Crocs :: A view on Refresh Agency's first client back in 2002

Image Credit: Carlotta Mast

I never know wether to smile and feel proud, or cringe and duck for cover when I see Crocs and signs like these...

Crocs was Refresh Agency's first client. Not a bad one to start out with. And, truth be told, it was an incredible experience and rocket ride to launch Crocs from small start-up seeing the first prototype shoe, to take the company to the largest IPO in the history of the footwear industry ($208 mill IPO). Since it's inception in 2002, Crocs has sold more than 300 million pairs of shoes in more than 90 countries around the world!

It's been one of my career highlights packed with learning and growth to take these puppies and make them a world-wide phenomenon with the most amazing team - the founders George Boedecker, Scotty, Lyndon 'Duke' Hanson, and my fellow colleagues.

My need to do good in the world through business was fulfilled through the company hiring people with various handicaps, who could not otherwise easily work, to add the back straps fastened with rivets to the shoes. Building schools in developing countries with The Q Fund, and giving second assortment shoes to adults and children in the developing worlds.

As a disclaimer, I need to say that I do not know the workings of the company today. It's an entirely different management team. If they still practice conscious capitalism with focus on people, planet and profits, I am not sure. I do hope so.

It's amazing to look back over the company's timeline and know Refresh Agency was a small piece in this large puzzle back in 2002-2004.

We used some fairly innovative marketing methods to get across to the consumers including these Crocs sails

Dare to Stand Out: Develop Follow-Worthy Brands

Co-authored by Thomas Kolster & Sandja Brügmann

In today’s world, passion and purpose-driven brands are changing the dynamic of how consumers can (and want to) interact with companies in both the physical and digital world. Driven by an inside-out, authentic desire to improve and change the world for the better – especially when it comes to business – these types of brands operate in a ‘we’ context and understand that people are drawn to their vision of a better tomorrow. Passionate purpose, trust, authenticity and vulnerability are all key aspects of developing and maintaining this mindset. 

What is your business’ purpose?

Regardless of where you are in life, the fact of the matter remains that taking a stand and living out your unique perspective – whether through your behavior, communication, or interactions with others – clearly takes courage. Leaving your comfort zone of a passive, always-agreeable view, and standing up for something you really, truly believe in may make you nervous at first, but it is the best action you will ever take. After all, courage is not the absence of fear, but the forward movement despite it.

When you become visible, people can feel, identify with and see you. They’re also able to consciously choose you, and more frightening yet, reject you. This is where our irrational fears come in. As a business leader in this new day-in-age, it is integral to understand the necessary processes that are needed in order to take a stand and be recognized as an influential brand. Create engagement. Build social currency. Let it be known that it’s a given that some people will not connect with your message. Because guess what? This is okay. No brand, no matter how powerful it is, can ever be something that connects and identifies with everyone. So instead, be something that connects with, and utilizes, the core values your brand is built off of – the people who share your unique values.

“People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.” – Simon Sinek, the popular TED speaker and author of, Start with Why. 

Where to Start

All brands (and people) are somewhere on the passion-intellect continuum. It takes finding our most authentic, fitting position – which is a continued growth process – to ensure we behave and communicate in alignment with who we really are, and ultimately, where we desire to be.

The American-headquartered, Tesla, is a great example of this. On a mission to make environmentally, sustainable, personal transportation sexy and cool, they entered the electrical car manufacturing market with a passionate drive and purposeful vision that disrupted the entire industry.  And guess what? It worked.

Whether you are someone who wants to drive a model S or not, it is likely you know of (or have at least heard of) the Tesla brand name.

Infusing Emotionality into a Rational B2B Brand

The Danish conglomerate, Maersk, recently hired a new VP of marketing – Louisa Loran – in order to integrate more emotionality into the Maersk brand. As a rational B2B container shipping business, this decision stands as a good example of how a business can move towards passion and expand its brand’s personality – all with the understanding that strong, successful brands connect with consumers on an emotional level. It also displays why embracing the process of growth and the role that new, conscious leadership can have, especially when working towards an integrated balance of feminine and masculine business skills and behaviors, is important.

