also planned for 2016. “No time to wait for the Guggenheim to arrive,” I say. “Let’s visit the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque.”

Known as the Grand Mosque, this edifice is on a different scale from anything else you will see in the UAE. With about 80 domes topped with 24 carat gold, more than 1,000 columns, and four minarets rising to a height of over 100 metres, it is one of the largest mosques in the world. As I enter the premises, I’m asked to cover my hair and put on an abaya before entering.

“This makes the experience even more authentic,” I think to myself, “as it is the same veil worn by women who come here to pray.”

I open Wikipedia on my phone and read some background information. The marble-covered courtyard can accommodate 30,000 worshippers, while the prayer hall itself has the capacity to hold another 14,000 people. I cross the courtyard and stop right in the middle. The outside temperature must be over 40 degrees and the sun hitting the white marble floor merciless. “Let’s see if it’s true,” I say to myself as I kneel down and put my hands carefully on the marble. “Wow, incredible! The Italian marble that covers the courtyard does stay cool, even in the stifling Abu Dhabi summers.”

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Global knowledge hub for renewable energy“Welcome to Masdar City,” Sheikh Mohammed starts. “Today, the world is facing serious challenges, finding scalable sources of clean energy, providing fresh water and battling climate change. In the spirit of global collaboration, it is a pleasure to welcome you all to discuss ways to find an effective international response.” He pauses for a moment and looks into the audience.

“The United Arab Emirates have made a long-term commitment to invest in renewable energy and sustainable technologies. The UAE is giving a high priority to sustainable development as a key driver in improving the lives of future generations.”

“Masdar City will become a modern Arabian city that, like its fore runners, is in tune with its surroundings. As such, it is a model for sustainable urban development that delivers the highest quality living and working environment with the lowest possible ecological footprint. Masdar City, masdar meaning source in Arabic, aims to become a source of know ledge for renewable energy and sustainable development.”

I take out my iPad, open the Twitter app and start typing a post: “We’re in Abu Dhabi at the World Future Energy Summit, listening to the opening speech of the Crown Prince. Why is the UAE a frontrunner in renewable energy?”

“Why is the UAE commited to invest in renewable energy?” Sheikh Mohammed says, as if he can read my mind. “Abu Dhabi is home to 8% of global crude oil reserves, the Emirate has enough hydrocarbon reserves at current production levels to last another 100 years. So why are we investing billions of dollars to develop Masdar and establish Abu Dhabi as a global centre of excellence in renewable energy and clean technologies?”

I tweet again, knowing my followers around the world will re-tweet my posts. “The answer will be given by Sheikh Mohammed himself in 1 minute. Stay posted!”

Abu Dhabi vision 2030 “First of all, here in the UAE, we have a heritage tied to life in the harsh and unforgiving desert, where sustainable practices and resource conservation are not just slogans, but are essential to survival. That’s why we understand the tremendous challenges posed by climate change, environmental degradation and the need to find sustainable energy sources.” Sheikh Mohammed pauses and takes a sip of water before continuing.

“Secondly, Abu Dhabi has traditionally played a leading role in global energy markets as a significant hydrocarbon producer. Now Abu Dhabi aspires to be an international hub for renewable energy and sustainable technologies, thereby balancing its already strong position.

“And last but not least, Abu Dhabi has embarked on a two-decade programme called vision 2030 to transform its economy from one based on natural resources to one based on knowledge, innovation and the export of cutting-edge technologies.

“Thank you for your attention,” Sheikh Mohammed says. “If you have further questions, I will be available after the first part of the programme.”

I open my Twitter app again: “Abu Dhabi is transforming its economy from exporting oil and gas to exporting knowledge. AND we have the possibility to speak to Sheikh Mohammed later today. A great opportunity to look into the future!”

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We follow the driver out of the lobby of the Emirates Palace hotel. It is early morning but the heat hits us immediately. In front of the hotel, limousines are waiting to pick up guests and dispatch them to their appointments in Abu Dhabi or Dubai. The driver leads us to a powerful-looking four-wheel drive. “Strange,” I say to Maarten, “the Etisalat offi ces are just a few miles from here. Why would we need an SUV?” We leave the hotel’s landscaped gardens and turn east. The car picks up speed on the wide boulevard and the city is soon behind us. We are going to meet Essa Alhaddad, the Chief Commercial Officer of Etisalat Group, a telecom and internet provider serving over 170 million customers across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. “You said we were meeting him in downtown Abu Dhabi,” Maarten says to me. “I assumed we were,” I say, watching the passing landscape turn from urban to desert.I am just about to ask the driver if he has understood Essa’s directions correctly when we slow down and turn onto a sandy track. Two kilometres further, the driver shifts into four-wheel drive. The motor roars and a cloud of sand shoots into the air behind us. We climb a steep dune and see another jeep waiting for us at the top.

As we get out of the car, a man dressed in a white kandoora comes towards us. “Welcome, I’m Essa,” he greets us. “I arranged for you to come here because I wanted the right setting to share my story.”He walks round to the front of our car. “We connect and empower people to achieve what they aspire to in life,” he says. “In urban areas, our advanced infrastructure makes reliable mobile coverage and fast internet connections easy.” He points to Abu Dhabi’s skyline, which is just visible on the horizon, then nods towards the desert behind us. “In remote areas like this, that’s much harder. Harder but not impossible.”He puts an iPad on the bonnet of the car. “In parts of Nigeria, where people can’t access essential services such as banking, our mobile services allow them to manage their finances without ever having to go into a bank.”He picks up the iPad and shows us some of Etisalat’s latest mobile innovations. “One of the services I’m proudest of is Mobile Baby,” he says. “It’s a perfect example of our purpose to ‘connect the unconnected’. Hundreds of thousands of pregnant women die each year because they can’t access proper medical care. Through Mobile Baby, we connect women and hospitals.”“Wow,” I say, “Etisalat has really created a higher purpose for mobile services and given new meaning to the word ‘connecting’.”“Absolutely,” says Essa. “In our business, the right connections are everything.”

We are standing on top of a sand dune in the Arabian desert outside Abu Dhabi. We are with Essa Alhaddad, the Chief Commercial Officer of Etisalat Group, who is using the bonnet of a jeep as a desk, putting his iPad and smartphone on the hot surface.“You probably have far fewer interruptions here than in your office,” I say.“Talking of mobile devices,” says Essa, “people in remote regions of Nigeria now have access to financial services through our mobile Commerce platform. The platform was recently extended to Afghanistan, where 300,000 customers can pay their electricity bills via their mobile phone.” “The ability to move money empowers people and businesses in emerging markets,” I say. “You make the mobile phone the bank in your customers’ pockets.” “Definitely, and don’t forget the safety aspect. People are not walking the streets with cash anymore,” Essa adds. “But banking is only part of what we do,” he immediately continues. “Access to other essential services such as education and healthcare is just as important. That’s where Mobile Baby comes in. It’s an application that was launched in 2011 to bring affordable healthcare to pregnant women in rural parts of Africa.”“I know you’re not in the hospital-building business, so how does Mobile Baby achieve that?” I ask.“You’re right that we can’t increase the number of hospitals, but we can use mobile technology to bring mothers and medical care closer together. Let me explain.“Many women in remote areas give birth at home, either out of necessity or cultural beliefs,” he tells us. “As a result, the Mobile Baby application targets both traditional birth attendants and midwives. All the medical professionals registered with the Mobile Baby programme are given a handset with the application already installed and are fully trained on how it works.“It’s a simple, effective process,” says Essa. “Using Mobile Baby, a midwife registers a pregnant woman with the nearest medical facility and sends regular reports on her status, including any danger signs. We even developed a mobile ultrasound device that can send sonogram images to the local hospital. In other words, the health of the mother and baby can be monitored remotely throughout the pregnancy.”“What if there are complications during the delivery?” I ask.“Midwives and traditional birth attendants attending home births update the hospital during every delivery. But if there are any complications, one of these,” he thumps the bonnet of the jeep, “can be arranged and paid for using our mobile Commerce service.”

“That’s a great way of using your reach to benefit the communities you serve,” says Maarten, “but at the end of the day you’re still a business and you have to generate revenues. Is Mobile Baby sustainable in the long term?”“We call Mobile Baby an ‘mHealth ecosystem’ because it brings together healthcare professionals, pharmaceutical and insurance companies, NGOs and governments,” says Essa. He shows us a diagram on his iPad with arrows

pointing in different directions. He follows the arrows with his finger. “We’ve developed a business model that generates revenue for all members of the ecosystem. Midwives, for example, are trained and paid by local government or NGO schemes for each successful delivery; pharmaceutical companies receive money from medical facilities for their products; and Etisalat earns income through mobile equipment leasing and data consumption.”

“It sounds like a win-win model,” I say. “Have you been tracking the results?”“We first launched Mobile Baby in Tanzania and the initial results have been impressive,” he says. “One of the Millennium Development Goals is to reduce maternal mortality in childbirth by 75% and deliver universal access to reproductive health by 2015. In Tanzania, in the clinics where Mobile Baby is used, maternal mortality has already dropped by 30%. On a business level and a human level that’s a good investment. The value of the service has also been recognised internationally. In February 2012, Mobile Baby won two awards at the prestigious GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.”Essa looks out over the dunes “The wind is always moving the sand,” he says. “Even if you came here every day, it would never be the same desert twice. Our industry doesn’t change quite that fast, but we have to keep innovating to keep up.”“What innovations do you have planned for Mobile Baby?” I ask.Essa turns back to me. “Like all healthy newborns, Mobile Baby is growing quickly,” he says with a grin. “As we speak, we are rolling out the service to several other countries in Africa and Asia. Running alongside that is an educational programme to train medical professionals on how the service works. We’ll use feedback from these users to continually improve and optimise the application.”He picks up his smartphone. “This is what the Mobile Baby interface looks like in Arabic,” he says, showing us the screen, “but we also support local languages.”“So is it available in Swahili in Tanzania, for example?” I ask.“Swahili, yes, as well as a number of other African languages. We’re also currently developing Urdu and Pashto for our Asian rollout. Regional adaptation really helps to boost take-up and acceptance of the service.”He walks to the back of the jeep. “We’ve been talking a lot about health in remote areas,” he says, “so let’s not forget our own. Even with Etisalat’s coverage out here,” he waves his phone, “it’s good to be prepared. 40° in the desert is a cool day.” He opens the boot and hands us some soft drinks from a cooler. “It’s customary in many countries to drink to good health. That seems very appropriate today,” he says, raising his water bottle.By the time we say goodbye to Essa, the sun is high in the sky and the sand feels warm under our feet. “I’m grateful for air conditioning,” I say when our driver turns on the engine, “but it’s not every day you get to have a business meeting in the desert.”

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Descent into the Pharaoh’s Tomb It is 6 am as we head out of Cairo along the west bank of the Nile. “We’re not going to Giza,” our guide Eman says decisively. “That’s for tourists.”

Instead we are going south to the Red Pyramid in Dahshur, the first sheer-sided pyramid, which was built around 2600 BC. “We will even be able to go inside to see the tomb!” Eman says excitedly.

As we stand at the foot of the 101-metre-tall pyramid, Eman explains that we have to clamber up the sloping stone face to reach the entrance, which lies at a height of 27 metres. The site is deserted and as we squeeze through the low narrow entrance we feel a sense of trepidation, as though we are about to discover a secret treasure. Half bent over, we make our way down the long steep corridor. After about 40 metres we emerge in the first burial chamber which is covered in hieroglyphs. “Here you can see the name of the pharaoh,” Eman says while she scans the walls with her torch. “And this passage is about his life...”

“You can read hieroglyphs?” I exclaim in amazement.

“Yes,” she says with a smile. “I studied this language for four years. Here is a list of what the king wanted to take to the afterworld. The Ancient Egyptians believed that everything depicted on the walls of his tomb would materialise in the pharaoh’s afterlife.” We start wondering if she could be the reincarnation of Imhotep, King Djoser’s doctor and high priest, and the architect who created the first step pyramid.

The first chamber leads to a second chamber, which in turn leads to a third, all connected by low tunnels. We are at the very centre of the pyramid – deep, dark and mysterious. This is how the first archaeologists who entered these tombs must have felt.

After more than an hour of exploring we make our way back up into the world of the living and are welcomed by bright sunlight and dry desert air.

We head for Memphis, one of the oldest cities on earth and the capital of the Old Kingdom.

“Can we also go to the Great Pyramid in Giza?” I ask tentatively. Eman, who abhors anything to do with mass tourism, frowns but eventually gives in with a smile. “Ok, but only to take a picture of the Sphinx!”

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middle east - EgyptCairo1.462 miles from abu dhabiTime of Arrival 22:22


The Maasai wildlife channel

We are in a camp in the middle of the Serengeti. The sun is rising as I get out of the tent, where I meet a group of Maasai security guards. They tell me that they are warriors who are here to protect us from the wild animals at night. After all, we are in the middle of the savannah. “We do the same in our village: we protect the sleeping women and children and the cattle.”

Later that day, we visit the village and we are received by Akida, the leader of the tribe. He gives us a little lesson in Maasai matchmaking. “Men marry at the age of 27, women at the age of 18,” Akida explains. “All 27-year-old men and 18-year-old women in the vicinity gather during a special ceremony where women choose their husband. The men perform a ritual dance and show off their strength by jumping as high as they can. The higher you jump, the more likely you are to be chosen. After the wedding, the woman leaves her village to live with her husband. The bride’s family receives a dowry of about 30 goats.”

We watch a group of men perform an exuberant dance. “Singing and dancing is one of the most important social activities for the Maasai,” Akida says. “That explains why I haven’t seen TVs in any of the huts” I joke. Akida looks at me and says, “I will show you our TV.” I follow him along a trail and climb to the top of a rock where he tells me to sit down. We have an unobstructed view of the savannah and the setting sun. “We only have one channel: the wildlife channel,” Akida says with a broad smile.

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“Karibu. You made it,” she says. “I’m glad we’re able to meet here and not in our office.”

She leads us into the village, the children still jumping around us excitedly. “We work with a number of nomadic groups in this area, such as the Maasai, who are often beyond the reach of public health services,” she tells us as we walk.

“How do you reach them?” Maarten asks.

“We adapt our projects to their lifestyle. We train health workers within the community and provide mobile clinics.”

As we walk through the village, we see women preparing the next meal and a small group of men discussing something more important than world politics.Jacqueline continues: “Nomads still live according to old traditions, some of which pose health risks. Female circumcision, for example, is a rite of passage that prepares girls for womanhood and marriage. It’s often carried out without anaesthetic and in unsanitary conditions.”

Jacqueline stops and turns to us, lowering her voice as if the kids can understand her: “As well as being extremely painful, the procedure can lead to immediate problems such as infection or difficulties later during childbirth. And, circumcision limits the woman’s sexual enjoyment and therefore limits the right to safe and healthy sex.”

One of the children tugs at my skirt. I crouch down to her level. She starts talking to me in Swahili, probably telling me she didn’t get any sweets. I give her a lollypop. She turns around and runs away.

Jacqueline continues. “Because most of our employees are African and know the local cultures and traditions, we’ve been able to fi nd a solution to female circumcision.”

“What is it?” I ask.

“It’s an alternative ritual that celebrates girls becoming women without any physical damage. A health worker spends several days with the girls discussing health issues, like safe sex. As part of the ritual, the girls walk under a ceremonial arch from the village elders. The arch shows that the new ritual and the young women are accepted in the community.”

Jacqueline beckons to a girl who is making a bead necklace outside one of the huts. “Here’s one of the girls,” she says. “This is Miali. She can tell you more about the alternative ritual and what it meant to take part.”

Miali smiles at us but I can see she is not totally at ease. I turn to Maarten. “Why don’t you go and grab a latte macchiato at the local Starbucks?” I say. “This is girl talk.”

We leave our lodge in the Serengeti National Park early in the morning, heading in the direction of Lake Magadi. Our jeep bumps over the unpaved road, clouds of dust obscuring the back window. But on either side of us we can see the steep sides of Olduvai Gorge.

We pull up at a Maasai village, a cluster of about 30 huts protected by a thorny fence. Parked outside the fence is a Land Rover with ‘AMREF Flying Doctors’ on the side. “I wonder if the Land Rover can fly?” I think to myself.

The sound of our engine brings a group of children running out of the village. We climb down from the jeep and hand out the sweets we’ve brought. I look up and see a woman walking towards us. “There’s Jacqueline,” I say, waving.We’ve known Jacqueline Lampe for several years, but as Director of AMREF Flying Doctors her work often takes her to Africa and this is the first time we’ve been able to catch up with her for a while.

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74 Rabo Development focuses on providing people with access to financial services to build a better existence. Established in 2005, it has since acquired holdings in partner banks in developing countries, mostly in Africa, including Tanzania, Zambia, Rwanda and Mozambique. These countries lack a well-developed financial infrastructure in rural areas.

Bruce Dick, Rabo Development’s Managing Director, explains: “Over 100 years ago, Rabobank started with the ambition that everyone should be able to participate fully in the economy. In our home market in the Netherlands, this ambition has been realised. So, we have taken the initiative to help a number of partner banks in developing countries, fully in line with our cooperative roots. We are looking to provide small agricultural and commercial companies, as well as private individuals, with affordable credit facilities and other banking services. Before we arrived, these were pretty much unavailable. We always aim to provide both financial aid as well as experience, know-how and expertise.”

Going local“Our work in Rwanda is a good example. Almost 80% of the population depends on agriculture as its main source of income, but rural areas have poor access to financial services. Professionalising the sector is vital for achieving higher production levels. While the sector is generally organised through cooperatives and associations, their somewhat unprofessional nature means they struggle to get loans they need to invest in storage, mechanisation, etc, to help farmers earn more money by improving yields and reducing poor harvest losses.”

Double-pronged approach“In 2008 we acquired a 35 percent share in BPR, a local bank, to shore up and shape the long-term cooperation through management and support. In tandem with a capacity-building programme, we’ve introduced an extensive technical assistance programme with BPR to build the products and the desired services, such as ATMs and mobile banking, which the associations and farmers desperately need.

“BPR is the people’s bank and the only bank in Rwanda that now has a real network in rural areas. So, BPR will eventually enable the Rwandan economy and society to take a major step forward in terms of financial services.”

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Queen of the skies

This is it! We’re going paragliding today! I have been waiting for this moment for years... We are taking off from Lion’s Head beside Table Mountain, which is also where we meet Stef, who has prepared all the equipment. As there is a good wind we can use the lower take-off point, a gentle downward slope covered by a green net.

After some fussing about with the equipment, I am all set: helmet on myhead, a harness on my back. Stef is right behind me and the ocean lies at our feet. “Just remember, keep on running until I say ‘ok’, then you can sit back and relax.” We get some help to lift the wing off the ground and before I know it we are running downhill; after just two or three steps I am peddling in the air, not running – we have lift-off! Amazing!

The wing gently pulls us upward as Stef seeks out good thermal currentsto take us higher: 548 metres, 549 metres, yes, 550 metres! “Want to go up to 600?” What a question! Of course I do: the wind is perfect and the view is beautiful, overlooking the 12 Apostles on one side, Table Mountain on the other and the ocean ahead of us. A strong gust pulls us upward and within a few seconds we shoot up over 600 metres. Stef lets go of the wing and we are simply gliding on the wind. Awesome!Stef suggests we make a spiral – if I am up to it... Of course I am, bring it on! I fold my left leg over my right and lean to the right with all my weight.

There we go! Oh help! It’s going pretty fast, we’re spinning like crazy. The ocean, the beach, Table Mountain, all the 24 Apostles flash by in an instant. Hold on, weren’t there 12 Apostles? Whoa...

We sit up straight again and everything falls back into place. Phew... thatwas unbelievably cool and exciting! After our little acrobatic stunt it is time to land. Touch down in three, two, one... The wing falls into the sand behind us and here we are, landed at Camps Bay. “So, when do I get to go up again?”

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Big Daddy and I

We have one more challenge ahead of us before we leave Namibia: conquering Big Daddy, one of the highest sand dunes in the Namib Desert, and maybe even in the world. We are accompanied on our mission by Alpheus, a desert specialist who was born and raised in the Kalahari Desert. “Our people are used to temperatures of up to 50 degrees,” he says. “We have sand dunes for breakfast.” Big Daddy lies on the edge of the Sossusvlei, a dried-out lake surrounded by tall sand dunes that is (very occasionally) fed by the seasonal Tsauchab River.

We stayed the night at the Sossusvlei Lodge. Thanks to our staying at this lodge, justly called Gateway to the Namib, we could leave at 6 am and be the first ones on site 30 minutes later. The next lodge is six hours further down the road, so we really were lucky, again.

We arrive at the site after a short drive, covering the last kilometre on foot. The dry riverbed is lined with ancient camel thorn trees that survive on the water they collect at a depth of 50 metres. “This way,” Alpheus says, pointing south. After a few hundred metres we arrive in the Deadvlei, another lake that hasn’t seen water for decades. Here nothing has survived and the trees are withered skeletons on the white cracked earth. It is an eerie atmosphere, almost like walking through a Salvador Dali painting...

“There it is,” Alpheus says, pointing at the dune, a towering 240-metre-tall beast.

“Shall we do it?” he asks. The sun is burning hot, and the wind is blowing the sand over the dune’s sharp ridge which creates a dramatic ‘smoking dune effect’. “Ok... let’s go,” I say meekly as we look up at the mass of sand.

After a 90-minute battle against the shifting sands, we finally reach the summit. Panting and spitting the sand out of my mouth, I look down victoriously: “Who’s your daddy now, huh?”

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Africa - South Africasossusvlei1.020 miles from cape townTime of Arrival 14:38

Meet ing Deola Sagoe the pr inces s o f A f r i can fa sh ion

“Welcome to Nigeria!” he says with a smile. “My name is Fauzi, I’m the fellow you’ve been chatting with via email. This way… the car is waiting.” I am immediately struck by his perfect British accent.

Our chauffeur-driven car heads towards the city and we soon hit dense traffic. As we inch forward in the Lagos rush hour, Fauzi briefs us in preparation for our meeting with Nigerian fashion designer Deola Sagoe. “Deola started working in fashion over 20 years ago when she joined her mother’s label as a junior designer,” he says. “Her style really comes from her culturally diverse education. She picked up different ideas and cultural trends from around the world, but Nigeria remains her greatest inspiration – different textures, colours, cultures, people, the whole vibe!”

Meanwhile our driver has managed to extricate us from the traffic jam and turned onto the 12-kilometre Third Mainland Bridge. “We’re going straight to Deola’s atelier on Victoria Island,” Fauzi says as we speed across Lagos Lagoon. “She’ll meet us there.”

Surrounded by Lagos Lagoon to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, Victoria Island is an upmarket area of Lagos with brand-new high-rise office buildings, modern hotels, fancy shops and residences.

“So how successful is Deola’s brand today?” I ask.

“It’s a respect thing really… The more people know the brand, the more there is this kind of instant recognition of status,” Fauzi says. “Deola Sagoe today is essentially three elements: first of all, the haute-couture label, which has been known for sometime locally and internationally. Then there is the DEO label, the prêt-à-porter line, and there’s DS, which is a further diffusion and serialisation of brand merchandise. 2011 alone has seen a major growth in customers globally. It’s great when you get a customer enquiry from Japan or New York; they are always so intrigued by the philosophy behind the brand. I mean, they appreciate the ‘different-ness’ of what Deola is doing, but they can’t explain how totally connected they feel. I think it’s like the feeling you get when you read your favourite author, and the words on the page shock you because it feels like it’s written from your own mind…” “How do you see her wider role as an influencer of African fashion though?” Anouk asks.

“She has given 21st-century African fashion design a tremendous boost – her work is the clearest expression of the complexities of the African identity imaginable. Through her designs, Deola is spreading African culture, even influencing the image of Nigeria.”

Our car stops in front of a sleek two-storey building with white pillars tapering off to pointed ends at their tops, evoking the idea of giant, upright, elephant tusks – an unmistakable African look and feel. “This is it!” I tell Anouk as we get out of the car. “Get ready to meet the princess of African fashion.”

It is early afternoon when we touch down at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos. As we walk out of the arrivals hall we are imme-diately engulfed in a wave of hot, humid air. I take off my jacket and before I even start looking where to go, a smartly dressed man walks up to us.

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Soph i s t i cated fa sh ion w i th an A f r i can sou l

We are meeting Nigerian fashion designer Deola Sagoe in her atelier-store on Victoria Island in Lagos. We enter the airy open-plan atelier where mannequins are positioned throughout the space to display the brand’s latest designs.

On our way from the airport Fauzi told us that Deola embarked on her fashion career more than 20 years ago. He also said that all she wants to do is create beautiful things – and now we see what he means: each piece is like a work of art, carefully crafted and exquisitely finished. Deola is known for combining a variety of fabrics – cotton, silk, velvet and lace – and incorporating subtle details into her designs.

As Anouk weaves her way between the mannequins, admiring each design and touching the delicate fabrics, Deola enters the atelier. “Welcome!” she says with a warm smile. She is wearing a simple but stylish dress and exudes a sense of understated sophistication. As she talks, I sense that beneath her confident and outspoken personality, there is also great warmth and openness – a desire to listen and learn from others which, I suspect, forms one of the core strengths of her design work.

Deola shows us some pieces from the new collection and explains the creative process – how she chooses, or creates, the various fabrics, what determines the cut and what inspires the careful detailing on all her designs.