Purpose – What?

Not every company is born with a burning purpose, a distinct legacy or a strong, value-led leader as its founder or CEO. You should not despair, however – even if you’re less than comfortable connecting with your softer side, the realms of corporate religion and the “why” behind it all. While your thinking might be more linear, weighed and mathematical, versus being measured in creative outbursts, doodles and emotions, there are still many ways to tap into and take advantage of the right brain, spreadsheet, analytical way of going about things – it exists in all of us!

What You Cannot Measure, You Cannot Change

Take a hard look at your business, a look that turns every stone. In 2011, Jochen Zeitz, the CEO of Puma at the time, said: “What you cannot measure, you cannot change.” As he delivered Puma’s yearly financial results, he also stated that Puma did more than €145 million in environmental damage (water use, land use, air pollution, waste and more). It was a bold, but calculated approach, and the beginning of a more environmentally friendly collection: Puma’s InCycle collection. Today Puma is showing the environmental costs in euros on the price tags of their InCycle products, and they have already succeeded in cutting down those costs by almost 30% – an approach that has been widely recognized and envied by many.

Right Brain Thinking

The Danish wind energy company, Vestas, is no doubt passionate about wind; however, it was an analytical and big data approach that led them to their newest innovation. They looked at data surrounding what countries are rich in wind resources, and then overlaid it with data on the countries that are poor in financial resources. With that, Wind For Prosperity was born. In Denmark, when more energy efficient windmills substitute earlier generations, these earlier generation windmills are resold to poor, but wind rich, countries that can now afford them. It’s good business for both parties. Right brain thinking can take your brand to remarkable places and create a strong, validated foundation.

Ready to Get Naked?

In a transparent market, brands and their emotional war on values are moving to the background, and a market where products and services are increasingly quantified and compared dominates the foreground. Price and quality no longer stand alone. Instead, social, environmental, health and other value-added factors are put into play – from the supermarket shelves to the global stock exchanges. Consumers also know what they are looking for, and through social media, they can quickly voice their concern. American writer Dale Carnegie says it best when he cautions: “When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but creatures of emotion.”

The People’s Twitter Tribunal

Finding the balance between logic and emotions can often be very difficult. As a company, you might have the best reasons in the world to do what you’re doing, all of your products might be certified, you may comply with every national law – and yet, it’s still not enough to satisfy the people’s Twitter tribunal. In the UK, a beloved brand like Starbucks felt the heat when it appeared that they had only reported a measly £8.6m taxable profit once in 15 years. Yes, they just did what any other multinational corporation was doing, but the social media blade of the guillotine was raised.

Brands are Like Babies on Steroids Screaming for Attention

Look at the supermarket shelves today. The choice of different brands is beyond reason (how many types of toothpaste do I actually need?). The result is a market place where every brand screams louder and louder for attention, like a baby on steroids. It’s no wonder that more and more people are turning their back on advertising. As a matter of fact, the majority of people in the world wouldn't care if 73% of brands disappeared tomorrow (Havas Meaningful Brands) – meaning all the noise isn’t accomplishing anything. In order to be a brand that people actually care about, you need to have a message that people want to hear. 

Am I Really Lovin’ It?

“I’m lovin’ it.” That’s the catchy jingle of one of the world’s most recognized brands, McDonald’s, and yet less people are queuing up these days. It doesn’t seem like unconditional lovin’ anymore. At another fast-food outlet you’re met with a different story, “Food with Integrity.” Chipotle is challenging the highly industrialized food practices traditionally used by fast food chains by offering convenient, healthy food, made with respect for animals, people and the planet. Simply put, they’re walking the talk.

Be a Change-Maker or Prepare Your Epitaph

It’s a different market place out there, meaning you cannot simply continue with business as usual. In today’s world, it’s not enough to be ridiculous for the sake of getting a couple laughs – you have to do things that earn people’s lovin’. You have to navigate and be comfortable walking on the passion-intellect, walk-the-talk continuum. It’s about taking a fresh look at the world around us and seeing how you and your brand can play your part. There’s no higher accomplishment for brands than to make a real difference in people’s lives. As the great scientist, Albert Einstein, once said, “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”  

We will be speaking on this topic at Social Media Week Copenhagen Feb 23, 2015.

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Thomas Kolster

Author & International expert in sustainable communication, The Goodvertising Agency  

Thomas Kolster is an international expert in sustainable communication. He’s the author of one of the most comprehensive books about the topic: “Goodvertising”. As the Director of the Goodvertising Agency, he’s helping companies understand this new reality. Last year Thomas founded WhereGoodGrows; the world’s first best-practice sharing platform for sustainable initiatives. He’s an experienced keynote speaker featured at events such as SXSW & Sustainable Brands, a columnist for the Guardian and several other publications and a regular judge at international awards. The Huffington Post recently dubbed him “Inspirational Leader”. He’s currently sitting at the board of two non-profit organisations.

Thomaskolster.com     http://dk.linkedin.com/in/thomaskolster

Sandja Brügmann

International expert in sustainable communication and conscious leadership, Refresh AgencyRefresh Agency – Boulder, CO, USA and Copenhagen, Denmark.

Sandja Brügmann is a successful entrepreneur, international speaker and intuitive communications & marketing expert with a passion for Authentic Leadership. Sandja mentors visionary business leaders and entrepreneurs around the world helping people manifest a passion-filled and purpose-based business and life. She has worked with the global business community to create sustainable & social-good change for the past 15 years.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandja

PR Insider: 5 PR Trends Gaining Traction

Written by Brian Spero

Since the rise of the Internet, the traditional landscape of public relations has been in a near-constant state of flux. However, at its core, PR still remains about disseminating information to the public with the goal of cultivating mutually beneficial relationships built on trust and understanding. To be successful, PR pros are compelled to continually analyze their processes and be flexible to change in order to remain relevant in the modern business structure.

In many circles, 2014 has been earmarked as an important milestone in PR, as professionals have the opportunity to assume a central role in the success and progress of organizations by embracing a future that has already arrived. If you are searching for strategies to secure your place in the boardroom and advance your department to the cutting edge, consider these five PR trends gaining traction:

Picture quote chosen by Refresh Agency team, and not part of original article

1. Continued Push for ROI
The old line is that it is too difficult to calculate a return on investment for the broad scope of a public relations campaign. This is stale and ineffectual thinking in the digital age. In order to justify their existence and command the attention of corporate decision makers, PR managers need to get over the fear of relying on data and numerical formulas to judge results.

The general consensus among industry experts is that technology is close to cracking the code on accurately measuring the impact of PR, providing increasingly sophisticated tools for gauging things such as consumer engagement, brand sentiment and actions directly attributed to incoming revenue, while at the same time illuminating areas of strategic adjustments to optimize campaigns.

2. Erasing Traditional Boundaries
In recent years boundaries have clearly been blurred for PR professionals, especially for those who cut their teeth in the era of more traditional media. While there has been some reluctance to crossing lines that had been established for generations, the mandate now seems to be either rebel from past conventions or perish.

PR teams have to get comfortable not only with the idea of collaborating closely with complementary departments such as marketing and sales, but also embrace the concept of working with fans who in many ways are now a business's most effective spokespersons. The reality is the use of channels such as social media marketing, content marketing and SEO in business have moved marketing and sales into the realm of public relations. In turn, PR must get more closely involved in marketing and sales, or otherwise risk getting pushed aside.

3. Advanced Brand Journalism
The fact that traditional media is undergoing a precipitous decline has been well documented, leaving public relations departments searching for more sustainable ways to disseminate their messages to the masses. Charged with the arduous task of growing a unique targeted audience and engaging it with effective content, businesses are increasingly expanding brand journalism capabilities by contracting freelancers or bringing seasoned journalists and publishers in-house to enhance their ability to develop and execute winning content strategies.