“I’m intrigued by the mix of cultural references in your work,” says Anouk. “Where do you pick them up and how do you blend them together?”

“I think it has to do with how I was educated. I was fortunate enough to be educated on three continents and naturally you absorb the different cultures and ideas along the way. Things come together in my subconscious and this shapes my design style. In Europe, I was inspired by the tradition of luxury brands, in the United States I came in contact with modern trends and contemporary, while in Asia you have the ethos of simplicity and spirituality.”

“And Africa?” I ask.

“Africa is my main source of inspiration. Africa is the soul of the world, isn’t it? It is the cradle of mankind. If you go back in time to the roots of European tradition, you’ll fi nd Africa; at the beginning of American modernity lies Africa; at the source of Asian spirituality is Africa – and this all comes together in my designs.”

“Look at this design for example,” she says as she walks over to a fitted brown jacket on display in the middle of the room. “You see the shoulders? They are inspired by 19th-century European military uniforms. And the way the

bodice meets implies an Asian sensibility, but the materials are unmistakably African.” Indeed, the design combines clean lines with innovative material use and subtle detailing to produce a uniquely rich style.

“It’s beautiful,” says Anouk. “I understand the concept of bringing different cultures together and fusing them into a collection, but what message do you want to convey?”

Deola smiles. “I travelled the world and was struck by the huge diversity in cultures and mentalities. I don’t want us to lose this; I think identity is key – to know it, love it, know how to develop it… because identity is not stagnant, it grows… metamorphosises. I don’t want the world to become a uniform entity. On the contrary: I love to celebrate differences. It is very important for us to be confronted with difference, to get out of our comfort zone. This is what I try to do with my designs: to show people how beautiful things can be when cultures meet – but always with the underlying conviction that the African soul links us all. Africa is where it all started, it continues to live within us.”

As she says this a Bob Marley tune starts playing in my head and I softly sing along. “One Love, One Heart…” Deola looks up at me: “What did you say?”

“No, nothing,” I mumble self-consciously. “Your story reminded me of a Bob Marley tune, sorry about that.”

“That’s a great association!” Deola replies eagerly. “I was at the Caribbean Fashion Week in Jamaica a few years ago, and I felt the same connection! That’s the African soul you feel around the world. That’s my inspiration!”

Deola’s eyes light up. “I have a personal interest in an old ancestral fabric of ours called ‘Aso Oke’. It’s such an imaginative, evocative fabric. It is a hand-loomed cloth woven by the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria; it is usually woven by men… I love to play with this fabric, add new ‘ingredients’ to it to make it new.”

“In addition to your job as a fashion designer, you are a mother of three. But I also heard that you have taken on an ambassadorship?” I ask.

“Ha ha! That’s right,” she says with a little smile. “I’m the self-appointed Ambassador of the African Soul! I want to promote Africa in general and Nigeria in particular because I feel we need an image boost. What Fela Kuti did with music and Wole Soyinka with poetry, I want to achieve with fashion. Those men are a great example to me, but you know it always takes a woman’s touch!”

“Wow,” I say. “You’re not setting yourself an easy task.”

“Well…” Deola replies. “Easy doesn’t change the world! Becoming a haute-couture fashion designer in Africa wasn’t the easiest career choice… but hoping to raise the bar a little bit is always a good thing… as they say fortune favours the brave. Ok! Let’s democratise this, I now say anyone who buys my designs immediately becomes an ambassador of the African soul. How about that?!”

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Meet ing Ken Egbas the man beh ind N iger ia CSR Awards

“Personally, I want to ensure that our living environments remain in good condition for the present and future generations,” Ken says. “And the best way to do this is to encourage organisations to take their Corporate Social Responsibility seriously. The business entity should be used as a vehicle for delivering stakeholder value and not just for maximising shareholder profit.”

Ken reaches behind him to push a button on a fan. “It’s getting hot in here,” he says. The fan accelerates and Ken continues his story. “In 2007, very few organisations had sustainability reports to present,” he says. “Some international organisations were reporting on the global level, but very few were talking about the Nigeria situation. A very limited percentage of corporations were willing to disclose the actual figures in terms of funds committed to the CSR portfolio. “The overall goal is to promote behavioural change in Nigeria with regards to sustainability, or the triple bottom line. We do this on two different axes, sharing knowledge and creating awareness. The first is done through the annual report with best practices, and the second by the awards.” “Awards?” I say. “Tell me about the awards.” Ken looks at Arit. “We organise an annual award ceremony to reward the best CSR practices,” she says. “It shifts the attention to issues of sustainability and attracts a very high-profile audience of top industry and political leaders.” “How do brands participate?” I ask. “Participation in The SERAs is voluntary,” Arit says. “Corporations subscribe and commit to the terms. This includes disclosing information and cooperating during the verification by the field research team. The outcomes of the field research are captured in the annual report and documentary.” “Are you satisfied with the results so far?” I ask. It takes a few seconds before Ken answers. “I think we started an important trend back in 2007,” he says, “and a lot has changed already. Nowadays, more organisations are looking at their operations with a sustainability focus and have committed to conducting their business in a socially responsible way.”

Ken pauses for a few seconds before concluding. “But there is still a lot of room for improvement,” he says making a wide gesture with his arms, probably to indicate the margin for improvement. “I think you’re doing a great job,” I say. ”It is important that companies are beginning to understand that being responsible brings huge rewards – both financially and in terms of social capital.” “So true,” Ken replies. “If you’ve finished your trip around the world by October, you should stop by in Lagos again, for The SERAs award ceremony.”

On our trip around the world, we want to experience cool destinations, meet visionary people and brands with a purpose. In recent years, we have come across more and more brands that tell their Corporate Social Responsibility story according to the triple bottom line; People, Planet, Profit. These criteria measure the real success of a company from an economic, ecological and social perspective. I follow these brands, which understand they should have a purpose in society, with increasing interest. In Lagos I found someone who shares my interest; Ken Egbas, founder of The SERAs, which he describes as a ‘new way of promoting behavioural change and adoption of sustainable practices by corporations in Nigeria’. The meeting is set in Yaba, in the office of TruContact, Ken’s PR agency that founded The SERAs. The office is filled with books from floor to ceiling. I try to read some of the titles in the semi-dark – all the curtains are closed to keep the sun and the heat out. People, planet, profit by Peter Fisk, Brand New Justice by Simon Anholt, No Logo by Naomi Klein...

The door opens and Ken enters the room. He is tall and slim, wearing an elegant striped shirt. Behind him a woman enters, armed with a notebook and a smile on her face. “Welcome,” Ken says, “I like you to meet Arit Oku, she is second in command here at TruContact. Without her...” Ken doesn’t finish his sentence but shakes our hands instead and invites us to sit down around a large table.

“Good to meet you at last, Ken,” I say. “You founded The SERAs, Nigeria CSR Awards back in 2007. Why did you decide to do this?”

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Meet ing C la ra

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We met Clara Chinwe Okoro in Cannes during the Lions Awards Festival. “I’m from Nigeria,” she said. “I love the landscapes , the untouched virgin spaces and the almost invincible way of life that defines my country.” We were having a coffee at the Mocca, opposite the Palais des Festivals when she said: “If you are looking for a true definition of the word ‘chaos’, you need look no further than the way we live. But the chaos has steeled my spirit.”

As to our question what she was doing at an advertising festival in Cannes, she answered: “I’m the founder of a company called Brandworld Media, which was set up to preach the gospel of branding to Africa. I am here to listen to and interview people with an interesting vision on branding. I can then share those stories back home with my audience.”

“Interesting,” I said. “What was your vision on brands and branding when you set up Brandworld Media?”

“My belief was that brands were the new wealth creator in any modern economy and my assignment was to use the media as a tool for bringing prosperity to Africa. Twelve years on and the dream is still soaring, despite the scars and sometimes even nightmares.

“Actually, speaking of the people I am interviewing,” Clara continued, “why don’t I interview you for Brandworld Media here in Cannes. When you come to Nigeria for your project Around the World in 80 Brands, you can then interview me for your book.”

“That sounds like a plan,” I said.

And here we are, in Lagos, Nigeria, six weeks after our first meeting in Cannes. The meeting is set on the campus of the University of Lagos, bordering the Lagoon. “I love this place,” Clara says. “It’s like an oasis in this huge city. I come here quite often and just sit by the waterfront overlooking the lagoon.” We look at the large surface of water, which is cut in half by the Third Mainland Bridge that connects the mainland to Victoria Island, aka VI.

“Another reason why I like it here is being in the presence of young people. Not too long ago I started ICE, a platform for trend forecasting on how youths consume brands.”

“Interesting,” I say. “What does ICE stand for? I’m curious to know what this word inspires in a tropical country.”

Clara laughs: “ICE is an acronym for Intelligence, Culture and Evolution,” she says. “Through ICE Magazine our role is to provide the market intelligence for brands on one side and define and safeguard the cultural context on the other.

“I am determined to use the ICE medium to transform the thinking process of the Nigerian youth,” Clara continues. “I want them to understand that the power to create the future they desire is theirs.”

“That’s cool,” I say.“What’s cooler than cool?” Clara asks.“ICE cool!” we say at the same time.

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Meet ing Roger Gerards and

Patr ick L i ver sa in in Accra

It’s early in the morning in Accra and we have just been picked up from our hotel. We are with Roger Gerards, Creative Director for Vlisco, a fashion fabric brand whose colourful Dutch Wax textiles are worn across Central and West Africa. “I know you’ve seen our textiles being designed and produced in Europe; now I want to show you where the brand becomes part of women’s lives,” he says.The driver navigates through Accra’s busy streets and drops us off outside Makola Market. “I’ll wait for you here,” he says, then adds, “Don’t mess with Makola Market. Go with the flow, give in or go under.”“What does that mean?” I ask Roger, as we merge with the crowd of market goers. “I think it means that it’s a big market and easy to get lost,” he replies, “but don’t worry, I’ve been here before.”We head into a labyrinth of stalls piled with food, household goods and fabrics. We zigzag left and right until we see a small shop selling Vlisco’s distinctive Dutch Wax textiles. A woman is looking through the different designs.“Once she finds one she likes, she’ll buy six yards of fabric – the standard length needed for a complete outfit – and ask a tailor to create a unique piece for her,” Roger tells us. “Vlisco is a fashion brand that can be completely customised.”As we walk towards the shop, the woman wraps a turquoise bird-print design around herself. She looks in the shop’s small mirror and smiles. The shopkeeper gets out her scissors.“Vlisco has many facets,” Roger says. “It all starts with our designers, artists working in their ateliers, imagining and creating. Then there are the people working in the production plant, in charge of producing a high-quality fabric. From there the product goes via our trade partner to the wholesalers and retailers and on to the end users in West Africa. The end users take the fabric to the tailors and transform it into customised fashion.” We ask the shopkeeper about the fabric she just sold. “The bird design is called ‘fortune’,” she tells us. “If the woman wears a dress made from that fabric, it will bring her good fortune. She said she is applying for a new job, so she made a good choice!”We leave the shop and turn right. “Isn’t that the way we came?” I ask. Anouk looks uncertain but Roger seems confident. We follow him down another narrow alley.“Most of our customers are currently in West Africa but it is clear that there’s a market for Vlisco fabrics in other regions too. As part of our development, we want to open a centre of excellence in Accra where our African and European designers and brand, marketing, retail colleagues can exchange knowledge and inspiration,” he tells us, turning left again.We stop to orientate ourselves. “Isn’t that the same shopkeeper we spoke to 20 minutes ago?” I ask, pointing to a lady in front of a textile shop. “And isn’t she standing in front of the same shop we visited 20 minutes ago?”“I’m afraid you’re right. We’ve gone in a circle,” says Roger. “Let’s ask her for directions.”“I’ll ask my son to show you back to your car. He’s only 10 years old but he’s Makola born and raised,” the shopkeeper says with a smile. “And we don’t want the good people of Vlisco to lose their way.”

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Patrick takes over: “The name and its meaning may be one reason why a woman chooses a fabric, but the pattern is also critical to the final garment she creates. Together with a tailor, she’ll decide on details like the position of a flower or the direction a bird is flying for maximum impact and individuality. This makes every piece of clothing unique.”“There’s something special about Vlisco,” Roger continues, “it’s become a ‘love brand’. People here in Africa feel they own the brand. We’ve built our reputation on original design and quality, but the brand has transcended the product.” “Many brands would envy that kind of emotional attachment, but I’m sure you’re not going to take your success for granted,” says Anouk. “What’s your next challenge?” “Our end users see us as a fashion brand, and we’ve been re-enforcing that view for a few years by creating a new collection every season,” Roger says. “The difference with traditional fashion brands is that we create the design of the fabric and the end user creates the model. That’s what I call ultimate customisation.”“Counterfeiting is a problem for many high-end fashion brands. How will you tackle it?” I ask.“I’ll show you,” Patrick says. He stands up and leads us to the shop floor where a mannequin is draped in a length of colourful fabric printed with specific geometrical patterns and objects. “We regularly introduce new designs like this one. It’s part of the new spring collection. Copies can only reach the market a few months after its release. By that time we’re ready to launch our summer collection,” he says. “Launching new concepts and designs on a regular basis will generate continuous excitement around the brand and make it harder for anyone to copy the designs.”“We’ve already talked about the emotional ties our consumers have with the brand, but the brand also has strong emotional ties with the African continent,” Roger says. “Vlisco is positioned as an Afro-European brand, but we want to expand our target group to global. A design house which is used in more than fabrics for clothes.”“A brand extension,” I say, “interesting. What kind of products are you thinking of?”“We have several options in mind,” Roger replies, “like fashion accessories or home decoration. That will take shape in the coming years. To be continued in the next edition of the CoolBrands book.”“By the way, did I tell you about Ubuntu?” Roger asks. “It’s an African philosophy which for us means: I am what I am because of who we all are. It’s part of how we do business,” he continues without waiting for our answer. He tells us about the ‘together and exchange’ aspect of Ubuntu and the centre of excellence the company plans to open in Accra. “Our goal is to share our knowledge and expertise, and to support local entrepreneurs. But we are also quite aware that we are working in Africa, a continent with many social and economic needs. So apart from our work with young designers we also work with people who have less opportunity to enable them to make a living as a tailor, probably not – immediately – working with Vlisco fabrics. The bright ones will get there eventually and for the others being a tailor is an honorable profession in its own right. We strongly support that. And we plan to do more….” “That sounds like a unique way of adding value for your West African partners and for setting yourself apart as a brand,” I say. Roger nods. “It’s our purpose as a brand; to share ideas and create prosperity.” “I can see why you want to position Vlisco as a design house,” Anouk says, browsing through the fabrics. “I could get very creative with these.” I turn to Patrick. “I think you’re going to have to recommend a tailor to Anouk before we leave Accra.”

We have just left Makola Market, a huge market in the centre of Accra, where we spent the morning getting lost in the labyrinth of narrow alleys and discovering Vlisco’s striking Dutch Wax textiles. We are now driving towards the Osu district of the city. We are with Roger Gerards, Vlisco’s Europe-based Creative Director, who is taking us to meet Patrick Liversain, his Africa-based counterpart.We pull up in front of a glass-fronted building on Oxford Street. “Here we are, Vlisco’s home ground,” Roger says as we get out of the car. “Are you sure we’re in the right place?” I ask. “It says Woodin above the entrance.”“Patrick can explain,” Roger says as we go inside. We are immediately surrounded by lengths of colourful fabrics and ready-to-wear pieces of clothing hanging on racks.

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“Welcome to the Woodin showroom,” a man says, walking up to us. “My name’s Patrick. I heard about your adventures at the market this morning. Did you see how Dutch Wax is sold, in lengths of six yards? From there the fabric is taken directly to a tailor to be transformed into a unique outfit.”“It says Woodin above the door,” I say, pointing behind me, “what does that mean?”“Vlisco is an Authentic Dutch Wax brand that has been around since the 1800s,” Patrick says. “But it’s also the parent of three African brands: Woodin, Uniwax and GTP. I’m the creative man behind Woodin, Uniwax and GTP.”“Are your Woodin clothes still at the tailor?” Anouk asks, indicating his black shirt and trousers. Patrick laughs. “I’m so submerged in design and colours all day that I prefer to have a neutral wardrobe.”He leads us to a table at the back of the showroom where we sit down. “I’ve lived in Africa for 40 years and feel more African than European these days,” he says. “Vlisco has both an African and a European side, which appeals to me. The company was founded in 1846 in the Netherlands, where the textiles are still designed and produced, but the brand really comes alive in West Africa. Now the world outside Africa is starting to understand that deep connection with the brand, and wanting to feel it too.”

“We spoke to a shopkeeper in the market about the names that are given to the fabrics once they arrive in Africa,” I say.“The designers in the Netherlands have their own concepts and thoughts about their drawings before they go into production,” Roger says and shows us a swatch of different colours and prints. He points to one of them. “And sometimes names change. This one was originally called ‘leopard’ because of all the spots. We saw it later at a market in Nigeria and found out that it had been renamed ‘housegarden gravel’, after the little stones. The retailer said the design was like the stones you put around your house to warn you if anyone gets too close. Someone walking on your pebbles is like being hurt by a person close to you. It wasn’t the meaning the designer had intended at all, but it shows you the emotional ties that our retailers and consumers have with the brand.”

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South America - BrazilRio de janeiro3.499 miles from accraTime of Arrival 11:35

Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Maravilhosa!

We’ve been to Rio before, but this time it’s different. On previous occasions the purpose of our visit was to check out the destination for our CoolTravel project. We did intensive sightseeing in Rio and the surroundings. We went to Parati, a historical city to the west of Rio, we made a trip to Ilha Grande, a beautiful island with unspoiled nature.

Like so many people before us, we fell in love with Rio, the hills, the sea, the beaches and of course the people.

But this time is different, this time we’re here to talk to interesting people and brands. For this purpose, we contacted one of the best connected people in Rio. His name is Carlos Vieira and he’s a televisionactor. Rio is the home of Globo, one of the biggest television stations in Brazil, famous for its tremendously successful soap operas.

Carlos has a natural talent: networking. Talking to people, interacting is like breathing to him.

“I’ll put you in touch with Rio de Janeiro’s local heroes,” he said over the phone. “Oskar Metsavaht, Lenny Niemeyer… maybe even Oscar Niemeyer. And who knows who else.”

We came up with a nickname for Carlos: ‘actor, cool connector’. “I like that,” he said, “it has an interesting sound to it.”

As our plane makes its final approach into Rio’s airport, we see the bridge over the Guanabara Bay leading to the city of Niteroi, on the other side of the water.

People from Rio, called Cariocas, always make this joke about their neighbouring city. “Do you know what the most beautiful thing about Niteroi is?” they ask. “The view of Rio.”

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Meet ing Oskar Met savaht a t A rpoador Beach

We walk through rua Vinicius de Moraes in the direction of Ipanema Beach. On the corner we pass a small café where the same Vinicius wrote the famous song The Girl from Ipanema, which was performed by Astrud Gilberto, Frank Sinatra and other legends.

We’re on our way to meet Oskar Metsavaht, a man of many talents: fashion designer, creator, filmmaker, artist, entrepreneur... the list is long, the talents are diverse.

For some time now we have been hearing about Oskar and his ground-breaking work on sustainability and the environment. His fashion brand Osklen focuses strongly on the promotion of a sustainable lifestyle, using alternative natural fabrics and addressing important environmental themes in his different collections.

When we arrive at the beach we take off our shoes and walk through the hot sand in the direction of the ocean. Ipanema is one of Rio de Janeiro’s most famous beachfront bairros and the source of inspiration for the Carioca lifestyle, a laidback way of life that centres on sports, beach life and partying. It is also where Oskar gets much of his inspiration.

Over the years, Oskar’s reputation as an environmental visionary has spread far beyond Brazil’s borders, earning him a place among the 100 most creative people in the world of business. More recently, he received the title of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador in 2011 for his ongoing efforts to promote a culture of peace, social inclusion and sustainable development.

We’re walking in the direction of Arpoador where the beach ends and the waves crash onto a large rock, turning the ocean into a surfers’ playground. We know that Oskar himself is a surfer and imagine that he might even bring his surfboard to the meeting...

A few years ago Oskar founded instituto e, a non-profit organisation that promotes sustainable human development. Since then, instituto e has spearheaded several environmental and social projects across Brazil to protect and preserve the country’s natural resources. Projects range from the creation of the ‘selo e’ – a sustainability index for food, fabrics and other products – to the pro tection of parts of the Brazilian coastline and the creation of nature reserves.

After a 15-minute stroll, we reach our rendezvous spot: Arpoador. On the beach some people are playing foot volley and a group of surfers in the water waits patiently for the perfect wave. As we are early, we sit down on the stone walkway overlooking the ocean, still clutching our shoes. “I love Rio, where else can you have business meetings on the beach?”

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As soon as we arrive in Oskar Metsavaht’s atelier, we are caught up in a flurry of models, make-up artists and stylists who are getting ready for a fitting session of the new Osklen collection.

In the main studio, racks of clothing are lined up along the walls and studio lighting has been set up in front of a makeshift catwalk. Several Osklen staff members are sitting on the floor surrounded by sketchbooks, cameras and laptops.

Leaning back in a black director’s chair at the far end of the room, Oskar is critically sizing up a slender black model in a dark-green voile dress. His fashion coordinator Juliana Suassana walks over to the model and pulls up the skirt. “It needs to be shorter at the back,” she says just as Oskar notices us standing by the door. “Come in, come in!” he beckons. “Welcome! We’re just starting!”

We join Oskar and Juliana and watch the next model head down the runway in a long black and gold dress with a low back.

At our previous meeting on Arpoador Beach, Oskar told us about his vision of Brazil as a global role model for sustainability. He sees it as his personal mission to make sustainability cool, and to make the sustainable lifestyle something that people want to be a part of.

Oskar gets up and goes over to the model in the middle of the room. He gently tugs at the dress to expose more of the girl’s back, while Juliana pins the material down into this new shape. “I find women’s backs very sensual,” Oskar says as he turns to us with a smile. He takes a step back and considers the adjustments before sending the model off to the photo shoot in the next room.

“Let me show you how we work,” he says and leads us to a table in the corner where a series of design sketches and photos are laid out. “These are the design sketches for the new collection. Every time one of these outfits has been fitted, we send the model over to the photo studio and we replace the sketch with a photo. And by the end of the day, we have a collection!”

“I don’t know how you do it,” I say, leafing through a photo portfolio of previous collections. “Where do you get your inspiration? It must be such a challenge to keep developing a new concept that fits within your broader vision.”

The secret of Oskar’s inspiration

Oskar lowers his voice as if he’s about to let us in on a secret: “Osklen draws its inspiration from the Rio way of life – a balance between the simplicity of nature and urban sophistication. I get inspiration from many sources: a natural phenomenon, a personal experience… oceans, the Amazon, wind, rain…

“For instance, the first idea for the Vento collection came during a party on a Rio rooftop where I was observing the wind playing with people’s clothes. I started thinking about it: wind has no colour or form, so how do you design clothes on the theme of wind?”

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“It seems that with every collection you are taking your designs and the message they carry to a higher level,” Maarten says.

“I guess that’s true,” Oskar says pensively. “The further I explore the theme of sustainability, the more I have come to realise that it is not just about ecology and nature, but that there are strong cultural and historical elements as well. For years, I have wanted to explore the theme of Brazil’s cultural heritage, but I never found the right spark to make it happen.”

Maarten smiles with an air of disbelief: “It sounds more like a theme for a PhD thesis than for a fashion collection. How are you going to translate such a complex topic into design?”

Oskar laughs. “Actually I already have – it’s the collection you see here,” he says pointing at the photos and sketches on the table.

“As you may know, 2011 is the UN Year of African Roots, which led me to explore the connection between Africa and Brazil,” he says. “Brazilian culture has strong African influences: in music, in dance – even in our local religion, Candomble.“And this is the result,” he says with a smile as he looks at the models preparing themselves, “the Royal Black collection.” A tall blonde girl struts through the atelier wearing large sunglasses and a short orange overall. Oskar goes over and walks around the model with a thoughtful air.

eFabrics - sustainability all the way

“By the way, this is an eFabric,” says Oskar. I get out my camera to take a close-up shot of the shiny texture.

“What is it made of exactly?” I ask.

“e-Fabric is actually not just the material itself, it is a broader concept that covers all aspects of the sourcing and production process. It looks at everything: who we buy the raw material from; how we interact with those communities; and the environmental impact of tanning processes, it’s one whole.”“And fish skin?” I ask. “I heard you use that in your designs – what is that like?”

Oskar points at the orange overall. “This is it!”He explains that in the food industry fish skins are usual ly thrown away, despite the fact that they are perfectly usable as a leather substitute. “Fish leather appears soft and thin, but it is often more resistant and sturdy than bovine leather. Because social awareness is an important part of the Osklen brand, we source our fish leather from indigenous tribes in the Amazon basin, thus allowing local communities to maintain their traditional lifestyle.”

Oskar shifts his attention back to the catwalk, while we sit back and watch the Osklen team at work. The Royal Black collection is coming together right in front of our eyes: simple, clean lines and natural tones – greys, beiges and whites – combined with black and gold. The last model makes her way down the catwalk, showing off a light cotton pantsuit. She strikes a pose and gives us a cool look through her large sunglasses. We get the message: sustainability can be cool!