At the heart of this trend is the growing importance for PR practitioners to recognize social media and digital publishing as new preferred outlets for accessing news. At the same time, they need to leverage the ability to identify audiences through data analytics and intelligently deliver content over preferred channels.

4. Renewed Emphasis On Trust
Building trust with the public has long been a foundational aspect of an effective PR campaign. However, in the virtual environment, where individuals are exposed to threats they are ill equipped to deal with, it is essential to send a message that instills confidence and trust.

Look no further than the recent Target data breach for an example of how poorly prepared even the most powerful corporate entities appear to be in dealing with security concerns and the toll it can take on reputation and profitability. In reaction, businesses do well by posturing as leaders in dealing with the emerging threats of the 21st century by relating in real terms the progressive actions they are taking to harbor a secure environment to conduct business in.

5. The Social Mission
The success of social enterprises (i.e., organizations that operate as commercial entities with the goal of generating revenues to support important human and environmental change) such as TOMS shoes and Seventh Generation has reverberated throughout the corporate world. While not every business is now ready to shift its focus from serving investors or a board of directors to serving the needs of the underprivileged, the concept of tying a philanthropic mission to the brand objective is a powerful tool for winning over socially conscious consumers.

Consider the move CVS recently made by announcing that it would no longer send the mixed message of selling cigarettes while positioning itself as a comprehensive health and wellness provider. Aligning your business with a social cause that resonates with your core consumers and taking action that holds real potential for change can forge deeper emotional connections with the public.

Final Thoughts
Public relations is transforming in many ways - but ultimately, the goals remain the same. By crossing over traditional boundaries, utilizing modern tools to achieve results and demonstrate effectiveness, and placing deeper emphasis on the very fabric of an organization that makes it valuable and unique, PR professionals can ride the winds of change to greater relevance in the days and years to come.

What additional PR trends do you foresee taking root?

Brian Spero is a social media specialist and online contributor to Moneycrashers.com. He frequently writes about technology, marketing, small business, and finance. 

Article published from PR News Online 

You might also like to read LOHAS JOURNAL blog TRENDS IN GREEN Social Media as Social Currency: Selling Through Social Influencing written by Sandja Brügmann to learn more about how to build trust with your customer and through your strategic and behavioral communication and marketing.

10 Do's & Don'ts of Social Media Marketing for Purpose-driven Brands

Refresh Agency has been helping young and mid-sized companies in the natural products industry for more than 16 years. We are a values-based, people-centric business, & we care to make a difference and lead people and our clients to take the necessary steps to shine from their true center – living & doing business from this place creates happiness and decisions beyond one’s own good. And, that’s what we are about: Making a difference for people, planet & profits.

We’ve worked with some of the leading entrepreneurial teams & companies dedicated to sustainability and social good – from Boulder, CO; New York, NY, Venice, CA, Copenhagen, Denmark, Delhi, India, Tokyo, Japan to Cape Town, South Africa including Justin’s, Clementine Art, GoodBelly, Crocs, Chocolove, Neve Designs, Ito En, Teas’ Tea, Spier & Sustainia.

Our expertise and focus is to build businesses from all over the world dedicated to sustainability and social good in the USA & Scandinavian markets through strategic and creative communication, PR and Social Media Marketing.


These 10 suggestions are based on my experience on how to build community, buzz and your brand through social media. The suggestions are meant as a guide and a roadmap. I encourage you to try the suggestions that speak to you for yourselves – adjusting your efforts along the way to find your own path to social media communication success.


1. Do create a plan. Random acts of social media do not work.
A clear aim is the key to reaching our destination – and this goes for all facets of life. Without a proper identified goal and direction your company would likely propel forward at a much slower pace, if at all. Random acts of kindness is a good thing – but ‘random’ is not a word to include in your social media marketing.


2. Don’t talk about yourself all the time. It’s boring.
Building your business and brand through your values - what you give and share, what you care about - your values will draw me in if I share the same values. If you have a unique offer just for me, tell me about it and make me feel special, by all means. As a rule of thumb stay below 20% of self-promo talk, or your customer will doubt your authenticity and trustworthiness.