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“I think I can guess what you think the right path is for Brazil: using the Brazilian soul to promote a sustainable way of life.”“Exactly,” Oskar answers with a twinkle in his eyes. “This is why I created instituto e, a non-profit organisation based here in Rio that promotes sustainable human development,” he continues. “The aim is to make sus tainability cool: too many people continue to associate sustainability with woolly jumpers and saving the birds and the bees.”

“So how do you change that image and make sustainability aspirational, something that people want to be part of?” I ask.“Aha!” says Oskar with a grin, “this is where the e-brigadiers come in!” He explains that this team of cool, savvy young people transforms the instituto’s ideas into action and implement a range of environmental, social, cultural and educational projects across Brazil. “The e-brigade works to promote sustainability in combination with design and lifestyle, making it cool to buy socially and environmentally conscious products.”

“So what does that mean in practice, what kind of projects do the e-brigadiers work on?” “Well, for example, one of the projects to come out of instituto e is e-Fabrics, which focuses on identifying materials that respect fair trade criteria and sustainable development. e-Fabrics are made from all sorts of raw material, ranging from recycled plastic bottles and reused jeans to organic cotton and silk. “ “But how do you make that cool? How do you make people interested in using or buying e-Fabrics?”“By using them in my collections and showing their versatility and attractiveness. That’s how I get other companies interested. KENZO has also started using e-Fabrics for example.”

The more Oskar talks, the more impressed we are with the sheer scope and diversity of his activities, which all come together around that central and all-encompassing theme: sustainability.He looks out over the ocean as if he can see this sustainable world he wants to create right there, and as he talks, we understand that every single one of his ideas, projects and community initiatives is geared towards realising his vision. He sits back in his chair and looks down the beach. A big wave is rolling in from the ocean. A surfer who was waiting for this wave now climbs onto his board, accelerates, swerves onto the crest, jumps and disappears under water. Oskar turns back to us, as if he has been teleported from the surfboard back to the table.

“So, to summarise,” I say, “you are using your name and brand to promote sustainability as a way of life – a cool way of life. Starting in Brazil, but I’m sure you’re looking to make an impact internationally as well.”Oskar looks at the beach again, where the surfer is paddling along, waiting patiently for the perfect Hawaiian wave. “The world is changing,” he says as he turns back to us. “I can see it happening. Soon it will be irrelevant where you are from – there will be no more geographical nations. Instead there will be lifestyle nations, people all around the world will connect based on ideas and attitudes.” He pauses for a moment. “It won’t matter where you are born, or where you live – lifestyle will connect us. I want to be part of the sus tainable lifestyle nation and I want to make sure it is a cool place to be.”

I look at Oskar and Anouk and then turn to the surfer floating on the waves, and I realise that I already live there, in a place that is not defined by geography but by connections to like-minded people around the world. My lifestyle nation.

We have arranged to meet Oskar Metsavaht at one of the small beachfront cafés on Arpoador Beach, where we find him sitting on the terrace gazing out at the waves and the quiet ocean beyond. As soon as we introduce ourselves he leaps up with a big smile and warmly shakes our hands. “Welcome, have a seat, come and enjoy the view!” he says with a broad gesture.

“Congratulations on your new UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador title!” says Anouk, as we sit down.

Oskar recently received the honorary title of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for his work on sustainable development and social inclusion. And he is in good company: former UNESCO ambassadors include personalities such as former South African President Nelson Mandela, Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballé and French musician Jean Michel Jarre. “It’s an honour to have received such a title,” he says with a modest smile, “but you know, what is most important now is how I use it – if I can use it to show the world that sustainability is the future and that Brazil can lead the way towards the sustainable lifestyle, then I will be one step closer to reaching my goal.”

As he talks, the waiter brings us two lattes and an espresso for Oskar. “So tell us more about your vision for a sustainable future – what would that look like?” asks Anouk.

“It is all about what I call the ‘Brazilian Soul’,” he says. “This is what I think we Brazilians can really bring to the world: the energy of our people and our natural resources.” Oskar believes that the ‘Brazilian Soul’ has the potential to be one his country’s key assets on the international stage – Brazil’s premier export product. “Every region has its strength,” he says, waving his hand towards the ocean. “The US stands for entertainment, Europe for culture and luxury brands, India for spirituality and Asia for technology.”

He pauses and takes a sip of his espresso. “And Brazil? Brazil has nature: rainforests, water, rare plant and animal species, minerals... a huge wealth which too many of us don’t properly appreciate,” he points up the coast towards the Amazon Rainforest that lies 3,000 kilometres northwest of us. “Preserving this wealth is the mandate we have been given.”“So how are you going to make that happen – do you think people are aware that this is your country’s mandate?” I ask.Oskar raises two fingers and says decisively: “We have two options: exporting raw materials as we’ve been doing for the past five centuries, or creating value by taking care of our natural resources and ensuring sustainability.”He pauses and looks at us to make sure we understand the weight attached to each of these choices. “So you’re saying that Brazil is at a crossroads – it is a choice between further exploitation or preservation?”“Exactly, that’s it,” he says.

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Meet ing Roberto S te rn

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House of design“Roberto, jewellers have traditionally been a fairly close-knit group, sticking to tradition and running their business with a certain degree of secrecy. How come you have broken the mould?” “When I took over in the 1990s,” Roberto says, “I took over a very successful business created by my father. He was an innovator from the start. Like you say, before him the world of top-quality jewellery was very much a closed book, but he opened up our doors to the public to demonstrate our craftsmanship. He was also the first jeweller in Brazil to use Brazilian gemstones like aquamarines, amethysts, topaz, citrines and tourmalines. Without his vision, these stones might well still just be the domain of stone collectors. Nowadays, they are used in jewellery around the world and are known as Brazilian coloured stones. We created a new demand.” “You’re something of an innovator yourself,” I say. “Where does your drive and creativity come from?”

“I think I get it from my dad. The only way he could express himself was to do things differently, and I have the same passion. Although I am originally an economist, which helps me with my function as CEO, I got into design because I wanted to do things that people thought were impossible. Create shocking, imperfect, organic design. I also wanted to make the brand attractive to all generations and so transformed the business into a house of design.” “Why did you decide that was the best way forward?” I ask.

“Since I started in 1995, globalisation has swept the world and consumers everywhere want the same thing: style. They are looking for creativity, simplicity and straight elegant lines. Being ostentatious is out. It takes significant effort to stay on the cutting edge but we are out there with our global team anticipating trends, fashion and behaviour. It’s a far cry from the traditional artisan shops jewellers were known for. In the past few years we have launched collections inspired by the arts, architecture, music and fashion. Recently, we asked Oskar Metsavaht to design a watch for us, and we have just launched a unique Oscar Niemeyer line inspired by the curves he uses in his architectural designs. But while we have grown younger, we still respect and preserve our roots – top-quality craftsmanship.”

Beauty amidst beautyWe’re in Ipanema, the heart of Rio de Janeiro, and it’s quite simply stunning. Its art galleries, cafés and restaurants and of course its famous beach lend it an air of sophistication and elegance. If there’s anyone in this magnificent city who really understands beauty, it’s Roberto Stern, CEO and Creative Director for H.Stern, one of the world’s leading, most innovative jewellers. It’s our lucky day – we’re meeting him for coffee.

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Masterful collaboration “We understood you work together with artists from all disciplines, what’s the story behind that?” Iask. Roberto smiles secretly before he answers, “That’s a good question. Our greatest change lies in our special collections and the people who inspired them. The principle behind this shift in direction was my desire to move from being ‘just’ jewellers into being a fully-fledged house of design. I got into design originally because I was curious and wanted to do things people thought were impossible. When we came up with the idea to work with others, it was not for marketing purposes, but rather to create new, fresh ideas. I wanted to work with people who had no background in jewellery, but were masters in their own fields so we could create a crossover between the two professions. We try to create one new collection each year, and every two years we collaborate with a third party. I am intrigued though, because nowadays everyone seems to have jumped on the bandwagon with collaborations, although for them it’s still generally about marketing.”The collection that really brought H.Stern into the media frontline was the 1980s launch of the Catherine Deneuve Collection, inspired by the unforgettable muse of Bunuel’s Belle du Jour. Within no time, the jewels and the muse’s diamond-set initials ‘CD’ were seen on the necks, ears and wrists of stylish women around the world. This was the start of what was to become a huge success story.

Courageously curvaceousOscar Niemeyer is Brazil’s most famous architect and is considered one of the most influential names in international modern architecture. He never tires of repeating that “architecture is of no interest, what is of interest is life,” and his stunning work is defined by his own style – the lightness of curved forms that create spaces full of harmony, grace and elegance. It was the basis for a beautiful marriage between two hugely different disciplines. “Just like yourselves, I was impressed by meeting Oscar Niemeyer in person and getting to understand more about his work,” Roberto says. “What I like most in his work is the way he plays with curves. He is right, we do not find straight lines in nature, so we concluded we both like asymmetry and irregular contours, which are more human and natural.” It was the first time Niemeyer approved a collection of jewellery created in his honour, and based on his own sketches and curved lines. The pieces in the H.Stern Collection by Oscar Niemeyer are named after some of his works and famous projects. Find them on the net. They’re stunning.

Moving with the timesH.Stern has always been innovative. Founding father Hans was the first to open up the traditionally closed world of high-quality jewellery design to the general public. He also pioneered the introduction of new, coloured gemstones in design jewellery, creating an entirely new global demand. His son and successor Roberto continues along the path of innovation as the first to collaborate with non-jewellers – artists, architects and even movie stars, successfully taking the company along paths unknown in the industry. And to the heady heights of the highest high society. We talk to Roberto while enjoying another café latte.

“When I took over at the helm of H.Stern in 1995,” Roberto says, “I realised the huge opportunities presented by the wave of globalisation of the last 20 years. Looking to modernise the company, rejuvenate the existing, loyal clients and seek out a whole host of new ones, I became a pioneer in collaboration. “And so, since taking over, I have taken the company in an entirely new direction. While remaining true to the roots of the artisan jeweller in which specialist craftsmen create handmade pieces, our market and target group have changed completely, or at least, expanded significantly.”

‘Girl’ power“Can you tell us what has changed?” Maarten asks. “For us, one of the most interesting market developments in recent years is women’s greater purchasing power and independence,” Roberto continues. “Where in the past husbands made almost all jewellery purchases, and hence often also the underlying decision as to what to buy, contemporary women choose and purchase their own jewellery, and they have different tastes. They also wear jewellery day and night, combining a range of styles that are increasingly non-standard. We have adapted to this development and closely observe and interpret behaviour, style and fashion trends. In 2004, we made headline news when Angelina Jolie wore a $10m H.Stern Athena necklace to the Oscars. Publicity doesn’t get much better than that.”

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Oscar Niemeyer with H.Stern Designer

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Marrying static art and fluid artRoberto is unstoppable, here is the next example: “Another collaboration was back in 1998 with Grupo Corpo, a flamboyant modern Brazilian dance troupe. Journeying into the universe of modern dance, our jewellery design team studied all aspects of their renowned productions, from the conceptualization of each ballet’s theme and its choreography to costume and set design. This was something entirely new to our team, a very exciting process.”

The resulting group of avant-garde jewels transcends the concept of jewellery as objects, and creates an ensemble of unique artistic interpretation. Each piece in this collection expresses fluidity of movement, and has its origins in a complex world where imbalance can be more important than planned, rehearsed steps.

Roberto sits back and clearly remembers some of the events during the creation of this collection. “Expressing the energy of dance in a solid form required a new approach to tri-dimensionality and presented a unique dilemma when working with metal. We had so much material to work from, to work with…textures, depth and movement that are dynamic, ever-flowing… but needed to be captured.” A short silence follows. “This project required a level of intuition, of feeling and improvisation we had not experienced before,” he adds.

Enduringly innovativeRoberto continues to innovate. With his collections, his target groups and his technology. He is constantly on the look out for ways to change the industry, including new gemstone cutting and polishing techniques. Time and time again, you’ll find him rethinking established processes and relearning centuries-old techniques from different points of view. With his courage, innovative strength and creativity, Roberto Stern has turned the world of jewellery upside down. We can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.

Wonderfully audaciousLiving flowers, coloured mushrooms, a bird from the topiary garden, the Cheshire Cat and the Jabberwocky Dragon. Sound familiar? Probably not if you’re a jewellery expert, as one of Stern’s most flamboyant collections was inspired by Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and made in collaboration with Disney. “How did the collection come to be?” Maarten wants to know. “After a detailed study of Alice’s universe,” Roberto explains, “our designers decided that the film’s underworld and its gothic mood would be our source of inspiration. Moving away from the obvious, well-known characters, we chose natural elements and spectacular creatures to give shape to five rings that follow the intrinsic organic forms to the creative DNA of the brand. “We developed the pieces by starting from the natural elements, brought to the jewels with tremendous detail and demanding intricate workmanship and incredible patience. Dozens of versions were made before we reached the final result.” “I have seen the rings,” Anouk says. “They’re rings unlike I have ever seen before.” “That is exactly what we wanted to achieve,” Roberto adds proudly. “In the film, Alice changes size several times, and so there are two sizes of ring: ‘human dimension’ and ‘extraordinary dimension’.”

The latter really are remarkable – enormous sculptures that go beyond anything known in terms of jewellery, measuring 10 cm in height. Yet, in our humble opinion, no more extraordinary than merely having the idea in the first place. How many times have you said to yourself “I could have invented that?” Fact is, it never was you. It’s the pioneers out there that shape our worlds.

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Meet ing Oscar N iemeyer

Today is a very special day. We are on our way to meet the legendary architect and artist Oscar Niemeyer in his office in the upmarket Rio de Janeiro neighbourhood of Copacabana. Located on the Avenida Atlantica, it has stunning views of the bay and the long oceanfront boulevard. Inside, we get a glimpse of how the mind of a creative genius works. The walls are covered with hasty sketches, detailed drawings and photos of completed projects; the desks are overflowing with papers and notebooks, and there are books everywhere.Niemeyer receives us in his library, surrounded by his books, and starts talking about Rio, which is for him all about the Brazilian soul – and youth. “Le Corbusier once said that I had Rio’s mountains in my eyes,” he says. “I laughed.” While Niemeyer celebrated his 100th birthday in 2007, his mind remains as sharp as a knife and his spirit is young. I mention that it is a great honour for us to meet him, and he replies: “I am very happy to meet you too, I am happy that young people are interested in my work and that I can transfer my knowledge and experience to the next generations.” I ask him what his favourite building is. “Tough question,” he replies, “there are many that I like and several that I don’t like so much anymore. But let me turn the question around: what is your favourite building?”

“We visited the modern art museum that you designed in Niterói during one of our previous visits to Rio and loved it,” Maarten says. “What do you think?” “Niterói was easy to design,” Oscar replies, “the site is so beautiful. There is a single central support with the architecture rising up around it, like a flower. Then the ramp, inviting people to visit the museum, a gentle curving walk through the architecture and the beautiful landscape, running under the building. “I don’t see my architecture as an ideal solution but, modestly, as my architecture. It is not the 90-degree angle that attracts me, nor straight line, hard and inflexible, created by man. What attracts me is the free and sensual curve – the curve that I find in the mountains of my country, in the sinuous course of its rivers, in the body of a beloved woman.” “What was it like to work on creating the new Brazilian capital, Brasilia?” “It was a three-hour flight from Rio to Brasilia, which meant I had to live there for the duration of the project. I confess I did not have a good impression of the site. Far removed from everything, it was an abandoned, empty land. When I moved to Brasilia, I invited some friends along – a doctor, two journalists and four other comrades who were not into architecture, who were funny and intelligent – because I didn’t want to spend the nights talking about architecture.”

“The most important thing for me is not architecture, but family, friends and this unfair world that we need to change.”

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Photo by: Giuseppe Bizzarri / Folhapress

Meet ing Lenny Niemeyer

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Carioca at heartAn icon of the Brazilian fashion scene, Lenny Niemeyer started designing swimwear in the 1980s when she moved from São Paulo to Rio. It all started when she was looking for bikinis – for herself and for friends back in São Paulo – and was disappointed by the choice. “So I started designing them myself,” she says with a smile. “I started looking for different fabrics and prints and soon enough not only my friends were buying my designs, but also fashion stores.”

But it was when she opened her own shop in Ipanema that she really got a feel for what women were looking for and how she could help women feel confident and beautiful in swimwear that suited their bodies. This continues to be her goal.

“My main aim is to help women feel perfect,” she says. She explains that – unlike in São Paulo where you will probably go out to dinner or a play – in Rio you’re more likely to end up at the beach. “On the beach, you can’t hide and so you need the very best tools to present yourself. My beachwear is there to help you do that.”

Using natural materials like cotton and different types of silk, she designs Brazilian bikinis, elaborate bathing suits and a wide range of after-beach wear and wraps – all with the aim of making every woman feel at ease in Rio’s glamorous beach scene.

“So where do you get your inspiration?” I ask as we scan the colourful designs crowded on the clothing racks around us. “From around the world,” Lenny says with a sweeping gesture. “I travel to Asia and Africa to find new themes and designs and I bring them to Brazil.”

Bringing together materials and designs from different cultures, she weaves them together with the ‘Brazilian soul’ to create signature designs. Yet, while she draws her inspiration from around the world, Lenny and her brand are inextricably linked to Rio. Even though she was born in São Paulo, she has become a Carioca at heart and, as a Brazilian celebrity, is strongly associated with the laidback Rio lifestyle and its famous parties.

Right now she is working on a new collection inspired by 20 years of Lenny, revisiting signature designs and giving them a fresh twist. “If you really want to understand how I work and how I translate inspiration into pieces of swimwear, you should join me in making my new collection.”

Awesome! We’re super excited: we get to take part in designing Lenny’s retro-spective collection and will see the process unfold from today until the after-party at Fashion Rio in three months time.

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From Rio with loveWe meet Lenny in her spacious atelier in Botafago, one of Rio’s beachfront bairros. Surrounded by racks of clothing, print samples and piles of books, she welcomes us as though we have known each other for years. She immediately starts telling us about her new collection – a retrospective of 20 years of Lenny – and asks for our input.

The coolest thing about being part of the preparations for Lenny’s 20-year retrospective collection at Fashion Rio is that we really get to see the creative process unfold, with all the excitement, the challenges and the hesitations. It’s like getting a glimpse into the mind of an artist, and seeing how her thoughts take shape, how she overcomes the obstacles and translates her ideas into a collection.

In the weeks leading up to the show, we see her creative genius at work at the fitting sessions. As she critically reviews each piece, she doesn’t hesitate to rework a design from scratch. In other cases, she tweaks just a tiny detail that makes all the difference.

But when we meet Lenny for lunch a few weeks later she seems preoccupied. “I decided to do something different this year,” she says. “Instead of going to the Pier Maua where most of Fashion Rio takes place, I am staging a catwalk on the Lagoa.”

The Lagoa is a lake on the edge of Ipanema with beautiful views of Rio’s famous Corcovado Mountain with its iconic Christ statue. It’s an amazing setting for a catwalk – especially for Lenny’s designs, which are often inspired by nature.

“I decided to use only natural materials to build the catwalk, the audience seating and the after-party venue – but construction is taking much longer than I expected,” she says with a sigh.

“And then there’s the collection: it consists of 40 styles, and I’m still looking for inspiration for the last style.” She gazes into the distance. “Actually,” she says as she turns to us with a little smile, “there was something I wanted to ask you: remember that book you gave me?”

Last time we saw Lenny we gave her a copy of our latest CoolTravel book, for which we travelled around the Middle East and Africa.

“When you were in Tanzania, in Dar es Salaam, you took a photo of a painting of fish swimming in concentric circles,” she says. “I love that image. It’s like the flow of life.”

“You mean the tinga tinga artwork! It’s made with bicycle paint – that’s why it’s so shiny and vibrant. We actually liked that painting so much that we bought it.”

“Do you think I could use it for the collection?”“Of course – next time we go to Tanzania we’ll visit the artist to pay him the royalties,” I say jokingly.

A few weeks later we’re back in Rio, heading to Lenny’s atelier. It’s D-Day: tonight her new collection will be launched on the Lagoa catwalk, followed by a dazzling after-party.

As soon as we enter the building we are caught up in a flurry of activity: assistants whizz back and forth with phones glued to their ears, models are trying on bikinis and beachwear, and stylists are making last-minute adjustments. In the design studio, the head of PR is telling journalists about the new collection, while staff carry large parcels towards the entrance, ready for transport to the venue.

In the midst of this whirlwind, Lenny is calmly sitting on the sofa in her office sipping a cafezinho. “Hey guys,” she says with a relaxed smile. “Everything under control?” Anouk asks hesitantly. “Ready as can be,” she says with a twinkle of excitement in her eyes. “The catwalk is floating on the lake, against a backdrop of city lights reflecting in the Lagoa. You’ll see – it’s fabulous.”

She describes the party venue, built entirely of sustainable materials, decorated with fresh flowers, with a rotating dance floor, two bars – one for Absolut, one for champagne... “We even planted some extra palm trees to give something back to the community.” We’re starting to get excited – she’s even hired Brazil’s best DJ!

“Before you go,” she says as she gets up, “I have something to show you. Come with me.” We follow her into the design studio where the collection is on display. “Recognise this?” she points at a silk chemise. It’s the tinga tinga design! Lenny has interpreted the image of the swimming fish and created a whole style around it. “It’s beautiful!” Anouk exclaims. So this is how ideas travel and inspiration makes the world go round – from the outskirts of Dar es Salaam to Amsterdam, into a book, and onto a Rio de Janeiro catwalk...

When I ask Lenny how the evening is going to unfold, her eyes light up with anticipation. “For me the evening will start with interviews at the Lagoa – I love this moment just before the catwalk. There will be a great buzz and lots of running around – models getting dressed, doing their make-up. The girls know each other so it’s almost like a get-together, with lots of giggling and joking around – it’s lovely to watch... And then it will be show time!” she says with a laugh.

A couple of hours later, the cream of Rio has gathered at the Lagoa venue. Everyone who is anyone on the Rio scene is here, not only to see Lenny’s new creations but also to be seen and mix with the celebrities and models. The catwalk starts, creating a huge impact on the audience, beautiful models, cool, energetic music and at the end a sparkling Lenny. The after-party kicks off with a spectacular firework display over the Lagoa. Champagne is flowing, the DJ is working his turntables and Brazil’s jet set is gearing up for an unforgettable party.

We push through the crowds, past the dance floor and the lounge area, in search of Lenny. We find her in the garden beside the venue with a group of friends. “It was so amazing!” Anouk congratulates her. “The catwalk, the models, the music – it was just perfect!” Lenny is radiant – proud of her team, pleased with her new collection, and now enjoying every moment of this celebration.

“I have something for you!” She rummages in her bag and brings out a small white box with a black ribbon, which she gives to Anouk. It’s a bikini with the tinga tinga swimming fish print. “Wow Lenny, this is great! Thank you so much!” “No – thank you for giving me your book and inspiring me. And thanks to the artist as well obviously,” she says with a smile. “I’ve named the line ‘Anouk’.”

“Now that is really cool,” Anouk says, “having a bikini line named after me! Lenny certainly does know how to make a girl feel special.”

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Meet ing E ike Bat i s ta on Corcovado

Two days ago we met Joel Renno in restaurant Forneria in Ipanema. During our conversation, we found out that Joel works for EBX, a huge company involved in mining, crude oil and lately in developing Brazil’s new super port. “This is going to be the Brazilian counterpart to Rotterdam and Singapore,” Joel told us.

“Wow, that big?” I said. “But doesn’t EBX belong to Eike Batista, Brazil’s most successful businessman? What’s the man like?” I asked Joel.

“Probably not at all what you’d imagine.” Joel says: “But, why don’t you find out for yourselves? I will pick you up from your hotel Wednesday morning at 11am sharp.” And here we are, Wednesday morning, driving through the streets of Rio, towards… “In fact, where are we actually going, Joel?” I ask.

“Wait and see,” he says. At the end of Copacabana we turn left into a tunnel and exit in the Botafogo neighbourhood.

“All we know about Eike is that he’s the most successful businessman in Brazil. What’s so special about him?” Anouk asks.

Joel waits a few seconds before answering. “The man has a super power. As he says himself, he has a special link with Mother Earth. And it’s as if Mother Earth is telling him where to find raw materials – like iron, gold and oil.”“What’s he like to work with?” Anouk asks.

“Professional and very passionate,” Joel says.

On our right there’s Sugar Loaf Mountain, one of Rio’s famous landmarks. The rock is almost 400 metres high and sticks out of the Atlantic Ocean at the entrance to the bay. A glass-walled cable car takes you up a 1400-metre stretch to some incredible views.

“What is he passionate about?” Anouk asks.

“Everything he does,” Joel says. “If he’s not passionate about something, he’s not doing it!”

Before reaching Flamengo Beach, we take a left turn and make our way uphill. We turn right and left and then right again. And just as I want to say I have lost my orientation, Joel says: “This is it! From here we’ll take the train up to Corcovado. From the statue of Christ we’ll have a perfect view of one of Eike’s biggest passions: Rio de Janeiro.”

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We walk on, following the balustrade, until we’re overlooking downtown Rio and Guanabara Bay. I look through my camera and focus on Santa Theresa. This is where we took the historical tramway over the Lapa bridge up on the hills and where we had a great lunch overlooking the busy city centre. I focus on the bay, adapt my shutter speed and click. “Nice shot,” I think out loud.

“Okay, so you got everybody’s attention,” Anouk says. “What were your next steps?”“So Rio was on the international stage, and everybody was focused,” Eike continues. “The time was right for the operational part. This plan included over one hundred things to deal with; good challenges, including cleaning the Lagoon, restoring Copacabana to its original glory, renovating the downtown area, upgrading the port area, building a new modern art museum, improving the city’s infrastructure, and many more.”

I scan the city through my lens and see an aeroplane taking off from Santos Dumont Airport. More to the left I see the port area, which is being completely renovated while keeping the old look and feel intact. I continue to the left and zoom in on Maracana football stadium. “What about Maracana?” I ask.

“Maracana was built to host the World Cup football in the 1950s,” Eike responds, “It is being completely renovated for the World Cup in 2014. When it’s finished, it will once again be the stadium the whole world is jealous about.”

“What about the favelas?” Anouk asks. “Are they also part of the master plan?”

“I’m not a great believer in treating symptoms,” Eike responds, ”I believe more in stimulating the local economy and creating jobs. The master plan will create prosperity, also in the favelas. You don’t give a hungry man a fish, you teach him how to fish.”

We’re passing under the left arm of the Christ statue and behind the Corcovado mountains we can see the Tijuca Forest, stretching as far as the eye can see. “This is the world’s largest urban forest, covering some 32 km²,” Eike says pointing at the mountains, “the original rainforest covered the entire Brazilian coast when the Portuguese set foot on land some centuries ago. Tijuca Forest is therefore something we should protect.”

“So what makes you so successful?” Anouk asks.

“It all starts with passion,” Eike responds, “passion is my power. From there it’s like the full circle we made overlooking Rio de Janeiro. This is also the way I look at things. A 360-degree, holistic approach. Add perseverance and you can make things happen.”

I turn my camera on Eike and zoom in on his face and push the shutter. “The power of passion,” I think to myself.

I’m trying to think of a good answer, but I come up blank. “I hope the questions were rhetorical,” I think to myself.“Then I saw the light,” Eike says while raising his index finger. “The answer was in the Olympics. If we could get the Olympic Games to Rio, then we’d be on the international stage. It would also give politics the necessary push. So I decided to invest a lot of effort into the bid for the Olympic Games.”“Clearly you chose the right way to go, as the Olympics will indeed be here in 2016,” Anouk says. “And everybody is talking about it, from politics to the man on the street. And not only in Rio, or even Brazil.”

“That is exactly what we needed – to create a good climate for investors,” Eike says. “We got the train rolling.”

We exit the train and are struck by the marvellous view over Rio. We’ve been here before, but today is an exceptionally clear day. “A great day for taking pictures,” I think to myself.We walk up a small flight of stairs under the right arm of the Christ. There are not many people on the site. A man is leaning on the balustrade overlooking the Lagoon and Ipanema. As he looks up, we recognise Eike Batista.

“Welcome to one of my favourite spots,” he says. “I wanted to meet you here, to show you one of my greatest passions: Rio. By sharing my story about Rio with you, you’ll get an insight into how I run my business; from a holistic perspective.“Let me start with my vision,” Eike says while stretching his arm to invite us to follow him and walk around the Christ statue. “It started with the idea of

making Rio the most beautiful city in the world. I wanted to make the city safe, prosperous, clean and attractive. The perfect city for living and working. Cidade Maravilhosa.”I take out my camera and zoom in on Sugarloaf mountain, which we just passed by car. A cable car just left the ground station. I wait until it is halfway and press the shutter. “Great shot,” I think to myself. “Rio certainly has the looks to be the most beautiful city in the world.”

“That’s an ambitious vision. What was the next step?” Anouk asks. “To achieve my goal,” Eike says, “I needed to involve more people, raise the stakes. But how? How could I get politics involved? And how could I engage the man on the street?”

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The Iguassu River meanders through a forest called the Mata Atlantica before reaching its apotheosis in the Iguassu Falls. In the 16th century, when the Portuguese explorers reached the current Brazilian coast, the Atlantic Rainforest covered the complete coastline from north to south, much further than the eyes could see. ‘Civilisation’ replaced forest with cities and agriculture leaving only 7% of the primary forest. “Who needs trees, if you can have cities and cars?” I think out loud, while we’re following a track through the wilderness towards the river. “But then again, what will we breath when there are no more trees left? Carbon dioxide?”

We decide to follow a trail towards the river to absorb the serene beauty of the wilderness. We hear a group of monkeys up in the trees. The noise approaches slowly and seems to come from different directions. Then we see them, crossing the track one by one, two levels up. They jump from tree to tree, stop and stare at us just as we are staring at them. “Is this the way to the river?” I ask them, while pointing in a random direction. They look at me as if I’m speaking Chinese, and then continue their route without answering. “Let’s assume this is the right direction,” I say and lead the way following the trail.Suddenly I have the feeling that we’re being watched. I look backwards on the track, but see nothing. I scan the forest, but all I see is trees. Probably there are hundreds of animals watching us, but we do not see a single one. Then I see a black and orange bird high up in the trees. It’s a toucan, observing each and every move we make. We continue walking, but the bird is following us from the tree tops. He moves down a level and starts shouting at us in toucan language. It’s as if he is yelling: “What do you think you’re doing in my forest!” I look up and reply: “Sorry, but I thought this was a public area and we’re just taking some pictures.” The toucan moves down a branch and continues shouting: “Well, take your pictures somewhere else, this is my forest!” I look at the bird, amazed by its arrogance and reply: “Who do you think you are, Elvis or something?”

The bird comes down to ground level, settles on a fence of the boardwalk crossing a small stream. He sits there in silence and looks me up and down with a touch of arrogance in its eyes. “You may have a big mouth, but I’m at least ten times bigger than you are,” I say with confidence, “so no funny jokes, you hear.” I approach the bird slowly, but he doesn’t fly away. I take another step closer, and just when I’m taking my camera to make a close-up of this phenomenon, the toucan hops forward, takes the strep of my camera and starts pulling. ”I will teach you strangers, stepping into my world without my permission!” Surprised but not afraid I hold on to my camera and press the button, shooting some random pictures as proof of this assault. “I must say you have a big mouth for a small bird like yourself,” I reply. Then the bird lets go of my camera, flies away and positions itself in a tree top and shouts down in toucan language: “And you humans have really small brains, cutting trees and destroying the forest!” He turns his back at us as he finishes his monologue: “Now go forth… and stop multiplying!”

The city of many

It is early afternoon when we arrive in São Paulo, a huge city with over 20 million inhabitants. From the 20 million we know only one person, Fernando, a colleague storyteller who we met on Facebook. “I will take you to an authentic and human-scale place to stay called Pousada Dona Zilah.”

Two hours later, we’re strolling through the area south of Avenida Paulista, called Jardins. “The best street of the area is without a doubt Oscar Freire,” says Fernando. “Here you can find boutiques of the coolest Brazilian brands, like Osklen fashion, Melissa shoes, Agua de Cheiro, Havaianas and even a Romero Britto gallery. Shop till you drop.”

We look up as a helicopter passes over Jardins. “This is not unusual,” Fernando says. “Due to the intense traffic jams on the roads combined with fear of kidnapping among the rich businessmen, São Paulo has become the city with the highest number of helicopters in the world. There are over 500 private helicopters, and around 100,000 flights per year within central São Paulo.”

As we stop in front of a very trendy shoe shop, Fernando continues: “South of this area is the financial district,” he says while pointing his arm in a random direction. “That is the area where all the main companies are located, around Avenida Faria Lima. Did you know that the São Paulo Stock Exchange is the second largest stock exchange in the world, in market value?”

“That’s all very interesting,” I say, ”but more important, do you have good coffee in São Paulo?”

Fernando looks at me for two seconds before answering. “We have the best coffee and the best restaurants in Brazil!”

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A wa lk in the park

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OMO – a brand with a purposeAfter 20 minutes we arrive at the Pinacoteca, the oldest and one of the most important art museums of Brazil, since 1905 housed in this characteristic building. Here we have a meeting with Aline Santos, Global Senior Vice President for OMO. We find her on the terrace of the Pinacoteca café which looks out over the park. “Instead of in my office, I wanted to find the right setting to share my story,” Aline says, pointing at the tall trees in the park. We look at the trees and back at Aline. “Is OMO into tree-washing these days?” I ask. “Not the trees,” she replies, “but the children playing behind the trees.

“A few years ago, we were sending out more or less the same message as everyone else, using the same language and the same images. This is a great danger in this market: the threat of commoditisation. Besides, we didn’t want to just be talking about ketchup stains anymore; we needed a message that mothers would remember even after the laundry was folded away in the cupboard. Brands without a purpose have no future in today’s competitive market.

“So, we came up with the Dirt is Good concept, which was a revolution in detergent land, where dirt used to be the enemy. We started encouraging parents to let their children play outside more. Let your kids discover the world, let them get dirty and OMO will take care of the dirt.”

Aline points again at the children. “I remember my own childhood, I played outside with my brothers all the time, climbing trees, building tree houses, running around, feeling free and getting the opportunity to explore the world around me. This is not only important for kids, but also for the adults they will become.”

The São Paulo sun is shining in the park, we leave the café, start walking towards the children and stop in the shade of the trees. I watch the running children, then turn to Aline: “So Dirt is Good has become a philosophy?” She pauses for a few seconds. “You can say that it has outgrown OMO as a product and has become a wake-up call for mothers.

“Using OMO as a vehicle, we started spreading the message about the importance of playing and exploring. The physical and emotional development that go with it. Children have the right to play, to be children. Of course, in the end we are a detergent producer and I have to make sure we sell enough products, but we make sure that we have a purpose in society.”

We walk back towards the Pinacoteca and I turn to Aline. “It is a most interesting challenge you have, creating a higher purpose for a detergent,” I say. “It probably isn’t a walk in the park at all.”

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Dirt is GoodWe leave our pousada just after breakfast. We walk to the corner of the street where we hail a taxi. “To Parque da Luz next to the Pinacoteca,” I say in my best Portuguese. The taxi makes a left turn, then a right and then a left again, zigzagging through the streets of Jardims Paulista. “I love this part of town,” Maarten says while looking out of the window. “It doesn’t feel like we’re in a metropole of 20 million inhabitants.”

Di r t i s GoodWe’re in Aline Santos Farhat´s office at the Unilever headquarters, a light and airy suite with a view over São Paolo. We’re lucky to be in town at the same time as Aline: as OMO’s Global Senior Vice President, she seems to be constantly on the move. “It’s part of the job, since OMO is present in more than 70 countries,” she says as we sit down at a large round table. “I have to liaise with all the local marketing departments and make sure that the brand messaging is in tune across the board so that the brand potential is truly unleashed.”

“And what is that message?” I ask. “Last time we met you told us briefly about OMO’s Dirt is Good campaign, but how do you develop such a concept to suit your widely diverse markets across the globe?”

A truly global brand“This is exactly the question Unilever faced back in 2002,” Aline says with a smile. “We had a product with over 40 different brand names worldwide, all with their own packaging, positioning and advertising.”

She pulls up a set of slides on her iPad and shows us the different brand campaigns from the early 2000s. It is immediately clear that OMO’s message in Brazil was quite different from the brand image of Surf in India, Skip in France or Breeze in Thailand, which in turn seemed to have little to do with the brand positioning of Persil in the UK, Ala in Argentina or Rinso in Indonesia.

“Wow,” says Maarten, “talk about a challenge! I see what you mean: the brands were very diverse in their messaging.” “Yes and no,” says Aline as she shuts down the presentation and turns back to us. “Yes, because the messages were so out of tune with each other that there was no global positioning – no strong single message.”

The threat of commoditisation“But on another level, OMO and its sister brands were just detergents telling the same old story that dirt is bad, with nothing to distinguish OMO from the rest of the market. OMO was sending out more or less the same message as everyone else, using the same language and the same images. That is a great danger in this market: the threat of commoditisation.”

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“In Vietnam, the brand has such an iconic status that we managed to influence the government and change the school curriculum with our Dirt is Good campaign. Now kids in Vietnam get recess during the school day, and therefore time to play and develop,” says Aline.

“In the UK, our PR film featured a little girl baking a cake. She gets her clothes all sticky in the process, but she is thrilled to be mixing the ingredients and decorating the cake all on her own.

“By telling these small personal stories in local contexts, we really struck a chord with mothers and built up huge brand loyalty at a global level. Obviously, this great brand purpose has to be supported by a great detergent,” Aline concludes, as she shuts down the presentation.

Child development okay, but what about the profit?“So what has this meant for sales?” Maarten asks. “Does engaging in a deeper purpose like child development actually translate into tangible growth?”

“Absolutely, all you have to do is look at the figures: in less than a decade OMO has seen double-digit growth year on year, from less than $400 million to over $3 billion. It has become one of the biggest Unilever brands.”

“Wow,” I say as I look at Maarten and then back at Aline, “the ultimate proof, if we still needed it, that dirt really is good!”

As Aline explains this, I try to think of recent detergent campaigns and realise that I can’t clearly remember a single one – they all seem to blend into a single ad about micro particles deeply penetrating fibres and lifting away stains, and mothers hanging bright white sheets on clotheslines.

“You’re right,” says Maarten, “if you think about it, all the detergent brands’ messages were the same, promising ‘stain removal’, ‘best ever results,’ etcetera... it was all totally forgettable.”

Brand with a purpose“Exactly,” says Aline. “Unilever realised that we needed to take a different approach: we needed a purpose. We didn’t want to just be talking about ketchup stains anymore; we wanted to ladder up from a product to a human idea. We needed a relevant message that mothers would remember even after the laundry was folded away in the cupboard. Brands without a greater purpose have no future in today’s competitive market.”

“And this is where Dirt is Good comes in!” I say. “I’m starting to see the genius of this strategy. Dirt is Good conveys a radically different message and instantly distinguishes you from the rest of the market. It is an intriguing message from a detergent brand, so it grabs consumers’ attention.”

“That’s right, but it’s only one part of it,” says Aline with a confident smile. “Cleaning children’s clothes was nothing new, and if we just celebrated the enjoyment of getting dirty, the brand would never have become so successful. Instead, we started promoting the idea that there is some deeper benefit to be had from getting dirty. We conducted global research directly with mums to help us really understand their concerns, so we knew this idea would resonate with them. With a line that ‘There’s no Learning without Stains’, OMO started to show how getting dirty is an integral part of children’s development.”

The right to play“We are encouraging mothers to let their kids play, explore and discover. Let them dig into the sand and the mud, make paintings, climb in trees, play football – anything that will stimulate their minds and help them grow mentally and physically. The message to mothers is: ‘You take care of your child’s development, we will take care of the laundry.’”

“Very cool,” says Maarten, “from being ‘just another detergent’, you are now taking a stand for children’s rights and really engaging in a global debate.”

“It has been a huge challenge, but also a great success that has resonated globally in all the very diverse markets we operate in.”

“Yeah, so tell us how you translated this core concept into advertising campaigns in different markets,” I say.

Aline immediately opens up another set of slides on her iPad. “In Africa and some parts of Latin America, we showed children overcoming their fears and getting dirty in the process.

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Building a house

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The digging is done. Now we have to wait for the truck with the materials: the wooden poles, the prefab walls, windows and doors. And, of course, the prefab ‘teto’.

“We’ve already been waiting for over two hours... and still the truck with materials hasn’t turned up,” Henrique, one of the crew members, says. “Let’s have lunch. Marcia has prepared chicken, rice and beans for us.”

During lunch it starts raining. It’s gentle to start with, but then gets more intense. The holes for the foundation are fi lling with water. “Where is that %$^!*%. truck?!?” one of the volunteers shouts.

We see Luciano approaching. He’s talking on the phone, not looking very happy. “The truck is stuck in the mud. It won’t be here before dark, I’m afraid,” he says looking at Marcia. “Of course we have tomorrow, but we need two days to fi nish the house. Maybe we can do the walls and roof tomorrow and come back next week for the windows and door. I’m so sorry, Marcia.”

Marcia who is carrying her one-year-old baby in her arms has a worried look on her face. “If God wants it this way, then that’s okay with me,” she replies.

“It’s getting dark,” Luciano says. “Let’s try to be back here tomorrow morning before sunrise. That will give us an extra hour.” In the pouring rain we walk towards the local school where we will spend the night. ‘Poor Marcia’, I’m thinking.

The next morning we walk the same route in opposite direction. It is still dark, but the rain has stopped. Last night was fun. Somebody brought a guitar. There was music and laughter, but now nobody is laughing. It will be a long day and we won’t be able to fi nish Marcia’s house. She and the kids will have to spend another week without a warm shelter.

As we enter the street, we see the truck has already arrived. As we come closer we see other ‘Teto volunteers’ have started to unload the truck. As soon as they see us, one of them walks towards us. “Hi,” he says. “We’re from the other favela. We heard you had some problems so we’re here to help you. If we start right away, with six extra people, we should be able to fi nish the house today.”

It’s six p.m. as we place the house’s fi nal piece – the door. All the volunteers are gathered together in the small, 3x4-meter house. It is time for the inauguration. I take my camera and look through the lens at Marcia. I see tears in her eyes. Then I turn my camera to the volunteers. They are crying too. Luciano takes the offi cial papers out of his back pocket, ready to hand the house over to Marcia. He looks at the volunteers, at the kids, and then at Marcia. He hands her the document and says: “Welcome to your house.”

We’re on our way to the outskirts of São Paulo. Luciano is zigzagging his way through the heavy traffi c. We met him a few weeks ago, when he told us about the NGO he works for – ‘Um Teto Para Meu Pais’. “It means ‘a roof for my country’, and we build houses in the favela for the poorest of the poor,” Luciano says. “A favela, by the way, is kind of a shantytown. Most of the people here don’t even have the very basics of the Maslov pyramid – safe shelter.”

After more than an hour, we leave the main road, take a few turns and fi nd ourselves at the entrance of the Tonnato favela. Here we’ll help build a house with other ‘Um Teto’ volunteers. We leave the car at the edge of the favela and continue our trip on foot. We turn left and right and left again and fi nd ourselves in a labyrinth of little streets and alleys.

“In total there are almost 1000 volunteers working this weekend in six different favelas building 100 houses,” Luciano tells us with a clear sense of pride in his voice. We turn left again, followed by a sharp right. I’m starting to wonder whether Luciano knows where he’s going.

Then we enter a random street and see a group of young people, all with the same T-shirt. “Most of the volunteers are students, with different backgrounds and different nationalities. The one thing they all have in common is the drive and the will to change things,” Luciano says. “We need a team of eight people to build one house in one weekend. Let me introduce them to you.”

Our group is building for Marcia and her three kids. We start by removing the old cardboard house and digging four holes for the four poles that will serve as the foundation for the house. We talk to Marcia in our best Portuguese and try to get her story. “The moment we have a house where my children are safe, I can start working more and generate a better income and my children could go to school,” Marcia says with a smile on her face. “Maybe I could have my own little lunchroom, in front of the house. One of the things I do best is cook.”

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“Here we are,” says the taxi driver, as he pulls up in front of a non-descript garage door in a deserted street. He has taken us to a part of São Paulo where we have never been before to meet Humberto Campana, one of Brazil’s most renowned designers and one of the two Campana Brothers.

There is no company name on the door, but there is a doorbell. “This should be it,” I say as I press the bell. “Or maybe it isn’t,” I reconsider as the door remains closed. “Great. The taxi has gone and here we are in downtown São Paulo and no Irmãos in sight.”

At that moment, the door swings open and a woman invites us in with a warm smile. This must be Ana Paula, the brothers’ business, marketing and communications director and Humberto’s right hand. “Now we’re talking,” Maarten says as we enter a large space crowded with tables, chairs, lamps and cupboards. “We have just landed on Planet Campana!” From amidst this jumble of furniture, Humberto suddenly emerges. “There sure is a lot of stuff,” I say. “Do you produce all your pieces here?”“Actually,” Humberto says, “the best way to tell our story is by strolling through our atelier. So I suggest that we walk and talk – does that suit you?”“Sure, we’d love to take a peek behind the scenes,” says Maarten as we follow Humberto into the workplace.

“This is where we create prototypes, make special items and produce our own goods. We don’t have a factory so there is no mass production – every piece is custom-made. We do work with some partners, like Edra in Italy, who have licences to produce some of our designs, but that’s about it. “For us, it’s not about high sales figures, but about the creative process,” he explains as we walk past a craftsman who is welding pieces of metal together. It’s interesting to think that this will soon turn into a – more or less – comfortable chair. “Most of our inspiration comes from São Paulo,” Humberto resumes. “The chaos of the city and the total lack of any architectural standards make it a fascinating patchwork of inspiration for us. São Paulo appears hostile, but right under the surface you find humanity.”

Ana Paula continues. “The brothers attach a lot of importance to sustainability, local production and the use of natural materials. By choosing sustainability and low environmental impact, they hope that others will learn and follow their example. It is a way of life.” Humberto interrupts: “But watch out! We aren’t lecturing society – we are doing this to express our beliefs. We have always drawn inspiration from everyday objects that we come across on the street or in a corner shop. “For example, I once walked past a street vendor whose stall was filled with teddy bears,” he says as he walks over to a lounge stool made with teddy bears. “This is what we turned it into. This chair is an icon of our time, illustrating our need for comfort and tenderness.” “Can I try?” “Of course!” says Humberto with a broad gesture. “Make yourselves at home.” “Hmm, this is nice,” I say as I sink into the arms of the teddy bears. “Guys, I’ll be right here if you need me… In the meantime, could you bring me a latte, please?”

Meet ing I rmãos Campana

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Brazil’s New-Generation Serial Entrepreneur We’re strolling through Jardins Paulista, one of São Paolo’s upmarket neighbourhoods. The street scene is an eclectic mix of luxury boutiques and old-school corner shops, trendy restaurants and high-rise apartment blocks. It’s a sharp contrast to the favelas that lie on the outskirts of this metropolis, and once again underscores the huge contrasts and enormous social differences that exist in Brazil.

But things are changing – Brazil is booming. It is one of the few countries in the world with strong economic growth and each year millions of people rise above the poverty line. Later today, we are going to talk to Henrique Pinto, who is part of a new generation of entrepreneurs. With their new business ethics, these entrepreneurs are the driving force behind the country’s new economic power.

We sit down at a café on Rua Oscar Freire and order two large lattes. “Let’s see what Google has on Henrique,” I say as I take out my iPad. “Born in the city of Belo Horizonte, on one-hour flight from São Paulo, he started his first business at the age of 18. Since then he has founded more than 10 highly successful companies from scratch,” I read out loud. “And as if that weren’t enough, his businesses are highly diverse, ranging from granite and marble to business aviation, through fruit juices to cosmetics and construction. Seems like everything he touches turns to gold.” “I wonder if there’s a secret,” Maarten jokes as he leans back and takes a sip of coffee. “Maybe he has a secret alchemist’s formula that he uses to turn all his businesses into gold.” I scroll through the Google results. “I can’t find anything about a formula, and he’s certainly not making a secret of it. He is sharing his knowledge by giving motivational speeches to his employees and high-school students.”

“What does he talk about?” Maarten asks. “What is the main message?” I tap on the iPad screen and scroll down. “Let me see… it’s about the power of the mind. Here he quotes Henry Ford: ‘Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.’ So actually, I guess he’s teaching young people to believe in themselves.”

“Sure,” Maarten replies, “but it’s more than just words – he shows them that it’s possible. The guy practises what he preaches.” I look at a photo of Henrique on the tablet. “I’m seriously looking forward to meeting him.”

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Meet ing Henr ique A l ves Pin to in Ja rd ins Pau l i s ta

It’s a hot and sunny day in São Paulo and we’re on our way to meet Henrique Pinto, one of Brazil’s leading ‘new-generation’ businessmen. We’re in the upmarket Jardins Paulista neighbourhood, looking for a restaurant called Figueira that is meant to be near the famous Oscar Freire shopping district. “Apparently the place is built around a gigantic fig tree,” I tell Maarten. He looks at me with a sceptical smile and I can see him think, “A giant fig tree, in the middle of São Paulo, sounds like an urban myth,” but she only smiles and says: “Sounds special – let’s go check it out!”

There’s a distinct Brazilian mood in the air at Figueira – people sipping cocktails, laughter and flirting in the air, and the rhythms of bossa nova in the background. And, as promised: a giant fig tree in the middle of the patio dining area. As soon as we walk in, a sharply dressed 30-something-year-old guy steps up to us. “Anouk, Maarten! Welcome to São Paulo! Come this way, let’s sit down.”

After we order drinks, I turn to Henrique. “So we hear that you are something of a serial entrepreneur, setting up successful businesses one after another. Do you have a magic touch or is Brazil changing?”

“Ha!” he says with a broad smile and a twinkle in his eyes. “Good question! I guess it’s a bit of both. You know, I have no pretentions, I come from a modest background. When I started out at the age of 18, I had everything and nothing: on the one hand I was lucky to have a caring and supportive family behind me, and to have received a good education. On the other hand, I had no connections, and no financial backing whatsoever. I was hungry though, I had an unstoppable drive and the will to succeed. I saw the opportunity my parents had given me and was able to make the most of it.”

“Okay,” I say, “but there are plenty of young people out there with ambition and goodwill, but they don’t make it to the top by the age of 37.”

Henrique gazes into the distance as he considers my remark. “That’s true,” he says as he turns back to look at me. “I’m not saying it was easy. Brazil was a different place when I started out. The economy was isolated, not everyone had access to education and – worst of all – you needed jeitinho to get anything done.”

“You needed what?” asks Maarten with a puzzled look.

“Jeitinho brasileiro,” says Henrique as he turns to her with a smile, “a very Brazilian term, how can I translate it?” He makes a snaking motion with his hand. “It’s about always finding a way round the rules: breaking traffic laws, bribing officials, evading taxes, getting your distant relative in the ministry to speed up a procedure… basically corruption and nepotism. “Forty years ago it was the way to get ahead, what smart people did – and kids were raised to admire people who made it and got rich through jeitinho. It was a system that made the rich richer, and left the poor with no opportunities. For kids growing up on the bottom rungs of society, the only way of succeeding, of living the dream, was football.”

“So how did you get around jeitinho?” asks Maarten. “How do you break a system like that?”

“By fighting it.” Henrique suddenly has a fierce look in his eyes. “A dream is just a dream if you don’t wake up every morning and go fight for it.” He pauses for a minute and takes a sip of his açai fruit juice. “I’m not saying it was easy – it was a struggle. We – by ‘we’ I mean the new generation of entrepreneurs – were trying to change deeply engrained habits. We didn’t just want change for ourselves, we wanted change for the country.”

“And you did that setting a new example,” I say. “And by inspiring people to believe in themselves.”

New business ethics“That’s right,” says Henrique, “but of course it’s easier said than done. It was hard work, we faced resistance every step of the way… We had to fundamentally change this country’s business ethics, and make a decisive shift away from corruption.”

“And what do the new business ethics mean in practice?” asks Maarten.

“It’s many things on many levels: it means paying your taxes and abiding by the law, but also sharing your success, motivating people and showing people that if you really want something and set your mind to it, you can make it,” explains Henrique.

“My generation and those after us have turned things around. Today’s youth reject everything to do with jeitinho and Brazil is a different country than it was 30 years ago. We have generated a virtuous cycle in which the economy is moving from strength to strength, more and more people have access to education, infrastructure is improving and overall living standards and expectations are constantly rising.”

“I read that in the 1980s Brazil was defaulting on its debt, while today it’s the eighth largest economy in the world,” says Maarten. “That’s a pretty unbelievable change to be part of.”

Henrique nods. “It’s been an incredible journey. For me, there is nothing more satisfying than contributing to my country’s development by giving people the opportunity to prove themselves. Together with a small group of entrepreneurs, we made Brazil what it is now. We invested heavily in the domestic economy, played by the rules and provided thousands of families with the opportunity to rise out of poverty. As an example, the CEOs in three of my companies started as interns. They now run multi-million dollar companies with me; they’ve literally grown together with the companies.”

Motivational speaker“We heard you also give motivational speeches to the younger generation and underprivileged communities. I can really imagine people are inspired by you – both by your words and your achievements,” I say. “Where do you draw this incredible strength from?”

Henrique laughs. “I’m a strong believer in the power of the mind: if you work hard and believe in yourself, if you unleash all your passion and capacity, then the world is your oyster. I am deeply convinced of this – it is how I live and how I work.”

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We arrive in Cuiabá in the late afternoon and we meet Ailton Lara at the airport. Ailton lived all his life in this area and has become a wildlife specialist. “Tomorrow we have an early start,” he tells us when he drops us off at our hotel. “Don’t forget: long sleeves, a hat and mosquito repellent.”It’s 6am when we drive out of town in the direction of the Pantanal, a wetland the size of England. The road is straight and the traffic is almost non-existent. After a two-hour drive we make a stop in a small town called Poconé where Ailton stops the jeep near the marketplace. “Here we will buy food and water for the coming days,” he says when we stroll over the local market. “One day we will eat beans, rice and meat, the next day it will be meat, rice and beans.” I laugh, but at the look at Ailton’s face, I see he’s not joking. But then again, I never expected this to be a five-star culinary journey.It’s five in the afternoon when we arrive at the end of the road. “This is it!” Ailton says cheerfully. We look around but all we see is a river in front of us and forest on the sides. “This is what?” I ask, as we get out of the car. “This is the end of the road, from here on we will take the boat,” Ailton replies. “Over there is the Puma lodge, where we will stay overnight,” he continues, pointing in the direction of the woods. There are several lodges around for birdwatchers, fishermen, nature lovers and people like us, in search of a jaguar. “Let’s prepare our dinner. Today it will be beans, rice and meat,” Ailton says with a big smile.The next morning at sunrise we’re navigating a small boat upstream in search of a jaguar. From the big river we take a left into a smaller river, then a right into a creek and then a right again where we find ourselves in the middle of nowhere.

“The first thing we have to do is look for footprints on the river beds,” Ailton says with a low voice, as if he thinks a jaguar will hear us.

Just as we decide to call it a day, Ailton suddenly shouts: “There he is!” We look in the direction Ailton is pointing, but see nothing. “Look there!” Ailton says, while pointing at the skies above the forest. “What are you pointing at?” I ask, “a flying jaguar? The sun has done more damage to your brain than we thought!” I laugh, “There are only birds up there.” Ailton changes the direction of the boat and looks at us like a schoolteacher would. “The birds you see circling up there are vultures, they feed on the carcasses of dead animals. The Jaguar has made a kill!” Zigzagging through the labyrinth of rivers and creeks we approach the crime scene. Slowly we scan the coastline, peering into the forest. “After dinner, he probably heads for the river for a drink and some sunbathing,” Ailton says. A joke about beans, rice and meat pops up in my mind. Then there is this shadow moving in the woods. And it disappears again. We stop the motor and the boat comes to a standstill. We scan the edge of the forest in complete silence, but see nothing. Suddenly there he is, 150 kilos of muscle and teeth staring at us. In amazement we stare back at him. “Wow! This is a very special moment,” I say softly. “It sure is,” Ailton replies, “but shouldn’t you take a picture?”

Close encounter

with a jaguar

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Swimming with

pink dolphins

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We leave Manaus Harbour early in the morning, a speed boat taking us across the Rio Negro. After 30 minutes, we are put ashore at a tiny village where a minibus is waiting for us. From here we follow a trail through the woods. The trees get taller and the forest denser. More than an hour later we arrive at the end of the road. “We’re here,” the driver says. We get out of the bus and look around. “Where is here?” I ask.We sit and wait, enjoying the silence. After 20 minutes another speed boat arrives. We travel along rivers and creeks and creeks and rivers. We see trees, trees and more trees. “How is it possible to fi nd your way through this labyrinth?” I ask the man steering the boat. “There are no signs and everything looks the same.” The man doesn’t answer, so I sit back and enjoy the view. “He would probably get lost driving in Paris,” I comfort myself. Two hours later, the man turns to me and says in Portuguese: “There it is,” pointing in the direction of the forest, “there’s Juma Lodge.”“In the pictures the cabins were in the treetops,” I say, looking at the little houses at river level. “They are,” the man replies, “but in the wet season the river rises 15 metres.”The next morning we’re sitting on the boardwalk, overlooking the river. Our guide, Bina, comes and sits next to us. He is a local, born and raised in the Amazon Rainforest. “What do you want to do today?” he asks. “A reconnaissance of the igapós, the fl ooded forest? A short hike and instruction in jungle survival?”“You know,” I say, “we have been travelling for several months now, meeting people and brands in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. We would be quite happy doing nothing, right here in the middle of the rainforest.” Bina looks disappointed. “I could show you the medicinal plants of the rainforest, the pharmacy of the world... I can take you to the tallest tree in the rainforest. The sumaúma can grow up to 40 metres tall.”“No thanks,” I reply, “we’re fi ne here. We’ll do some meditation overlooking the river.” “As you wish,” Bina says, “I’ll bring you some açai juice later and while you’re here, you can go swimming or maybe do some piranha fi shing.” He turns around, follows the boardwalk in the opposite direction and disappears in the treetops. When we fi rst arrived I thought there was total silence, but I was wrong, there is just a different dimension of sounds. I close my eyes and hear the wind in the trees and the water against the boardwalk, birds and an occasional howler monkey. “Do you hear that?” Anouk asks. “Do you hear that whistling sound?” I concentrate, but hear nothing. “There it is again!” Anouk says. I listen again very carefully, but hear nothing. “It’s probably a bird, up in the...” Before I can fi nish my sentence, a dorsal fi n slices through the water 20 metres away, and then another. “Did you see that?” I ask Anouk. “Those are pink river dolphins.”We see three or four dolphins swimming just in front of us. “Wow,” I say, taking off my T-shirt, “I swam with a whale shark in Djibouti, this is my chance to swim with a pink dolphin.” I unlace my trainers and glide off the boardwalk into the water. “Are you sure you want to do that?” Anouk asks. “Of course,” I reply, “Bina mentioned that we could swim.”“So I heard,” Anouk says, “but he also mentioned piranha fi shing.”

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Yucatan, Mexico

the end of the world

as we know it

We are staying at the Casa Hamaca guesthouse in Valladolid. The host, our friend Denis, invited us to pay him a visit of a few days: “If you do a trip Around the World in 80 Brands, writing stories, Yucatan is a must. The best stories are here. Maya culture is amazing. The Mayas were excellent astrologists and mathematicians. They invented the 0 before any other culture. And the biggest story is of course the Mayan calendar and the predictions of the end of the world in December 2012,” he had said over the phone. “Wow, ‘the end of the world’, that sounds like a great ending for our book,” I replied with a smile.

The very fi rst morning of our stay, Denis explains his plan for the day: “I will take you to Chichén Itzá, one of the most important Maya cities. Let me show you the Kukulcán pyramid and even the mysterious calendar.” On the way to the famous temple complex, Denis tells us more about Mayan culture. “The people working for me in the guesthouse are Mayan. They speak Mayan, cook Mayan, soon I will start dreaming Mayan,” he jokes.

As we enter the temple area and see the huge pyramid we feel impressed by the size on the one hand and by the fi nesse of the architecture on the other. It is not just big stones put one on the other, but the staircase leading to the top of the pyramid bordered with a giant snake statue is almost frightening.

“You guys, go up, to the top of the pyramid, while I go over there to take a picture,” I say pointing in the direction of a smaller building, called the Jaguar Temple. As I mount my camera on the tripod, I see Anouk and Denis almost reach the top of the temple. I look through the lens and adjust the shutter speed to the surrounding light, when I suddenly hear a voice behind me say: “It will be the end of the world as we know it.” I turn around and see this typically Mayan-looking man, wearing a white robe. “I’m sorry?” I reply. He looks at me as if he’s looking right through me, in a sort of friendly way though. “The end of the calendar means the world as we know it, will come to an end. The way people live, their relation with the planet, nature and with each other will end.” “I don’t know what to say,” I mutter, “you take me a bit by surprise with this prediction.” I look at the pyramid and see Anouk waving at me. I wave back and turn to the man again. “Is there anything I can do?” I ask. “You travel a lot,” he says, “you see many different cultures around the world. Tell people from other cultures to change their ways. Let them become conscious of the higher goal in life.”

“Maarten, Maarten, are you okay?” I look over my shoulder and see Anouk and Denis approach. “Did you take the picture?” she asks. “No, not yet. I was talking to this Mayan priest,” I reply pointing behind me. “What Mayan priest?” Anouk wonders. “This Mayan ....,” I say turning around and discovering that the man has disappeared. “But there was this man, just a few seconds ago... I swear!”

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“The first Cuba Libre was created in 1900,” Facundo tells us as I watch Tony prepare our drinks. "That means it's already 112 years old in your time," he says."What do you mean, in our time?" I ask."Oh, nothing," Facundo says quickly and continues the story he started. "At the end of the Spanish-American War, some American soldiers asked for their Coca-Cola to be mixed with Bacardi and lime and by doing so created a new cocktail. They toasted to Cuba’s freedom and the drink was named Cuba Libre."Tony puts our cocktails on the bar and Facundo raises his glass. "Cuba Libre!" he says. “Cuba Libre!” we repeat after him. “I hope you like these stories from the good old days,” Facundo says. “Did I tell you Bacardi hosted a great party celebrating Ernest Hemingway winning the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature?" he asks without waiting for an answer. "Hemingway lived in Cuba for many years and even wrote about Bacardi in his book The Old Man and the Sea.""This man is like a walking history book," I think to myself. "Let me tell you something else,” he continues. “The passion and entrepreneurial spirit shown by the Bacardi family in Santiago de Cuba a century and a half ago gave birth to an exceptional rum that would change the spirit industry forever. For the past 150 years, Bacardi has brought people together through legendary parties.” Facundo pauses for a moment to let the words sink in. “I still recall the parties we had in the twenties, during the prohibition in the United States. We received the entire jet-set for our cocktail parties.”“How do you mean, you still remember the parties in the twenties,” I say, “that would mean...”

At that moment Tabaco comes into the bar. We wave at him to catch his attention and beckon him over."Join us for a Cuba Libre," I say. "Our friend here has just been telling us about how the cocktail was created and about El Coco. It's exactly the kind of information we need for the Bacardi story we want to write.""What friend?" Tabaco asks.We turn around, but the bar stool next to us is empty. There's no sign of our storyteller. "He was here just a minute ago. He said his name was Don Facundo,” I say."Sure," Tabaco says, "Don Facundo Bacardi was here... talking to you. I think you may have had one cocktail too many. Let me take you back to the hotel."

At the start of our trip around the world, we were invited to a Bacardi party in Berlin, by some friends who work for the brand. They told us 2012 will be its most innovative year since the creation of Bacardi rum in 1862. Throughout the year, they will host one-of-a-kind birthday parties for their 150th anniversary, around the world. They also talked about their Cuban heritage and we decided to visit the island and see it for ourselves.

So here we are, sitting in the back seat of a red classic American convertible, ready to explore the Havana night life. "This baby is a 1958 DeSoto convertible,” the driver says, tapping gently on the dashboard. “It’s not a car, it’s a time machine.” The car accelerates and turns left onto the Malecón, the promenade and seawall that stretches for 8km from the Old Havana to the Vedado neighboorhood.

The driver is a man in his seventies with a large, unlit cigar in his mouth. Seeing me look at the cigar, he says, "I stopped smoking a long time ago, but I still can't get used to not having a cigar in my mouth. That’s why all my friends call me Tabaco."

"What brings you to Cuba?" Tabaco asks, looking over his shoulder."We're making a trip around the world, writing stories about people and brands," Anouk says, trying not to complicate the job description by using phrases like 'third-party storytelling' and 'creating talk value'. "There's a long heritage," Tabaco nods. "The Bacardi family started a rum distillery in Santiago de Cuba in 1800 and something. But after the revolution in 1959, all the businesses on the island were confiscated. Bacardi was forced to leave Cuba and went to... somewhere else.""Puerto Rico," I say, "I think Bacardi went to Puerto Rico where they started the business again with the secret formula and original yeast.” Tabaco nods as if he suddenly remembers.“And Bacardi started his distillery in 1862,” I add. “I know because the parties that are being organised around the world this year, are to celebrate the brand’s 150th anniversary."

After a 20 minute drive, we stop in front of a tall building with a bell tower on the roof. "Where are we?" I ask Tabaco. "You'll see when you get inside," he says. "I'll park the car and catch up with you later.”

We enter the building and admire the Art Deco design. We follow the signs to the bar on the mezzanine level. As we walk up the stairs I notice a familiar symbol on one of the lamps. "There's the Bacardi bat," Anouk says. "This must be the Edificio Bacardi. It was completed in 1930 and was the original headquarters of the Bacardi company.”We step into the bar. Couples sway to the beat of salsa music and bartenders mix cocktails with practiced ease. We must look a little lost, because a man approaches us. He has a distinguished look and a friendly face and is wearing an outfi t from an era long gone. “There’s probably a dress code for tonight,” I think to myself. "Welcome to Edificio Bacardi. My name is Don Facundo," he says. "We're having a party like the ones they had in the Roaring Twenties, when film stars and singers flocked to Havana. Let’s have a drink,” he says and leads us to the bar.“He has the same name as the founder of Bacardi,” Anouk whispers, “Don Facundo Bacardi, who started the distillery in the 19th century in Santiago de Cuba.”“What would you like?” our host asks, pointing at the bartender. “No, don’t say anything. I’ll order for you. Tony, three Cuba Libres for me and my new friends, with Bacardi rum of course."

Legendary par ty in Havana

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North America -United states of America

New york4.758 miles from

São pauloTime of Arrival 09:42

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New York rocks

We are in downtown New York. We have been here several times before and know Manhattan pretty well.

We are discussing our plans for the day while enjoying a caramel macchiato in one of the zillions of Starbucks cafés that help keep New Yorkers awake.

“Let’s see, what will it be this afternoon?” I ask. “We could take some pics from the top of the Empire State Building!” “Again?” says Anouk.

“Skating in Central Park?” I suggest. “Done that!” Anouk replies.

“Check out the Bronx?” I try.“Hmmm, maybe not,” is the answer.

“A helicopter flight…?” I persist. Anouk is having one of her attacks of ‘been there, done that’ and rolls her eyes at every suggestion. “We are in one of the world’s most switched-on cities,” I say. “Why don’t you come up with something.”

Anouk decides to order another coffee while I try to breathe calmly and empty my mind. When she comes back, she has a big smile on her face! “I’ve got it,”she says. “I picked up a leaflet from TKTS ticket sellers. Why don’t we go to a Broadway show? New York is the capital of live entertainment.”

“Well, I don’t know,” I lie, while secretly thinking it is a great idea. “What show is on?”

“In an hour, we can go and see Billy Elliott,” she says. “No, too girly,” I say.

“Priscilla, Queen of the Desert?” she asks. “No, too Australian,” I say.

She didn’t make it easy on me and I’m not going to make it easy on her.

“The Lion King?” Anouk persists. “Mmm, no, too childish,” I reply.

“Pfff,” Anouk sighs, “Do you want to stay in this Starbucks all day? Come on, I’ll look off-Broadway; maybe we can find something cooler there. What would you like to see?” “I don’t know, something that really rocks,” I say.

Anouk scans the leaflet and then her eyes light up. “Here’s the perfect show, Rock of Ages. What do you think?”

“Cool,” I smile. “Let’s rock!”

We cross the street at Prince Street and turn left.

“Another great example of a Lovemark,” Mark says, pointing at The Body Shop on the other side of the street.

“That is one of my favourite brands,” I say. “With her focus on corporate social responsibility, Anita Roddick reinforced the idea and the belief that a better world is possible. So for me, it’s The Body Shop or nothing.”

“That’s what it’s all about. People love and protect their Lovemarks, are loyal beyond reason and don’t quite know what to do when they’re taken away.”

We are now heading towards Broadway, cross the street and are almost hit by a yellow cab.

“Yellow cab is a brand, all right, but far from being a Lovemark,” Mark jokes.

“And another one,” Mark says, pointing at a shop front decorated entirely in Hello Kitty stuff. “It’s amazing how kids LOVE this brand. It is often the third word they learn; mum, dad, Hello Kitty.”

“So Mark, what is your Lovemark?” Maarten asks. “Amazon?”

“No,” I say, “I think you are more a Facebook kind of guy.”

“Or maybe Lexus?” Maarten says.

“All great brands, but my favourite Lovemark is right here,” Mark says, pointing at a store right next to him. “Welcome to Dean & Deluca.”

We enter the store and the waitress walks towards us. “I am so sorry, but we are fully booked.”

“Maybe you should change your Lovemark into Starbucks,” I joke.

“Never, a Lovemark can disappoint you, but you accept and you forgive. That’s one of the main features of a Lovemark.”

As we’re heading towards the exit, the waitress says, “One second, we can manage to get three chairs together in a corner. It is not particularly comfortable, but we will offer you a coffee to make up for it.”

Mark turns towards us and winks.

“That’s what I call a Lovemark.”

We exit the underground at Spring Street station and emerge at Sixth Avenue.

“I love SoHo more each time we come back,” Maarten says. “The buzz, the brownstones, the great restaurants.”

“And don’t forget the shopping potential,” I say with a smile.

We are heading onto Spring Street where I take a pic of the typical fire escapes before taking a right turn onto Greene Street. We’re meeting Mark Sherwood from Saatchi & Saatchi at the Burberry store.

“Meet me at the Burberry store on Spring Street, we should start our brand tour there,” he told me over the phone when we set our meeting.

“Maarten… Anouk?” we hear behind us. We look over our shoulder and recognise Mark from his profile pic on Facebook. “Nice meeting you guys,” he says. “I’ve been following your trip Around the World in 80 Brands on Facebook. I really love the story of the jaguar hunt in Brazil.”

“Mark, nice to meet you finally,” I say. “We wanted to hear your story about Lovemarks.”

“That’s why I wanted us to meet here,” Mark says. “In the temple of one of my biggest Lovemarks as an Englishman in New York: Burberry. The brand was founded in 1856 and has since survived many changes in the world. They are still on top of the game, now thanks to creative director Christopher Bailey and his uber-cool design team.

“Let’s take a walk,” Mark says.

We exit the store and walk along Greene Street in the opposite direction.

“A Lovemark is a brand that inspires Loyalty Beyond Reason,” Mark continues. “A few years back at Saatchi, we bundled our experience and came up with a definition of our take on modern communications and brands. And we believe it’s about Lovemarks. Certain brands attract people because they speak to people’s hearts and inspire Loyalty Beyond Reason.”

“For me that would be Harley-Davidson,” Maarten says. “We’re doing part of Route 66 by bike in the next weeks and I am really looking forward to meeting up with some other bikers.”

“Harley-Davidson is a great example of community branding,” Mark says. “At Saatchi we’ve moved from ‘selling by yelling to selling by involving’. And we help brands understand that they need to get people involved with their hearts. You could sort of call us the Lovemarks Company.”

Meet ing Mark Sherwood

in SoHo

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“But, I mean, this is huge,” I add. “How are you going to make a difference here? We’re talking about global health, tradition, culture, eating and living habits, people who live in remote areas, etc.?”

“That’s exactly our point,” Robert says. “We’ve made a shared commitment to creating better health for more people. Really together. Not to brag, but we’ve created some brilliant ways for people to access our know-how in a low-threshold kind of way. ‘I’m expecting’, for example, is a pregnancy application that’s helping mothers track symptoms, add doctor’s appointments and even upload snapshots of the bump. ‘Morsel’ provides a daily task that anyone can do to improve their health each day. It’s real, hands-on, ready-to-use help that’s available to anyone.”

“That’s true, Robert,” Rachel confirms. “But the apps are just a tiny portion of what we’re doing. Let me explain the scope. We have committed $6 billion to this project. That’s 6,000,000,000. Three billion is being invested in R&D to launch at least 100 innovations that lower the cost of healthcare, increase access to equipment and improve quality – all by 15% – by 2015.”

“Wow – that’s a lot of money,” I say, amazed. “But Robert, can money alone achieve that sort of change?”

“In a word, no. Our CEO Jeff Immelt always stresses that healthcare needs new solutions. For him, and us, it’s about innovating with smarter processes and technologies so we can help doctors and hospitals deliver better healthcare to more people at a lower cost.”

“But what sort of solutions?” Anouk asks.

“For example,” Robert continues, “some of our latest innovations include a low-cost digital x-ray machine, portable ultrasounds, more affordable cardiac equipment. They’re all going to cut costs for doctors, hospitals, the government, families and businesses. We’ve seen it happening already. Rural and urban areas and developing countries can now get their own technology on site for a decent price.”

“But what does that bring GE, except a good image?” Anouk asks.

“Well,” Rachel says, “GE is a commercial organisation, but we believe that brands should have a purpose. What role does a brand play in people’s life, in society? The purpose of GE, with healthymagination, is to provide better and affordable healthcare. We are convinced that we can do great things for people and still make a sound profit, which is essential for the survival and sustainability of the company.”

“Wow,” I say. “You’ve set yourself a serious challenge. But if your ecomagination results are anything to go by, I’m sure you’ll make it. I’m definitely checking out the My Diet app whatever happens. I need to fit into these trousers for the rest of our trip. Thanks!”

As Anouk gets up to go and order another coffee, I take a look around. “Your average Starbucks crowd,” I think to myself. “Apart from that lot at the next table. I wonder what they’re up to?” Sitting at the table next to us is a bunch of smartly dressed men and women huddled round a tablet. Their conversation seems pretty intense, with steely silence while one of them works on the tablet alternated by moments of rapid-fire chatting and laughter. I catch part of the conversation. “No, it’s a low fat latte... That’s 175 calories.”“Yes, but you added caramel so it’s up to 215.”“Looks like you’re running tonight for at least 30 minutes or it’s salad for dinner,” one of the women says laughing. Never shy, I tap one of the guys on the shoulder. “Hi. I couldn’t help overhear you guys talking. Is that something to do with Weight Watchers? You see, we’ve been on the road for weeks now and I’m starting to feel pretty unfit. I can only speak for myself, but I could do with some healthy living for a while.” Just as I finish, Anouk comes over with two more caramel macchiatos and a slice of lemon cake. I look meaningfully at Anouk, and then at the guy at the other table, who smiles.

“I see what you mean,” he says with a broad grin. “Hi, I’m Robert. No, it’s not Weight Watchers. We’re all from GE Healthcare – umm, General Electric – and we’re testing a new app called My Diet Diary. It’s pretty cool actually. You enter your personal details and it helps you plan what you can eat, keeps track of your calories, suggests meals and an exercise routine, etc. The most important thing is that it’s all tailored to you.”

“Now that’s what I need,” Anouk says, staring with a somewhat guilty expression at the cake. “Can I download it?”

“Sure. You’ll find it on our healthymagination website,” says Robert.

“Ahh. Now that rings a bell,” Anouk responds. “We did a story a couple of years back on ecomagination – your sustainability programme. Is it related?”

One of the ladies at the table gets involved. “Hi guys. Robert, if that’s okay?” He nods. “Hi, I’m Rachel. I’m the General Manager of Healthymagination at GE Healthcare and I was also involved in ecomagination. To answer your question: no they’re not really related, except that I think it’s another great initiative. Instead of sustainability, this project is all about healthcare.”

“What did you say? Healthymagination?” I ask.

“Right,” Rachel responds. “There are some pretty scary things going on out there. Chronic disease is getting out of hand and populations are getting older and older. Did you know that every year 100 million people around the globe fall into poverty due to healthcare costs? Or that around two billion people live without access to basic healthcare? Here in the US, weight is one of the most obvious problems, but it’s not the only one. Smoking, Alzheimer’s and all sorts of cancer need our close attention. At GE, we want to help people get back on track.”

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[ From the General Electric website: The healthymagination charter is (by 2015) to improve the quality of care by 15% or more, to reduce the cost of procedures and processes through the appropriate use of GE technologies and services by 15% and to increase the access to essential technologies and services essential to health by 15%. ]

Meet ing hea l thymag inat ion

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We’ve been in New York for a couple of days now and our schedule has been packed with meetings: lunch with international designers, drinks with new contacts and brainstorming sessions with branding experts.

But today we’re having a day off! We’re going to have a stroll through Central Park, have lunch at Dean & Deluca and maybe head to MoMA in the afternoon. “No!” says Anouk as we finish breakfast, “let’s go and see my friend Melissa first, she’s really great, you’ll like her.”

“Ok,” I say as I finish my caffe latte. “I’ve never heard you mention her before. What does she do?”

“I met her several times in São Paulo,” says Anouk. “She’s amazing – you’ll see, very trendy and creative – I guess she’s in her early thirties. She works with creators from all over the world: Jean Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood, Campana Brothers, even with the architect Zaha Hadid.”

“Wow, that’s a pretty impressive list…”

“Yeah, and on top of that she’s just launched her own design academy.”

“And so what does she design?”

“You’ll see, you’ll see,” Anouk says with a mysterious little smile as we head out of the hotel. “Last time I saw her, she told me to come and visit her if we ever came to New York, as she was about to move here.”

Anouk pulls out a small map. “She’s down on Greene Street in SoHo – I love that neighbourhood and I think it really suits Melissa’s style as well.”

“Ok, let’s go!” I say as we head down 7th Avenue. “I’m curious to hear her story!”

“I have the feeling she wants to conquer the world,” says Anouk. “First her own gallery on Oscar Freire, the trendiest street in São Paulo; now she’s in New York… I wonder what she’s planning next!”

“Well, I guess we’re about to find out,” I say as we stroll past SoHo’s trendy boutiques and art galleries into Greene Street. “So does she know we’re coming by the way?”

“Yes she does!” Anouk turns to me with a big smile and points at a colourful shop window. “Here we are: Galeria Melissa!”

“Hang on… now I’m confused: is Melissa your friend or is it a brand? Anouk, are you making friends with brands now?”

Anouk laughs. “She’s both: an amazing shoe brand that creates more than just shoes – they’re fashion accessories. She’s a global fashion icon.”

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150Galeria Melissa New York

I try to ignore him and continue. “I can see why the Campana Brothers like working with the Melissa brand. What other artists get excited by the concept?”

“Melissa’s ethos attracts designers from around the world and from diverse disciplines,” Paulinho says. Vivienne Westwood, Jean Paul Gaultier and Alexandre Herchcovitch are just three of the world’s top designers who have designed shoes for us.”

“Who are some Melissa designers from outside the fashion world?” I wonder out loud.

“Zaha Hadid, the first female architect ever to win the Pritzker Architecture Prize, in 2004, loves working with plastic and fashion,” Paulinho says. “Her vision of form is amazing. She says she loves the fluidity of design that plastic allows, without requiring closures as leather shoes do.”

“How do you find new talent, to stay ahead of the crowd?” I want to know. Paulinho has the answer: “Edson Matsuo, who leads our Creative Team, also runs a project called Melissa Academy. The purpose is to invite fresh creative minds to come up with brand-new ways to design with plastic. To keep the concept as broad as possible, we didn’t ask the students to design a shoe. We asked them to design a ‘walking object’. The results were unbelievable and three of the creations actually went into production.”

A group of trendy people is gathered just outside the door. The sales people have stopped straightening displays and some of them are now busy putting on lipstick and adjusting their hair. Maarten and Paulinho are suddenly standing up taller. They are not paying much attention to the shoes. “Men,” I sigh.

“How cool for the students!” I exclaim, trying to break the ‘Anne Hathaway’ spell. “It is very exciting,” Paulinho agrees, still glancing over his shoulder at the front door. “Our first programme was at the Geneva University of Art and Design. Our goal is to foster the same kind of exchange at all the major design schools. It is our vision to catalyse entirely new approaches to plastic.”

“What’s the secret behind the plastic itself?” I ask. “How do you make these cool shoes?”

“We began refining our plastic early on. We wanted a better quality PVC, really flexible, elastic and longwearing. And recyclable!” he adds before continuing. “We patented Melflex technology, which covers both the material and the injection moulding process. It is exclusive to Melissa. We’ve also played a lot with different effects and textures, as you can see.”

“Oh my gosh,” a sales girl says loudly. “Jason Wu is here!” My eyes go wide: this is a Melissa designer, right here in SoHo! “I love Jason Wu, I love the Melissa collection he made!” I say with excitement. Maarten and Paulinho look disappointed as Jason enters the store.

“Plastic is fantastic,” I say with a big smile.

P las t i c Dreams

A man approaches us: “Hi, I am Paulinho, we spoke on the phone.” Paulinho is responsible for the Melissa brand. “Welcome to Galeria Melissa SoHo,” he says, sweeping his arm, inviting us further inside. “You are now in Melissa’s world of plastic dreams.”“It looks like a dream world,” I say. Brightly coloured paintings and sculptures are pulling my attention in several directions. Staff members, all wearing Melissa shoes, are busy straightening displays and constantly glancing out the large display window. “What exactly is going on here?” I ask.

Paulinho smiles. “The crew is excited because there’s a rumour that a celebrity is coming to shop with us today.”

Maarten’s eyes light up. “A celebrity as in a movie star?” he asks.

“We see quite a few models and actresses here,” Paulinho says to Maarten, lowering his voice and leaning towards us, “it might be Kate Moss.”

“Maybe we should continue our tour before it gets crazy when this mystery shopper arrives,” I suggest.

“That’s a good idea,” Paulinho agrees. “This is an art gallery where you can buy Melissa shoes, but where you can also see other work by the designers and artists who collaborate with us,” Paulinho explains. “Every few months we change exhibits to showcase a different designer.”

“That’s cool. But why do these established artists want to design plastic shoes?” I ask. Paulinho replies, “Melissa represents plastic as design. Our shoes protect your feet while you go from one place to another, but they are more than just footwear. They are fashion accessories. They are design pieces.”

“Kate Moss has so many different looks, and they’re all terrific, aren’t they?” Maarten says to Paulinho, who nods his head in agreement. I roll my eyes; we’re here to talk about Melissa, not Kate.

“Whose art are we seeing now?” I ask. “It’s really cool.”

“This installation is by the Campana Brothers,” Paulinho tells us. “Fernando and Humberto have worked with Melissa for years. They are also Brazilian. They like using everyday materials to represent the chaos of life, but in a beautiful way. That’s why they were so taken with the idea of design shoes, made of plastic.”

There’s a flurry of activity near the door as a limo slows by the kerb. “It might be Anne Hathaway,” Paulinho whispers. “She has been seen wearing Melissa shoes several times.” “Tell me more about this plastic,” I say, picking up a shoe sprinkled with Swarovski® crystals.

“There is a huge revival of plastic in fashion right now. Designers like it because it is versatile and colourful. It’s fun. Melissa has been able to translate all kinds of touch and texture into fantastic forms with plastic,” Paulinho says.

“Do you know she’s going to play Catwoman?” Maarten says excitedly to Paulinho. “Anne Hathaway, I mean.” I start thinking Maarten is losing sight of the reason for our visit.

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We head into the gallery, which doubles as an exhibition space where artists and designers who collaborate with Melissa exhibit their work. “This boutique feels very different from the boutique in São Paulo on Oscar Freire,” I comment to Maarten. “But it’s just as cool.”

Galeria Melissa São Paulo

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“I see that you met David,” Michael says coming into the room, followed by the two dogs. “Please sit down.”

“Maybe I’ll see you guys later,” David says, while walking out. “Michael, before I forget, I am a Visionary, Artist, Rebel, Intellectual.”

Before I get the chance to ask Michael what David was talking about, he starts off. “Some time ago Archetypes’ founder came to us and asked us to help her. We immediately recognised its social value and interesting business potential so we decided to help her transform the concept into a viable enterprise.”

“Wow, can you do that?” Anouk asks. “As an agency I mean?”

“Yes, well LIPMAN is both a consultancy and creative agency. One of our strengths is we can get projects like Archetypes up and running with funding through our private equity group.

“For Archetypes, our consultancy team created value propositions, defined strategic points of difference, personality, and designed the technological infrastructure. Then our creatives in user experience and visual design brought the Archetypes idea to life as a living brand.”

“So,” Anouk says, “if I understand correctly, Archetypes is an example of how your company model can rapidly incubate and launch a new business funded by your private equity group.”

Before Michael can answer the question, the door opens and a guy sticks his head inside. “Sorry to disturb your meeting, I just wanted to say ‘hi’ to you guys. I am Julius, responsible for strategy and planning here at LIPMAN... we spoke on the phone last week,” he says. “If you have some time left after your meeting with Michael, I would love to share some ideas on storytelling with you. Speak to you later.” Before closing the door he adds, “By the way Michael, I’m an Artist, Mentor, Rebel.”

Before I can ask what that means, Michael is already back on track. “That’s exactly right Anouk,” he says, referring to her last remark. “We’ve created multi-platform delivery of content, community and commerce.”

“Wow, it sounds like a cutting-edge business plan,” Anouk says. “But what’s it all about?”

“It’s a transmedia approach,” Michael continues. “The starting point is an online platform, linked to a series of books. A television show will be the next step. People can discover Archteypes via different entry points.”

“Multi-platform delivery I understand, transmedia approach I understand, but what is Archetypes?” I ask.

“You know here at LIPMAN we believe in the three-way dialogue – not just brands talking to consumers, but consumers engaging with brands, and consumers engaging with each other because of a brand,” says Michael. “This is what Archetypes does incredibly well.”

“Okay,” I say, “by explaining the Archetypes business case to us, I now understand the LIPMAN approach to business. But that leaves me with one question: exactly what is Archetypes? And what is this Artist and Rebel thing?”

“Oh right. Sorry, I got carried away,” Michael replies. “You could see Archetypes as the start of a new global language that helps you discover who you are, who you’re meant to be, and why you love the things you do. The mission is to help you build a place that reflects your personal lifestyle, learn new things about your friends, and find the things you truly love. In short, this idea is about creating your own personal brand related to your personal identity.”

“I just Googled the definition of archetype,” Anouk says showing her iPad. “Archetype – a universal pattern of behaviours that, once discovered, helps people understand themselves and others.”

“Exactly. Archetypes is a tool that can help you simplify things and so save time,” Michael replies. “And it all starts with a small test, called Archetype-Me.”

“And… What is your Archetype?” I ask.

“I was really impressed when I took the the test because I recognised myself in the answer and learned a little something, too,” Michael says. “I’m a Visionary, Intellectual, Artist, Sportsman.”

“Ha, why doesn’t that surprise me at all?”

We enter the LIPMAN building at West 14th Street, in the Meatpacking District. We take the elevator to the third floor and exit in a very stylish reception area.

“Good morning, how can I help you?” a well-dressed woman behind the reception desk asks us.

“We have a meeting with Michael Mendenhall,” I reply.

“Ah, you must be Anouk and Maarten,” she says. At that same moment Michael enters the reception followed by two happy dogs. “Hi there, welcome to LIPMAN, good to see both of you again, now in real life.”

We met Michael some years ago when he was CMO at HP. We e-interviewed him in the HALO-room in Palo Alto from a HALO-room in Amsterdam. But it felt like sitting at the same table.

While one of the dogs checks me out by sniffing my shoes, the other dog leaves the stage by going through an open door. “I’ll be right back,” Michael says, following the dog, “he still doesn’t get the concept of ‘the dog following the master’.”

“Come this way,” the receptionist says, making an inviting movement with her left arm. We follow her through the open loft office space with wooden floors. We enter a spacious meeting room, where a man is sitting at the far end of a large table. A laptop and some designs are spread out in front of him occupying almost half of the table surface.

“Come on in,” the man says, getting up, “my name is David Lipman, Creative Chairman of LIPMAN. I understand Michael is meeting you today to share with you our newest venture, Archetypes. I am sorry I can’t join you, we are working on launching another game-changing business. Only this time it’s a brand we’re re-inventing. It’s a household brand I’m sure you know well. But you have to wait until the holidays to see it! Sorry for the secrecy, Anouk...you know how these things are.”

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READ MORE STORIES ON WWW.AROUNDTHEWORLDIN80BRANDS.COM

North America -United states of AmericaRoute 662.312 miles from New york

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Born to be wild

It’s early in the morning when we enter the Eagle Rider shop in Flagstaff. From here we will ride the Route 66 to the Santa Monica pier. We’re received by Jim, who’s a local from Arizona. “For the trip you’re about to make, I recommend you take the Fat Boy” Jim says pointing at an impressive black bike standing just in front of the shop. I sit on the bike and push it to a vertical position to feel the weight.

It has been some time since my last ride, so I have to get used to the weight and the power of the machine again. I push the start button and the engine emits the unmistakable Harley sound. I engage the first gear and the bike slides away very smoothly. “Take it around the block,” Jim shouts. The bike roars when I accelerate and I become part of the traffic on the Route 66. Visions of Easy Rider’s Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper pop up in my mind. “Born to be wi-hild…” I sing out loud while I take my Fat Boy around the block.

As I return to the Harley shop, I see Anouk sitting on an ultra-white Heritage Softail. In her white outfit on the white bike, she looks as if she’s doing a commercial for a detergent. “Harley-Davidson makes your laundry whiter than white.” Twenty minutes later we wave Jim goodbye and ride our bikes over the Route 66 in the direction of Kingman, from where we will make a detour to Las Vegas.

Five hours and 270 miles later we hit the Las Vegas Strip and park our Harleys in front of the Bellagio. The plan for this evening is to lose a limited amount of money at the roulette tables and see a Cirque de Soleil show in one of the theatres. “Of course we’ll have to finish the evening in the Harley-Davidson café down on the strip,” I say. “It’s only one block from the hotel, but we’ll take our bikes anyway to make the experience complete.”

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Meet ing Matt Levat i ch i n Las Vegas

There’s a moment of silence as people absorb this new perspective, followed by Matt’s “anyone else?” Here’s my chance to ask my question about Harley-Davidson and sustainability, I think to myself. But before I can ask open my mouth, a journalist asks him something about Community-Based Marketing.

“Every brand community must be part of a business strategy not just a marketing strategy,” I hear Matt saying. “Brand communities exist to serve the people in the community, not the business.”

Silence again, I raise my hand in order to attract Matt’s attention. At the same time I see the journalist of Bikers magazine raising his hand, probably with a question about some new bike or another technical innovation.

“Yes Jeff,” Matt says to the man from Bikers magazine. “Matt, can you tell us something about the latest innovations, like the anti-lock-braking-systems, and the fly-by-wire throttle control?” the man asks.

“You know Jeff”, Matt says, “we employ cutting edge technology to keep our motorcycles ahead of the chasing pack, but when you have a heritage as rich as ours, one of the greatest challenges is to continue improving your motorcycles with the latest technology while retaining the classic look and feel of a Harley.”

Judging by the sound the audience is making, the crowd agrees. Time for my question, I think, while raising my hand again. Matt is looking into the crowd to select the next question. I raise my hand even higher. Matt is pointing into the crowd behind me. ”Yes, ma’am, what is your question?”

“Damn,” I think to myself. “I’ll never get to ask my question about the Harley-Davidson sustainability programme now.”

I look over my shoulder and see Anouk with her hand raised. “Hi Matt. I’m Anouk from CoolBrands. We’d like to know how Harley-Davidson made it into the top of the Dow Jones sustainability index?”

“Hi Anouk. Welcome. Thanks for that question – it’s a good one if you think about the amount of raw materials we use. But our bikes are really sustainable precisely because we use the good stuff. I challenge you to say you’ve ever seen a Harley in a skip. That’s because they’re so recyclable.

Secondly, 70% of the pollution is in the production process. And we’ve changed a lot of things in our manufacturing over recent years – a lot of small things that, put together, have really cut our environmental impact. In some manufacturing processes by as much as 99%. But this is just the tip of the iceberg in everything we’re doing to reduce our footprint on the world. We have high-level teams across all our sites that focus only on ‘greening’ our company. If you want the nitty gritty, you can check out our sustainability reports. Does that answer your question?”

“Yes, that all makes a lot of sense,” Anouk says to Matt, before turning to me. “Can we go now, I’m dying for another coffee,” she whispers.

Harley-Davidson, mean but green “Matt Levatich is in town!” I say to Anouk who is sitting across from me at the breakfast table at the Belagio Hotel. She’s staring straight ahead, emotionless, at the black coffee in front of her. She looks exhausted. We spent the day before cruising Route 66 and discovering the Las Vegas nightlife. “He’s here as a speaker at a business conference. Look. Here,” I say, pointing at the Las Vegas Tribune.

“Who’s Matt Levatich?” Anouk asks, without so much as a glance up from her coffee.

Without answering her question, I continue “There is a meet and greet at the Harley-Davidson café in one hour. I want to ask him why Harley-Davidson does so well on the list of most sustainable companies? Finish your coffee and let’s get over there.”

“Who’s Matt Levatich?” Anouk asks again.

I look up from my newspaper to see whether she’s joking or not. But something in the way she’s staring into space tells me she’s not – she’s normally really excited by this sort of thing. “Matt is the President and CEO of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. This is the perfect opportunity to find out how a company like Harley can produce ‘sustainable’ bikes. The café is just across the street... I mean strip. So let’s go.”

Fifteen minutes later we enter the Harley-Davidson café. The wall opposite the entrance is covered with stars and stripes. There are tables and chairs in the centre and along the sides. At the far end of the room a group of about 50 people is gathered around a table. We approach and see Matt, surrounded by brand fans, both men and women and younger than I would have imagined.

“Our sustainability focus is driven by our customers’ appreciation of nature and their experiences with it on the open road. Harley owners thrive on freedom and are looking to escape to beautiful places. And that means we have to try and protect and preserve that nature,” we hear Matt saying.

“Excellent!” I think to myself and lean over to Anouk. “They’re already talking about sustainability.”

”On the other hand,” Matt continues, “we’re really conscious of our image at Harley-Davidson. We have to balance our existing image – which is somewhat rebel-like – with a more conscious, caring approach to the environment. It’s not easy, but if you think about it, they do actually go together. We are individuals. We do things our way. And so we want to look after ourselves and our world.” 158

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“Hey, Hong is in Los Angeles as well!” I shout to Anouk, who is on a lounger on the balcony of the hotel, overlooking Santa Monica pier. “He just posted on Facebook saying he’s here for an annual marketing meeting of the Walt Disney Company. I’ll contact him to see whether we can meet up.”

Hong Liem, apart from being a Facebook friend, is CMO of The Walt Disney Company in Benelux. We met in 2008 and spoke about the acquisition of Pixar, the Toy Story makers. “One of the most interesting things about this deal,” Hong said at the time, “is that it’s normally the big companies that come in and influence the little companies when they buy them. Here the opposite happened. The Disney way was no longer the only way.”

A year later Disney bought Marvel, the home of characters like Spider-Man and Iron Man. “It helped us reach more boys and boost the live-action-movie pipeline. The box office results for The Avengers, the first Marvel / Disney release, show a great success.”

“Ding,” says my iPad, notifying me that Hong has answered my message. “Excellent. We’re meeting him this afternoon,” I say to Anouk, who’s still looking over the Pacific Ocean. She answers without getting up: “Where’s the meeting? Downtown Disney District in Anaheim or their studios in Burbank?”I read the message, and then read it again to see whether I got it right first time. “I don’t understand,” I say. “He wants us to meet in the Port of Los Angeles!?! So, let’s get going.”

One hour later, we’re following the San Diego Freeway southbound. “I’m still wondering why Hong wants to meet us there,” I think out loud. “I would have preferred a meeting at the Downtown Disney District and lunch at the ESPN Zone.”

We turn right on Harbor Freeway, which will lead us straight to the port. We take a left and then a right and park our Harleys in front of the Cruise Terminal. “Here it is,” I say to Anouk. “This is where we’re meant to meet.” As we walk into the building we see Hong coming straight towards us. “Hi guys, long time no see! You’re probably wondering why we’re here. Let me show you,” he says pointing behind him. We follow him through the empty passengers terminal and exit the building dockside. “Here she is,” Hong says pointing at a huge cruise ship just in front of us. “Let me present the ‘Disney Wonder’. I wanted to meet you here to tell you our latest story in the right context.”

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We’re sitting on the top deck of the ‘Disney Wonder’ overlooking the Port of Los Angeles. “This boat is seriously amazing,” I tell Hong, our host for today.

We met Hong Liem, the CMO at the Walt Disney Company in Benelux, some years ago and we stayed in touch via Facebook. This morning he invited us to meet him on the ‘Disney Wonder’.

“We started with cruises some years ago,” Hong explains. “It is all part of the entertainment industry’s transmedia approach. The four pillars of the Disney Company are working together to build and reinforce what we call ‘franchises’; sub-brands like Mickey, Cars and Disney Princess. In doing so, we’re using the strength of each medium to convey the message.” He takes out his iPad and shows us an image with the four Disney pillars: Parcs, Media Networks, Consumer Products and Studios.

“Let me explain by way of an example,” he continues. “You remember when Toy Story 3 hit the movie theatres? After a supporting marketing campaign, we did very well at the box office, and globally it even took $1 billion, more than any other film that year and any other animated film in history. But that was just the film.”

He raises his index finger to stress his next words. “With our Consumer Products and Retail teams we had prepared the sale of action figures, clothing, books, magazines, collectibles. And every one of them featured the movie’s popular characters.”

I see the characters pop up in my mind. “Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Mr Potato Head, and…..what’s the name of Woody’s horse again?” I think to myself.

Hong continues. “Two months later, Toy Story Playland in Disneyland Paris was ready – a new attraction that was years in the making but opened the same summer the hit movie was released. Walt Disney World already had a Toy Story Mania! attraction but revamped the ride’s 3-D experience to include one of the new characters.

“In the meantime,” he says, lowering his voice as if he’s sharing a secret, “our interactive division had created video games for Nintendo, Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. It also produced apps for iPad and mobile phones.” I lean forward over the table and, in the same secretive tone of voice say, “I have Woody’s Wild Adventure on my tablet.”

Hong smiles, but he’s not put off his story. “Next we generated additional buzz on TV through our own channels Disney XD and Disney Channel. This also provided a platform for cross-promotion on cable and with our Benelux retailers. That comes in very handy when you’re talking about a franchise.”

Di sney – ‘ the mouse became a t i ger’

“Bullseye!” I shout out loud. Hong and Anouk look at me enquiringly, as if I’ve gone mad. “Woody’s horse is called Bullseye,” I say. “Sorry, I just remembered.”

Both raise their eyebrows but Hong continues his story as if nothing has happened. “So there we have film, DVDs, parks, consumer goods, TV buzzmaking. Add to this the knowledge of our audience around the world and you end up with a company that knows at which price Japanese consumers will buy Buzz Lightyear figurines and how to efficiently distribute a Toy Story-themed English-learning kit in China. We’re kind of clued in in that way!”

“In 2009 Disney bought Marvel, the comic-book giant, so we now own the rights to Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, and lots of other franchise characters. And we will produce some cool things with those heroes in our portfolio.”

“Is it better to be feared or respected?” Hong says, changing his voice. “And is it too much to ask for both?”

“Give me a minute,” I say. “I know... Tony Stark in Iron Man! Now it’s my turn... ‘With great power, there must also come great responsibility.’”

“That’s easy,” Hong says, “that’s Peter Parker in Spider-Man.”

Anouk is looking at us, as if we have both lost the plot. “I can’t come up with a Snow White quote right away,” she says. “But thanks for the story. We can see the mouse is becoming a tiger.” “The mouse became a tiger long time ago,” Hong replies. ”To be continued...”

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Meet ing Sate l l i te S i s te r

L iz Do lan FOX International Channels

164“Some people have a day job and then write songs or scripts in their spare time. I do Satellite Sisters,” Liz says. “When we started, you needed a whole radio studio and satellite uplink to do what we did. Now, all we need is our laptops. We connect through Skype. I record and edit it myself, post it to iTunes and keep the conversation going on Facebook and Twitter. Our listeners are incredibly engaged and loyal, plus I have learned SO much about what it really means to be a social media-fuelled brand by doing everything myself.”

“What has Satellite Sisters taught you about brands?” I ask.

“I started Satellite Sisters at the time I was still running Marketing at NIKE,” Liz says. “One thing I learned during an action-packed decade there, was that it’s all about genuinely understanding what role your product really plays in someone’s life. At NIKE, we always knew that it’s not just about the shoes. It was about understanding what a runner LOVES about running. What it means to feel strong. Or how playing in a team or climbing a mountain can enhance your life.”

The seagull gives us a last look before taking off. Fair enough I think. It’s probably more into sardines than ‘social media-fuelled branding’. “With Satellite Sisters, that emotional insight was very instinctive,” Liz continues. “I simply understand what female friendships mean to women, how satisfying they are, how important it is to have a Satellite Sister in your life – the person you call when the best or worst things in your life happen. I wanted us to be the brand that really represented that. And we are.

“At a big brand like NIKE, or at Fox International Channels where I manage many brands, there are so many big moving parts that you do not experience that one-on-one connection to individuals as much. At Satellite Sisters, I read every Facebook post, respond to every Tweet. I learned the ins and outs of social media in an organic, hands-on way, not as just another marketing tactic. My little brand is like a personal laboratory where I can experiment and then apply what I learn to the big brands I manage.”

“What’s the hardest thing for a marketer to do right now?” I ask.

“Getting people’s attention,” Liz answers. "It’s never been harder to get someone’s attention. But I know you are never going to succeed in doing so by doing the same old thing. Not at NIKE. Not at FOX. Not at the National Geographic Channel. And not at Satellite Sisters.”

We’re standing at the end of Santa Monica pier overlooking the Pacific. On the railing a seagull is looking at me as if he expects me to fish a sardine out of my pocket anytime soon. The pier is also the end of Route 66, part of our itinerary. We rented two Harleys and rode them from Flagstaff Arizona to here. Tomorrow we’re taking Highway 1 up to San Francisco, but today we’re meeting Liz Dolan, CMO of Fox International Channels, and former Head of Marketing at NIKE.

We spoke to her over the phone yesterday to set the time and place. “Let’s meet on the pier,” she said. “It will give my story some more air and at the same time give me the chance to get out of the office for a bit.”

So here we are, the three of us leaning on the railing. Four if you count the seagull. “Liz, you have a very busy job at FOX,” Maarten says, “but in your spare time you also have your own small multi-media brand called Satellite Sisters. What is Satellite Sisters?”

“Actually, Satellite Sisters is a business I invented with my four real-life sisters because we decided we wanted to reinvent talk radio,” she responds. “I couldn’t understand why the only thing you ever heard on talk radio was men arguing with one another about sports, or men arguing with one another about politics. I had a revelation one day – it’s women who actually enjoy talking to each other! So I created the show with my sisters to capture that sound of women who enjoy having a laugh with each other sharing their real lives.”

“I can relate to that,” I say. “Whenever I talk to my sister on the phone, we are both enjoying just listening to each other. Just connecting.”

“Exactly,” Liz agrees. “The show became nationally syndicated across the US. We connected live on the radio three hours a day, six days a week, while living in three different cities in two different countries. It’s a great feeling to come up with an idea and to then actually make it happen!”

“I can imagine,” I say, “did you expand the show to online from there?”

“From there, we created a magazine column, wrote a book, created a website…” Liz says. “We won lots of awards and started podcasting. Now Satellite Sisters is a successful podcast and an online community that thrives on social media.”

“You have a very demanding day job,” I say. “Where do you find the time for Satellite Sisters?”

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Not Every Conversation Will Change Your Life, But Any Conversation Can

Run for the sunset

“This must be one of the coolest roads to ride in the world,” I think out loud as we enter the Big Sur region, northbound on Highway 1. This road runs along most of the Pacific coast of California, which is considered to be one of the most beautiful coastlines in the US. It is still early morning and we’re on our way from Santa Monica to San Francisco and I have difficulties resisting the photo opportunities that slow us down.

As we enter Carmel, I remember the rich artistic history of the town. City councils were dominated by artists, and the town has had several mayors who were poets or actors, including bohemian writer and actor Perry Newberry, and actor-director Clint Eastwood. I would love to stop here in Carmel and play on the legendary golf course at Pebbles Beach, but we want to be in Frisco before sunset.

Two hours later we cross the city limits of San Francisco with a clear objective. “A ride in the historic cable car has to wait till tomorrow,” I think to myself. “Dinner in Chinatown is certainly on the programme for tonight, but first things first.” Highway 1 turns left and then right and crosses the Richmond district. We enter Mountain Lake Park, accelerate the bike uphill and there she is, The Golden Gate Bridge. In a kind of slow motion we cross the bridge, enjoying the stunning view of the San Francisco Bay.

On the other side we take the exit right on Vista Point Road and climb up a steep road leading to Battery Spencer. We park our Harleys and walk up to the fortifications dating back to the 1870s. Just in time for sunset and before the fog starts rolling in. The whole scenery is turning orange in the setting sun, the bay, Golden Gate, Alcatraz, Angel Island. “Hi there San Francisco,” I say with a big smile.

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I turn the throttle and my bike accelerates, making that unmistakable Harley sound. We have just had breakfast at Fisherman’s Wharf down by the bay, and now we’re heading for Highway 101 southbound. Following the embarcadero we pass in front of the Giant’s Baseball Stadium. “Wow, this is really cool,” I shout out to Maarten who is driving next to me on his Fat Boy, but of course he can’t hear anything.

We’re heading towards Silicon Valley, the breeding ground for everything related to IT and the internet. This area is home to many of the world’s largest technology corporations and in our quest for cool brand stories, Silicon Valley has been an obligatory stop. We’ve been here before to visit Google, HP, YouTube, but there is an important link missing... a great brand story… and definitely a cool story: Apple.

For several years now, I have had this fantasy about organising a birthday party to which I invite Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, John Lennon and Steve Jobs. We would sit in the garden, talk about life and eat cake. So I send them an imaginary invitation each year, but nobody shows up. Then again, Nelson is getting too old for birthday parties and the Dalai Lama probably isn’t a partygoer in the first place. John, of course, has a good excuse since his last visit to New York, and Steve… Steve passed away last October. Of course I have read his biography, but I wanted to talk to him personally.

We drive into Palo Alto and take the exit towards Stanford. This morning I received an email from a friend of ours who teaches here and who has in the past invited us to give guest lectures in storytelling. He urged us to come over to see “an exceptional speaker”.

We enter the campus, register with the guards at the gate and leave the Harleys in the parking lot. It’s the end of the academic year and the campus is bustling with students celebrating the end of exams, and, in some cases, the end of their student life.

We join the crowds heading toward the commencement address. The atmosphere is electric as students prepare to receive their degrees. The crowd settles down and after the dean of the university has given a brief introduction, Steve Jobs steps onto the podium, wearing the traditional gown.

“How is this possible?” I think out loud. “Steve passed away last October! This must be one of these dreams I have been having lately.”

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“Thank you,” Steve starts off. “I’m honoured to be with you today for your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I want to tell you three stories from my life. That’s it. No big deal. Just three stories.”

Steve’s first story is about letting go of preconceived ideals and following your instinct. He had always believed that going to university would be amazing, but once he started studying at Reed College he was disappointed. He didn’t know what he wanted to do with his life and didn’t see how a university education would help him with that, so he stopped and decided he would just see where he ended up. He left Reed College with no backup plans, no money, but with the conviction that things would be OK. While it wasn’t an easy choice to make with no money in the bank and no clear goal ahead, it turned out to be one of the best decisions of his life. He was able to focus on the things that really interested him and by following his curiosity and intuition he gained experience that proved to be priceless later on: thanks to a calligraphy course that seemed useless at the time, the Mac is equipped with beautiful typography, with multiple typefaces and proportionally spaced fonts.

“We’re in the middle of the famous Stanford commencement speech in 2005,” I whisper to Maarten. “Or actually I am, because this is my dream.”

Steve continues: “Of course, you can’t connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something, your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever, because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well-worn path and that will make all the difference.”

Silence. He lets his words sink in for a moment. Some people are nodding; others appear to be choking away tears of emotion; others look happy and affirmative.

Love and lossAfter a short pause, Steve continues with his second message about love and loss. He says he was lucky to have discovered what he wanted to do in life at an early age. He established Apple at the age of 20 and by the time he was 30 it was a successful company. And then… he got fired. Everything he had built, everything he loved, was gone. Or had it? He soon saw that he still loved what he did, so he just decided to start again. Without the burdens of success but with the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure of everything, and with the freedom to use his creativity as he never had before. It was during this period that he created NeXT and Pixar and that he met his wife. He believes none of that would have happened if he hadn’t been fired. And in the end, Apple bought NeXT and he found himself once again working for Apple. But, Steve says, without the experience he acquired in those years, things would have gone a lot differently at Apple.

“I’ve seen this commencement speech on You Tube several times,” I whisper to Maarten, ”but this dream is much better. It all seems so real.”

Steve continues: “Sometimes life is going to hit you in the head with a brick, don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love, and that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work, and the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking and don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on, so keep looking – don’t settle.”

Another moment of silence – Steve’s words have struck a chord with the audience. Because everyone has had this experience, of love or loss – or both. And it’s all a question of how you deal with the situation: do you see it as an opportunity or a threat? Are you a victim or do you hold your fate in your own hands?

“Ring, ring” goes the alarm clock on my iPhone. “No, I don’t want to wake up yet. There were three stories Steve said.” I close my eyes and try to get back to Stanford in 2005. I wait for 30 seconds, but I’m still in my bed in a hotel in San Francisco. “So it was just a dream,” I say to myself, “That doesn’t matter, I will still use it as a story in my trip Around the World in 80 Brands.”

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We have several meetings in Shanghai, but today we’re free to explore the city. “Let’s ask the hotel concierge how to get to the Bund,” I say.“No way. I’ll show you how an experienced traveller finds his way around,” says Anouk, opening a booklet of Mandarin phrases. So here we are, on a Shanghai street, hailing a taxi. When one stops, Anouk explains in her best Mandarin that we want to go to the Bund. The driver nods, but after 30 minutes I notice we’re going in the wrong direction. I point this out to Anouk. “Maybe he doesn’t speak Mandarin,” she says. We get out of the taxi and Anouk asks a passer-by for directions to the nearest metro station. “I know where to go. Follow me.” After three blocks, she stops and looks around in confusion. “It should be around here.”“So much for your Mandarin,” I tease.She tries to save face. “Perhaps that man wasn’t from Shanghai. We’re in a nice area though. Let’s see what we find.” We lose ourselves in a maze of small alleys, galleries and shops.“I know we’re not looking for anything in particular, but it would be nice to get to the Bund eventually,” I say. Anouk tries her Mandarin on another passer-by. The man points and we start walking. Twenty minutes later, I’m getting impatient and hungry. “That’s enough Mandarin for today,” I say and hail a taxi. We get in and Anouk starts leafing through her booklet again.“Sir, could you please take us to Shanghai Tang?” I ask the driver before she can find the right sentence.The driver doesn’t respond. “I don’t think he speaks English,” Anouk whispers.“Sure I do,” the driver says. “I was just thinking, Shanghai Tang Restaurant or Shanghai Tang Café?”

We exit the metro at Shangcheng Road station and walk along Pudong Road in a southerly direction until we reach a branch of Häagen-Dazs. “Here it is,” I say, pointing at the ice cream parlour. It is busy inside, but we manage to find a free table. It is our second day in Shanghai and Tom Doctoroff has invited us to meet him here. An expert in Chinese consumer behaviour and branding, Tom came to China in 1994 and never quite made it back to the United States. He has just published his insights, gathered over two decades, in a book, What Chinese Want.

“That’s an interesting topic,” I said to him over the phone. “Can we meet when we’re in Shanghai?”

Maarten joins the people queuing to order butter pecan or chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. “Not all brands have been so successful,” Tom told me. “As one of the world’s largest and fastest growing economies, China is highly attractive for global brands. But many have failed to win over Chinese consumers. Amazon, for instance, has struggled to compete with local online retailers, and the electronics chain Best Buy has withdrawn from the country altogether.”

“I wonder what the secret to success is for businesses entering the Chinese market,” I say when Maarten comes back with something that looks like mint chip. He doesn’t respond because he is looking over my shoulder at the man making his way towards our table.

“It gets even busier when couples come here at weekends,” Tom says, after introducing himself and sitting down. “In Chinese culture, the family or group is more important than the individual. That’s one of the fundamental differences between China and the West.”

He points out a couple that is taking photos of each other and posting them online. “People like public consumption. They eat ice cream together and share the pictures with friends on Renren.com. Brands that appeal to individualism won’t succeed here.”

“Great,” I think to myself as I make a note on my iPad, “Chinese will spend money on things that provide face.”

“The golden rule of marketing in China is to maximise public consumption,” he continues. “That’s why certain categories, such as cars and luxury goods, are growing so quickly.”

He indicates another couple. “The girl over there is carrying a Louis Vuitton bag, but it’s unlikely she has any luxury goods at home, such as bedding or appliances, because no one can see them. Louis Vuitton and Häagen-Dazs are two Western brands that have succeeded in China because they have understood the importance of maximising public consumption and adapted their business models accordingly.”

“Which is not easy for every brand or product,” I say.

“True,” Tom says, “but what is perhaps even more important for Western brands to realise is that the Chinese will remain Chinese. They will change and modernise, but they won’t become like Westerners – nor do they want to.”

“That sounds like a good thing,” I say. “The world would be a boring place if every culture was the same.”

“I agree,” Tom says. “There are enormous opportunities for Western brands in China – as you can see in this Häagen-Dazs – but it means embracing multiculturalism. That isn’t always easy but it can be exciting.”

“If we wanted to start our storytelling business in China, what would the first step be?” I ask.

Tom thinks for a second, then opens his bag and takes out a copy of his book, What Chinese Want. “The first thing to do would be to read my book,” he says with a big smile while handing me a copy. “Let me know what you think of it.”

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We are in Bar Rouge, a bar and lounge in Shanghai’s famous Bund area, where we are meeting Richard Lee. We have known Richard, Chief Marketing Officer of PepsiCo China Ltd., for a while. He worked for Pepsi in the US, where we first met him five years ago, before he moved back to China.

We find him at the bar. “It’s been a while since we were all on the same continent at the same time,” I say, pulling up a chair.

“Don’t get comfortable quite yet,” Richard says with a smile. He leads us past a group of twenty-somethings sipping cocktails on long sofas and out onto the terrace. “This area is known as the Manhattan of the East. From here you can see why,” he says, pointing to the high-rises on Shanghai’s skyline. “It’s also a symbol of the rapid changes taking place in China – the perfect spot to tell you about how Pepsi is keeping up.”

We sit down at one of the tables as a waiter comes towards us. “I’ll order this round,” Maarten says, turning to the waiter. “We’ll have three colas with ice, please. And could you make them Pepsi?”

The waiter looks at Maarten and replies with a smile “Of course I’ll make it Pepsi, what else?” Richard turns back to us. “That’s what I wanted to show you, Pepsi has grown into being the market leader in China, so I don’t have to ask for a Pepsi specifically to get one. However, to maintain our brand dominance is something we always have to be working on, just as we’re striving to keep the brand relevant. Pepsi appeals to young consumers, but like China, consumers are changing quickly.”

The waiter brings our drinks. Richard takes a sip, then continues. “China’s new generation works hard and plays hard. They’re ambitious but they also enjoy socialising with friends. We’re increasingly seeing that socialising happening online.”

“Do you mean through social media?” I ask.

“Precisely, which ties in with another trend.” He tells us about the popularity of digital media and China’s new ‘creators’: more than three-quarters of young people create something online, whether it is a website, blog, forum post or video.

“How has this changed the way you engage with your consumers?” Maarten asks.

“Digital media provides many opportunities for consumer engagement, which also adds value to the commercial side of the business. One benefits from the other.”

He looks out at the view again. “Pepsi has to be more than a drink; it has to add meaning to life. We’re still using the 7E Principles I told you about last time we met, which have successfully guided our campaigns for several years. But we also found a purpose for the brand: enabling young people to be creative. We call it ‘Create for Thirst’.”

He raises his glass and empties the contents. “Talking of thirst, let’s order a refi ll.”

“Good idea,” I agree. He beckons over the waiter. “Same again, please.” The waiter looks at Richard with a secretive smile, then says: “Three more Pepsi, right?”

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We find him at the bar. “It’s been a while since we were all on the same

“Don’t get comfortable quite yet,” Richard says with a smile. He leads us past a group of twenty-somethings sipping cocktails on long sofas and out onto the terrace. “This area is known as the Manhattan of the East. From here you can see why,” he says, pointing to the high-rises on Shanghai’s skyline. “It’s also a symbol of the rapid changes taking place in China – the perfect spot to tell

We sit down at one of the tables as a waiter comes towards us. “I’ll order this round,” Maarten says, turning to the waiter. “We’ll have three colas with ice,

The waiter looks at Maarten and replies with a smile “Of course I’ll make it Pepsi, what else?” Richard turns back to us. “That’s what I wanted to show you, Pepsi has grown into being the market leader in China, so I don’t have to ask for a Pepsi specifically to get one. However, to maintain our brand dominance is something we always have to be working on, just as we’re striving to keep the brand relevant. Pepsi appeals to young consumers, but

The waiter brings our drinks. Richard takes a sip, then continues. “China’s new generation works hard and plays hard. They’re ambitious but they also enjoy socialising with friends. We’re increasingly seeing that socialising happening



“Digital media provides many opportunities for consumer engagement, which also adds value to the commercial side of the business. One benefits from the

He looks out at the view again. “Pepsi has to be more than a drink; it has to add meaning to life. We’re still using the 7E Principles I told you about last time we met, which have successfully guided our campaigns for several years. But we also found a purpose for the brand: enabling young people to be

We are in Bar Rouge, a bar and lounge in Shanghai’s famous Bund area, where we are meeting Richard Lee. We have known Richard, Chief Marketing Officer of PepsiCo China Ltd., for a while. He worked for Pepsi in the US, where

He raises his glass and empties the contents. “Talking of thirst, let’s order a refi ll.”

“Good idea,” I agree. He beckons over the waiter. “Same again, please.” The waiter

We find him at the bar. “It’s been a while since we were all on the same

“Don’t get comfortable quite yet,” Richard says with a smile. He leads us past a group of twenty-somethings sipping cocktails on long sofas and out onto the terrace. “This area is known as the Manhattan of the East. From here you can see why,” he says, pointing to the high-rises on Shanghai’s skyline. “It’s also a symbol of the rapid changes taking place in China – the perfect spot to tell

We sit down at one of the tables as a waiter comes towards us. “I’ll order this round,” Maarten says, turning to the waiter. “We’ll have three colas with ice,

The waiter looks at Maarten and replies with a smile “Of course I’ll make it Pepsi, what else?” Richard turns back to us. “That’s what I wanted to show you, Pepsi has grown into being the market leader in China, so I don’t have to ask for a Pepsi specifically to get one. However, to maintain our brand dominance is something we always have to be working on, just as we’re striving to keep the brand relevant. Pepsi appeals to young consumers, but

The waiter brings our drinks. Richard takes a sip, then continues. “China’s new generation works hard and plays hard. They’re ambitious but they also enjoy socialising with friends. We’re increasingly seeing that socialising happening



“Digital media provides many opportunities for consumer engagement, which also adds value to the commercial side of the business. One benefits from the

He looks out at the view again. “Pepsi has to be more than a drink; it has to add meaning to life. We’re still using the 7E Principles I told you about last time we met, which have successfully guided our campaigns for several years. But we also found a purpose for the brand: enabling young people to be

We are in the Bund, a waterfront area in central Shanghai, with views of the city’s landmark buildings across the Huangpu River from Bar Rouge’s seventh-floor terrace. We are talking to Richard Lee, Chief Marketing Officer of PepsiCo China Ltd. Over drinks at this popular nightlife spot, he has been telling us about ‘Create for Thirst’, Pepsi’s ambitious idea for transforming the brand to keep pace with a rapidly changing consumer landscape.

Thirst means two things for Pepsi. As a beverage company, it supplies a refreshing product to quench the thirst of its young, active consumers. But it has also taken the idea a step further to mean a thirst to create a better life. “It’s safe to say that digital media is huge in China,” Richard says. “Young people in particular use it on a daily basis to create a presence or identity online – through websites, blogs, forums and so on – as well as to express themselves. We found a purpose for the Pepsi brand in enabling young people to create, but we also wanted to find a way to turn our brand purpose into a competitive advantage.”

Pepsi decided to develop an online platform. Joining forces with TMall, the global leader in e-commerce, it launched Pepsitmall.com.

“Are you adding to your core business then?” I ask.

“More than that, we’re expanding the brand’s relevance,” says Richard. “Pepsi has become a way of life and Pepsitmall has become a destination.”

He tells us about the success the platform has enjoyed, despite only being live for a few months. “TMall is a store and our alliance with them means we can already offer our consumers more than 50 big-name and up-and-coming brands. Pepsitmall.com, on the other hand, is about stories. We also highlight the people behind the brands – those who are creating better products and a better world.”

Part of the platform’s storytelling journey is its annual award given to the most creative young designers and entrepreneurs. The first year celebrated 108 original heroes, selected by Pepsi and voted for by consumers, who were profiled and promoted on the site.

I look at the tables around us, which are filling up with young people enjoying early evening drinks. “Shopping – even online – can be thirsty work,” I say. “How does the mall cater to those who are in need of a cold Pepsi after some retail therapy?"

“We’ve thought of that!” Richard laughs. “The Pepsi Gourmet Paradise section of the platform offers free dishes and meal deals – washed down with a Pepsi, of course – in thousands of restaurants. There’s even an integrated search engine to find the best restaurant closest to you. It’s true that you have to leave the house to benefit from this part of the Pepsitmall experience, but we see it as the ideal combination of on- and off-line activations.”

He gets out his mobile phone. “What’s even better, in the age of mobile internet, is that I can enjoy a discount meal at a Pepsi partner restaurant and still be able to check out what’s new on Pepsitmall.”

He navigates to the website’s homepage and translates some of the Chinese characters for us. “We sell original items that aren’t available anywhere else and we launch cool new products that match our brand identity,” he tells us. “We recently collaborated with Bathing Ape, for example, a cutting-edge Japanese clothing label, and we marked the 25th anniversary of Michael Jackson’s album Bad with a range of limited-edition Pepsi merchandise dedicated to the King of Pop.”

“Always offering something new, is that part of your strategy to keep people coming back for more?” Maarten asks.

“Enabling consumers to create, our brand purpose, demands a certain amount of creativity from us as well. Pepsitmall was the first platform of its kind in China, which is innovative in itself, and we want to keep our target group curious and excited. But we have also had a little help from our friends!”

He shows us another page. “We signed up some of China’s hottest young celebrities for our multimedia campaigns. That attracted a huge number of visitors and generated a buzz that extended far beyond the platform.”

As we have been talking, the sun has set and we see the lights coming on in the buildings across the river. “Young people respect brands that are passionate, innovative and responsible,” Richard says. “With the ‘Create for Thirst’ idea and interactive online platform, Pepsi is well on the way to earning that respect.”

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As we head for the Imperial Tailoring tent, a shop assistant asks us if she can be of any assistance. “We’re here to see Genghis Khan,” I joke. The shop assistant thinks for a few seconds, “Mister Khan is not here at the moment but our chairman is,” she says with a smile, pointing at a sharply dressed man speaking French into his iPhone.

“Anouk, let’s have a chat with him,” I say, when the man puts away his phone. “Monsieur, excusez-moi....”

I explain to him we’re from CoolBrands and that we’re making a trip Around the World in 80 Brands. “Would you tell us what’s happening here?” I ask.

“Nice to meet you, my name is Raphael Le Masne de Chermont. I’m the Executive Chairman of Shanghai Tang.”

“Great, we must be lucky to catch you here,” I say. “I suppose you’re not living in one of these tents.”

“Gers,” Raphael answers. “A Mongolian tent is called a Ger. And what you see here is a Shanghai Tang pop-up store. We closed our flagship store and our new one was only going to open four months later, so we thought we’d become nomads for two months.”

“So you decided to put down some tents on a roof on a pier,” Anouk says.

“We had quite some press coverage with it,” Raphael says, “and our customers really like the concept and the unique shopping experience they have here. But as soon as our flagship opens, we’ll close the village and our customers can enjoy another new experience.”

“I like that story,” Anouk says. “But what is a Frenchman doing in China?”

“Shanghai Tang was founded by David Tang as a Chinese luxury lifestyle brand in the nineties,” Raphael tells us. “Early this millennium, we at Richemont believed we could bring our knowledge of the luxury market to Shanghai Tang.”

“Of course, and it was also a great opportunity to learn about the Chinese market too,” I say.

“Of course,” Raphael replies, “it has been a very valuable experience for Shanghai Tang, and for me personally.”

“I have also seen something about Shanghai Tang restaurant and café,” Anouk says. “Have you created any more brand extensions?”

“Fashion, cafés and restaurants, for the moment,” Raphael says. “But the fact is that we’re a young brand and we’re not limited by a traditional brand identity. We have some new ideas on the shelf just waiting for the right time.

“Talking about time,” Raphael continues, “maybe it’s time to have some lunch. Would you like to join me at the Peninsula?”

“Well,” Anouk says. “Let me think about it for two nanoseconds. Okay, let’s do it!”

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We’re on Hong Kong Island. We just took the peak tram up the 428-metre-high Victoria Peak where we have a great panoramic view over the city. I throw a coin into one of the binoculars and scan the buzzing city below us. On the other side of the bay there’s a ferry leaving the Star Ferry Pier taking commuters to the island. I scan the Knowloon skyline and see the Peninsula Hotel.

“Shall we have lunch at the Peninsula later?” Anouk asks, as if she can see what I’m looking at.

On this side of the bay I can see the landmark building of the Bank of China and follow a double-decker tram making its way towards the Happy Valley horseracing track. The ferry that left the mainland a few minutes ago is now approaching the port at Hong Kong Central.

“Hey, what’s that?” I ask. “There’s something that looks like tents on the roof of Pier 4.”

Anouk takes a look through the binoculars and focuses on the tents. “It looks like Mongolian tents,” she says. “Maybe they’re promoting a film.”

“Sure, Genghis Khan goes Hong Kong,” I joke. “Shall we go and take a closer look?”

We take the peak tram back down and make our way to the port. “Shall we have lunch at the Peninsula after we’ve been to the Mongolian Village then?” Anouk asks.

As we arrive at Pier 4 and walk up to the roof, we see a small Mongolian village on the rooftop.

We walk around and look at the fashion items that are on show in the various tents. “It’s not Genghis Khan,” Anouk says. “Look, it’s a Shanghai Tang store,” pointing at a display with the Shanghai Tang logo.

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“Where are you taking me?” Anouk asks. “Trust me, I am a doctor,” I reply jokingly. “No, seriously,” Anouk says, “this is my first time in Bangkok so I really want to visit the Royal Palace and the weekend market, the biggest market in Southeast Asia!” “What I will show you is much cooler. Besides, the weekend market is only at weekends,” I say with a smile. “Let’s hail a longtail.” “A what?” Anouk asks with growing curiosity. I explain: “A longtail, a boat with an outboard motor. It is a typical Bangkok means of transport. As the roads are jammed during rush hour with taxis and tuk-tuks, we will take a longtail which uses the khlongs.” “What are khlongs?” Anouk asks on. “Once upon a time, Bangkok was famous for its longtail boats, tree-lined canals – the khlongs – and floating wooden houses – ‘Venice of the East’,” I teach her as we enter the boat. The captain accelerates in order to keep up with his colleagues ahead and behind us. The longtail makes its way through the dazzling labyrinth of canals. We turn right, another right, left and right again and pass the golden Mountain Temple. After 15 minutes, we exit the canals onto the Chao Phraya River. Anouk insists impatiently: “When will you show me the Reclining Buddha and the Temple of Dawn?” when we go ashore at Tha Tian Market. “I know, I know,” I say, “but first something that will put you right back on your feet and erase your jet lag.” We walk to Wat Pho and enter the premises by the main entrance. “Cool,” Anouk says, “but how is a visit to a temple going to help me to overcome my jet lag?” “Wait and see,” I urge her, “there is a massage school of blind monks. When they are done with you, you’ll be ready to do some serious, cutting-edge sightseeing!”

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“Well, I think it’s a natural progression for anyone seriously interested in making films to want to make something longer than one minute, and free from client or agency interference. Filmmaking is a conservative industry, but advertising is a hundred times worse. As a film director doing advertising, you have to ask permission to do things from people who know nothing about making films. They often choose the actors, wardrobe and locations and on the days of the shooting, come to sit around, watch you work and criticise what you’re doing. It is very frustrating.

“When I make feature films,” Pen-Ek continues, “I assume a completely opposite mode from advertising. I go for the most interesting-looking actors, who wouldn’t be allowed in advertising. I always go for long shots and long takes whenever I can. For example, the opening shot of NYMPH was over eight minutes long. It was done in a single take, uncut. Advertising films are cut every two seconds and always prefer close-ups to long shots because of the screen size. I tend to be more obscure in my films. In advertising you are forced to be so obvious all the time, sometimes to the point of being insulting to the audience.”

“Is New Thai Cinema primarily an export product or do you believe that there is a growing Thai audience for the type of film you are producing?” I ask.

“Although there is a growing Thai audience, it is still primarily for export. Gaining a large audience depends on many factors, apart from the quality of the films – like advertising and promotion. With little money to promote our kind of movies, we can’t expect to compete with the hyper-commercial movies, both Thai and Hollywood. In Thailand, my movies usually do well on DVD because people hear by word of mouth that the movies were good once they have finished at the cinemas. And of course when the movies start winning prizes,” Pen-Ek adds with a smile. “I’ve been making films for 15 years, so I have a small but really quite loyal audience around the world.”

“So the chances we will see you again at an international film festival somewhere around the world are big?” I ask. “I know you won a Lion in Cannes, so who knows next time we might meet up in Cannes or in Berlin?”

“The Lion,” Pen-Ek says, “that was in my previous life at the Lions International Advertising Festival. But the answer to your question is yes, there’s a good chance you’ll find me at international film festivals. I will first and foremost continue doing what I like best; making movies.”

Six weeks ago in New York, we met Pen-Ek Ratanaruang, a Thai film director and screenwriter considered one of Thai cinema’s leading 'new wave' auteurs. He was in Manhattan to present his new film Headshot. “If you make it over to Bangkok, give me a call,” Pen-Ek said, “so we can meet and I can tell you more about New Thai Cinema.”

And here we are, in Bangkok. The meeting is set in the Sukhumvit area with a view of the busy street life. There are tuk tuks speeding by, taxis honking, merchants carrying oversized luggage on the back of their bikes and motorcycles driving against the traffic. “It may seem like chaos, but it is organised chaos,” Pen-Ek says, pointing at the street.

“Thanks for meeting us on such short notice,” I say. “I’m getting more and more curious about what New Thai Cinema is. How would you define it?”

“I think the term came into existence at a point when Thai cinema had been in a slump for over ten years – approximately from the mid-80s to the late 90s,” Pen-Ek says. “The majority of the movies being released were silly teen romances or really broad comedies. Then, myself and a few colleagues started making films that were more personal and somehow caught the attention of the audience and critics, and later, the international film festivals. In retrospect, I don’t think any of our first films were that good, but they happened to be fresh and interesting and since then we have been labelled New Thai Cinema. It’s a film critics’ invention, really.”

“How do you explain the recent rise of Thai film on the world stage,” I say, “and its success at film festivals around the world?”

“We have a number of good filmmakers who are consistently making films for personal reasons,” Pen-Ek says. “These filmmakers are concerned about challenging themselves intellectually and less interested in box-office numbers. They are really quite unprofessional and uncontrollable, even amateurish you could say. Sometimes they succeed, sometimes they fail, but they are persistent. They have to look abroad to finance their films because in a country where movies are still considered mere entertainment, no one is going to finance their films. Luckily, the serious film world like the film festival circuit, is inspired by these qualities, so we have been welcomed into that community.”

“I noticed that a fair few of the key directors in Thailand are from advertising,” Maarten says. “Why are people from advertising getting into filmmaking?”

New Tha i Cinema Meet ing Pen-Ek Ratanaruang

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Meet ing Greyhound i n Bangkok

We’re in the Bangkok Skytrain going towards Sukhumvit Road. Since the beginning of our trip Around the World in 80 Brands, we have been communicating our itinerary and date of arrival on Facebook. We write a short story about the destination, post some pictures on our walls and publish the meeting stories on Facebook notes.

But I also check which of my Facebook friends is based in the city we’re visiting. Like Bangkok-based Bhanu Inkawat. He has a background in advertising, founded the Thai lifestyle brand Greyhound in 1980 and is still the brand’s Creative Director. I have been following him for some time now, but we have never had the chance to meet in the real world. That is about to change, because we are meeting him in an hour at the Greyhound Café in The Emporium shopping mall. The Café is one of the brand extensions of Greyhound fashion.

The Skytrain stops at Siam station and a group of five fashionably dressed young women enters the train. They stand near the door, chatting about the important things in the life of a twenty-something-year-old woman like clothes, make-up, shoes and handbags. They have been shopping and are carrying shopping bags from the lifestyle brands we also know in Europe, Diesel, Dolce & Gabbana, Tommy Hilfiger, DKNY....

“It doesn’t matter where you are, you find the same logos everywhere around the world,” I say to Anouk. “That’s one of the reasons Bhanu came up with the idea of starting an authentic Thai lifestyle brand. He describes the Greyhound style as ‘beautiful chaos’, everything and anything goes together harmoniously. Like most things in Thailand.”

The train slows down as we enter Phrom Phong station. “This is it,” I say as I get up. The young women we observed earlier also exit the train. From the station we enter The Emporium shopping mall via a sky bridge.

The mall is not much different from the malls in Los Angeles, Dubai or Paris. “The usual suspects,” I say, “Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, Rolex, Fendi, Montblanc, Paul Smith. They are all here in Bangkok.”

Greyhound, on the contrary, is making its way in the opposite direction. It started in Bangkok and is expanding to fashion cities such as Paris, Berlin, Sydney and Moscow.

As trend spotters, we observe the shopping crowd. People with stylish bags from the luxury designer boutiques mixing with people carrying plastic bags from the street market next door.

We continue walking, increasing our speed to arrive in time for our meeting with Bhanu Inkawat at the Greyhound Café. Just before we go in, Anouk stops. “There are the women from the Skytrain again,” she says, “look at the bags they’re carrying!” I scan the women, and see they are carrying even more shopping bags. “Shop till you drop,” I say. I look at the logo on the bags and read ‘Greyhound’.

“The Thai is turning,” I joke, before entering the café.

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We land at New Delhi airport in the early afternoon. The temperature is already approaching 35 degrees, but it feels kind of comfy. New Delhi is the current seat of government in India and is emerging on the global stage as a top city. There is a lot of activity at the airport and I have the impression that you can feel the buzz of the growing economy.

We are here at the same time as the annual BRICS summit, a conference attended by the heads of government of the five member states Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. These countries are in a similar stage of economic development and the five countries combined account for more than a quarter of the world’s land area and more than 40% of the world’s population.

We exit the terminal building and hail a taxi. “Please take us to the Taj Mahal Hotel,” I say. The taxi driver shakes his head from side to side but I can’t tell if it’s a yes or a no. We decide to get in the car anyway.

Goldman Sachs has argued that by 2050 the combined BRICS economy could eclipse the rest of the world’s economies. India has already entered the top 10 of the largest economies in the world and has shown a huge growth rate over the last decade. This is primarily due to an increase in the number of middle-class consumers and a large labour force.

The taxi takes the road to Gurgaon in the direction of its hugely popular shopping malls. The traffic is getting denser and the taxi gets stuck between trucks and buses. “We’re kind of in a hurry,” I say to the driver. He swivels his head again, without answering.

“But it’s not only an increase in size of the consumer middle-class or a large labour force,” I say to Anouk. “There are also some intelligent entrepreneurs pushing the Indian economy upwards. What Azim Premji did in the IT sector or Mittal in the steel industry certainly adds to India's gross domestic product.” “And then of course there is the Tata group,” Anouk adds.

The taxi exits the main road, turns left, then right and then left again and we see New Delhi passing by from our car windows.

“Is it still far, the Taj Mahal Hotel?” I ask the driver. “We have a meeting with Mr. Onkar Kanwar and his son Neeraj,” I tell the driver, trying to convince him of the importance of the meeting, “from Apollo Tyres.” The driver makes his signature head movement again in answer. “Is that a yes or a no?” I whisper to Anouk. I sit back and look outside.

Mr. Onkar Kanwar has been the Chairman of Apollo Tyres since the nineties and is the chief architect of the company’s vision. His son Neeraj Kanwar now holds the reigns of this $2.5 billion company and is leading it into the global arena. We’re meeting them at the Taj Mahal Hotel to talk about the worldwide expansion of the Apollo brand.

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That is, if we make it in time for the meeting. “How long do you think it will take to the Taj Mahal Hotel?” I ask the driver again. “Our meeting is in 10 minutes.”

The driver stops the car and looks back over his shoulder. “That means you will be on time, sir,” he says, pointing out of the right side window. “The Taj Mahal Hotel is just here.”

We enter the Taj Mahal Hotel in New Delhi and head for the business desk at the reception. “We have a meeting with Mr. Onkar Kanwar and his son Neeraj Kanwar from Apollo Tyres,” I say to the woman behind the desk. The woman looks down at some sort of calendar and back up at us again. “They are expecting you in the Emperor’s Lounge,” she says. “Please follow me.”

“Welcome to New Delhi! My name is Neeraj Kanwar and this is my father, Onkar.” Neeraj is an athletic-looking man, dressed in a grey suit. His father is a distinguished-looking gentleman wearing a traditional turban. “Please have a seat,” Neeraj says, pointing at two arm chairs.

“Thank you,” I say. “Thank you for meeting us. We know Apollo has always been an important player in the Indian tyre market, but now it looks as if India is not big enough any more for Apollo?”

Onkar clears his throat to signal that he is going to speak. “We’re doing very well in our home market,” he says, “but the entry of multinational tyre brands into India brought new practices and new products... and is eating a part of our market share. Of course we improve our products and fi ght for our market share, but we’re not going to sit and wait. The choice in this business is either to wait and be eaten or be aggressive and grow globally. We chose the second option.”

“Of course,” I say, “with a brand named after a Greek god, you can’t sit and wait. What does the company strategy look like?”

“The first step was the acquisition of Dunlop tyres in South Africa. Now known as Apollo Tyres South Africa,” Neeraj says. “Being one of the BRICS countries, South Africa has a similar market to India’s, which made it a relatively easy first step into the global arena. After building a strong foothold in South Africa, we were ready for step two of our expansion strategy, Europe.”

“Europe is the home ground of the biggest global tyre brands,” Onkar says, “the same brands that are entering the Indian market for a piece of the Indian cake. The European market is dominated by the big four: Bridgestone, Michelin, Goodyear and Continental. It is crucial to break into the Original Equipment market, providing tyres to European car manufacturers.”

A waiter enters the Emperor’s Lounge with a silver tray and puts a silver teapot and delicate china cups on the table. “Jasmine tea,” he says, serving the tea.

“So, to enter the European market, you bought Vredestein in the Netherlands?” I ask.

“For Apollo, the acquisition of Vredestein serves a dual purpose,” Neeraj says. “First of all, it has the technology to make premium-quality tyres for European customers. Secondly, Apollo Vredestein has distribution channels in 13 countries.” Neeraj waits a few seconds to let his words sink in. “Next to that, we’re building a greenfield plant in Eastern Europe,” he continues, “which will be ready in two to three years. It will have a capacity of seven to 10 million passenger car radial tyres.”

“So you will have a piece of the European cake,” I say with a smile.

“That’s the plan,” Neeraj continues. “Success in Europe will pave the way to enter other markets, like Latin America. We’re already

looking into the Latin American market and we’ve opened an office in Brazil. At the moment we’re studying the market

to start operations. The plan is to set up a plant and begin construction in the next two years.”

“Will there also be acquisitions in Latin America?” I ask.

“We’re exploring the possibilities for a joint venture or any kind of tie-up with a local player,” Neeraj replies.

Onkar clears his throat again, announcing his addition to the conversation. “Our next five-year target is to increase the company’s revenue to $6 billion and rank among the top 10 tyre makers in the world,” Onkar says with pride in his voice. “In five years we want to increase Apollo’s revenue from overseas operations from the present 39% to 70%.”

Onkar takes a sip of his tea before continuing. “And we want to do it while remaining the market leader in India, where we have built a new plant in Chennai city which is commonly referred to as the ‘Indian Detroit’.”

“Wow, these are huge plans,” I say. “Plans worthy of a Greek god.”

“Or an Indian god...” Onkar adds.

Apo l lo Tyres Enter ing the g loba l a rena fu l l speed

“So you will have a piece of the European cake,” I say with a smile.

“That’s the plan,” Neeraj continues. “Success in Europe will pave the way to enter other markets, like Latin America. We’re already

looking into the Latin American market and we’ve opened an office in Brazil. At the moment we’re studying the market

to start operations. The plan is to set up a plant and begin construction in the next two years.”

“For Apollo, the acquisition of Vredestein serves a dual purpose,” Neeraj says. “First of all, it has the technology to make premium-quality tyres for European customers. Secondly, Apollo Vredestein has

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Full-frame

A few months ago, when we started our trip Around the World in 80 Brands, we were standing in the port of Amsterdam. We were imagining the great explorers leaving in their wooden ships on their way to the uncharted, blank parts on the map. A fleet of 12 ships, owned by the Dutch East India Company, left for the East indies in 1603. The captain of one of them was called Willem Janszoon. When the other ships went to Java, Janszoon was sent to search for other trade outlets to the south. In March 1606 he discovered the shores of Australia’s Cape York Peninsula, where the ship made landfall. This was the first confirmed landing of a European on Australian soil. The country was named New Holland for almost two centuries before it became Australia.

And here we are, more than 400 years later, arriving at Sydney airport. We get into a taxi to make our way into town. “To the Circular Quay, please,” I say to the driver. The sun is shining and there are a few clouds in the sky. “That’s good,” I think out loud. “I like clouds in my pictures.”

The taxi heads north on Southern Cross Drive towards the city, which is built around a curved, photogenic harbour. I download the Sydney app while we’re driving and scroll through all the things to do: Aboriginal arts museum, slick city shopping at Westfield Sydney, island hopping from Sydney Harbour. “Maybe later,” I think out loud while closing the app. “First things first.”

The taxi drives through Woolloomooloo harbourside and exits the Cahil Expressway at the Circular Quay. We get out of the car and head straight for the ferry terminal, where we buy a ticket for the Manly Ferry. Just a few minutes later the boat leaves the quay. I take out my Canon EOS 5D, with full-frame sensor. “Come on baby,” I say to the camera, “this is why I carried you halfway around the world. This is the moment.” I take off the lens cap and point the camera towards the shore. Through the lens I see one of the most iconic buildings of the 20th century, a symbol not only for a city, but for a whole country and continent.

”Look at her,” I say to my camera. “Click,” she answers.

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6.471 miles from new delhi


We arrive on Bronte Beach in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. We park the car and make our way past some beachfront cafés before we access the actual beach. We’ve set a meeting here with Craig Davis, the founder of Brandkarma, a sophisticated tool to influence brand behaviour.

I take out my tablet and read Craig’s email again. “Follow the beach in a southern direction towards the cliffs. From there take the path going up and continue until you reach a viewpoint. I’ll be the man in the black T-shirt watching the surfers. See you there. Craig.”

On the way we see some surfers preparing their gear and doing warm-up exercises. A young man with long blond hair and a red board is sitting cross-legged on the beach. “The perfect stereotype of a surfer dude,” I say to Maarten, “he’s probably meditating on the perfect wave.”

As we reach the end of the beach, we climb a path up the cliffs, giving us a great view of the sea. “Craig was some kind of hotshot at JWT before he came back to Australia in 2009,” I say to Maarten. “Now he’s Chief Creative Officer at Publicis Mojo Australia.”

We continue to follow the trail along the cliff tops, and suddenly we see our surfer dude with the red board making his way to where the waves are breaking. He dives under the first wave, then paddles for 15 seconds before diving under the second wave.

After a few minutes we arrive at an open space 100 metres from the tide line with a great view of the surfers waiting for the perfect wave. On a bench a man is sitting overlooking the surf scene. Not only is he the only person at the viewpoint, he’s also wearing a black T-shirt, as promised.

“Craig?” I say. The man turns around and a smile appears on his face. “Guys, step into my office,” he says, pointing at the bench he’s sitting on. “It’s a good, somewhat unpredictable, surfing beach, with a strong rip tide and a heavy swell. It can easily sweep you away, that’s why it’s the ‘Bronte Express’.”

“Craig, you started Brandkarma some time ago, what is that all about?”

“When I came back to Australia I wanted to launch a project that had been on my mind for some time already, but I never found the time for it. I had two questions in mind that form the basis of this project: What kind of a world do we want to live in? What kind of a world do we want to leave our kids?”

“Okay, those are good questions,” I say. “What is the answer?”

“The world’s biggest brands run the global economy and have a huge impact on the world. If we want to make the world a better place, it’s no use sitting on the street and demonstrating against governments. It’s by using the force of the big brands that change will be made.”

“I understand what you’re saying, but the goal of brands and companies is to make profits for their shareholders, not to change the world,” I say.

“That’s where Brandkarma comes in,” Craig says, “to make profits, brands need consumers. With Brandkarma consumers can rate the brands; positive rates for brands that are doing good in the world and negative rates for brands that are not. Social opinion has a great influence on which brands we buy.”

“So Brandkarma’s purpose is to influence brand behaviour for the good?” Maarten asks.

“It’s a bottom-up approach to issues that have been considered top-down until now, without much success,” Craig says.

“How do you get people to vote, or to rate the brands?” Maarten asks.

“Brandkarma is a new kind of social network,” Craig says. “You can invite contacts from Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to the platform. The more people who weigh in on brands, the bigger the effect on how those brands do business.”

“We preach this in storytelling as well,” Maarten says, “horizontal influence. More and more people turn to family, friends and colleagues for advice on purchases. Advertising and media are not the first source of information anymore.”

A hundred metres from our conversation, our surfer dude with the red board has been waiting for the perfect wave. Now he has decided that the next wave is the one. He waits for the right moment, starts paddling to gain speed and gets on his board. The wave swells; the surfer finds his balance and glides fast to prevent the wave from swallowing him. “He’s riding the Bronte Express,” I think to myself.

“Brandkarma is open, democratic and transparent. We’re aiming to be a positive influence on brands,” Craig says. “Besides rating them, users can make suggestions to improve a brand’s karma.”

In the background the surfer dude with the red board is caught by the wave and swallowed by the Tasman Sea. A few seconds later he emerges, gets back on his board and paddles to get back into position.

“How does the rating system on Brandkarma work?” Maarten asks.

“Brand ratings are based on the ‘3 Ps’,” Craig explains, raising a finger for each point. “How good are their Products, how well do they treat People, and how well do they look after the Planet? A brand with good karma needs to score well on all three Ps.

“Brandkarma is out to make the world a better place, one brand at a time.”

Meet ing Cra ig Dav i s on Bronte Beach

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Our last stop is Brisbane, the gateway to Australia’s vast agribusiness frontier. Just inland, Brendan Menegazzo now heads family-run Stanbroke, the world’s largest vertically integrated beef and cattle operation in private hands.

Innovating the beef businessIn 2003, Rabo helped Brendan take over from the other Stanbroke shareholders with the financing to put together Australia’s largest land deal in the country’s history. Brendan: “It was a pretty exciting time, putting together the country’s largest rural transaction. It was also a great benefit being on board with Rabobank as they saw the value in this business going forward, not just looking to tomorrow’s profits. Now we are the largest, privately owned and vertically integrated beef business.”

A clear market vision“With over 200,000 cattle grazing four million acres of natural grassland, a feedlot capacity for 22,000 heads, a new abattoir and a global branded beef operation, we cover almost every aspect of the cattle sector," Brendan says. "Rabo analysts around the world provide us with the latest information of what is happening in other countries with the commodities we use regularly. They also understand that our different business units have different disciplines and principles. The fact that they are experienced in food and agriculture, food production, processing and sales was key to bringing our deal together.”

Long-term relationship“We’re the third generation in farming in Australia now, and our business is very much a generational model with a long-term view. Having a bank that’s interested in long-term agriculture is therefore very important to us. It gives us the peace of mind to focus on long-term innovation and, although it’s obviously irritating, not worry too much if one year is less successful than the previous. It instils peace of mind and therefore the opportunity to focus on what we do really well. So for us, the future looks bright.”

Stanbroke Austra l ia Connect ing to the fu ture

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To get a better insight into the first pillar of the cooperative philosophy, we talk to Sander Pruijs, CCO East within Rabobank.

“One of our four pillars is ‘connecting to the customer’, which means that our customers’ interests always come first. This reflects the lack of shareholders with an immediate financial economic interest in our organisation. Customers – our members – can exert genuine influence over our operations. For us this is essential in an ongoing relationship based on mutual respect, dialogue and trust.

“The Food & Agribusiness is volatile in nature, due to trends in the global markets, consumer demand and even the weather. Earnings can therefore be impacted accordingly. We can help our customers in mitigating the various risks, facing the challenges and making use of the opportunities. To illustrate, let me give you an example. As you probably remember, there were severe floods in 2011 in Australia. Our first priority was contacting our clients to see how we could help them to get back on their feet. In applicable circumstances we offered them support such as deferral of scheduled loan payments and waiving break costs on early redemption of (farm management) deposits.

"All in all it’s about being there for our clients when and where they need us. It’s a good place to work,” he adds with a smile. “Perhaps it would be best to hear from our customers though. They can really tell you what we’re all about from their perspective…”

Meet ing Sanderi n Sydney

Connect ing to the cus tomer

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CoolBrands - 'Around the World in 80 Brands'

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Transcript of CoolBrands - 'Around the World in 80 Brands'