3. Do learn from your critics.
Instead of seeing criticism as a negative, I suggest seeing the world from a perspective of curiosity, and a willingness to learn and expand. It might be eye-opening to your business to understand a unhappy customers’ gripes. So, instead of shutting down at the sign of criticism, see it as an opportunity.


4. Do respond! Engagement is two-way communication.
67% of brands on social media do not respond to posts on their profiles, which is mindboggling to me. You are sabotaging your own social media efforts, if you do not respond to a customer’s post. Social Media is about generating engagement - that means two-way communication. So, when your customer writes, it means you are on your way to creating engagement. So engage and respond in a timely manner!


5. Don’t have an intern handle your content.
Take your social media brand communication seriously. This is your brand & communication to and with the outside world on a daily basis - treat it as such. There are certain functions an intern can handle, such as promoting the content posts on Facebook, build followers on Twitter, pin images on Pinterest and so forth, but when it comes to your direct communication & customer engagement, I encourage you to make sound and expert decisions for your business & ensure someone with proper credentials and communication skills is responsible for your brand on social media.


6. Do make an informative and unique profile.
The first page on your social media profile is an opportunity to quickly communicate who you are, what you stand for, what you sell - do include your website on the first page, where your customer quickly can get more information about you and purchase your product. This is where branding and key messaging communication comes in handy. Why do you do what you do? What’s unique about your business? How does your visual identity look? Tie it all together.


7. Do have the courage to say it out loud – take a stand.
It is important to share your unique perspective with the world in order to stand out as unique, and not just a ‘me too’ type of brand.
If you are not quite ready to communicate your big idea and viewpoints, perhaps because you are not quite sure how the world will react, then take it in small comfortable steps. However, promise yourself to continue to expand yourself outside your comfort zone, and allow your brand to unfold into its unique and vibrant identity.


8. Do be proactive and engaging.
Prior to attending an event is an excellent opportunity to be proactive. You know that people attending this event have a common set of values up front. Connect with others through #hashtag searches, content and questions to generate appeal and engagement. There is always an interesting way to engage with everyone. Be curious and show that you care in the way you engage.


9. Do provide excellent customer service.
See social media as a cost-saving customer service tool; even for small businesses. It takes a lot less time to answer a customer question on Twitter than to answer a phone call. It saves time, hassle and $ and is much easier for both of you. It does require that you stay alert and track your social media tools, and respond in a timely manner - that means preferably right away, but at least within hours.


10. Do reflect - If I didn’t work here, would I care about this?
An excellent rule of thumb when generating content is to ask yourself ‘If I didn’t work here, would I care about this?’ It’s like the ‘Daughter test’ – would I give my daughter this product to eat, or treat her the way I am treating my employees, or customers. If I would treat my own daughter this way, it’s a go. If not, reconsider, and change it.


You might also find this article helpful:
4 Keys To Creating Successful Social Media Content

Markedsføringsdagen 2013 [The Marketing Day] - Copenhagen

This year's annual one-day conference in Copenhagen on June 12th, 2013 offers 20 inspiring speakers, 12 tracks and a network of more than 300 marketing professionals primarily from the Nordic countries. 

I will be speaking on a favorite topic of mine: psychological drivers behind building social currency via social media - this talk will be particularly focused on Twitter, which has not yet won over the Danish social media users as it has the rest of the world -  predictions are indicating an increased importance of Twitter in Denmark over the next years. So now is the time to get involved and build your Twitter presence. See you there!

11:40 - 12:10

– chose between 4 tracks

Track H: Twitter as social currency in a digital world

Sandja Brügmann, chief creative strategist, REFRESH agency

When a brand has high social currency on social media platforms they also have a higher success rate and likelihood in driving and inspiring behavioral change, engagement, peer recommendations and thus leads and sales. This talk will focus on the human psychological drivers behind building social currency with Twitter.

Full program
Link to digital program and registration here.

You Are Allowed

From Simon Sinek's WHY Movement

Pinterest Visual Inspiration

These are some of our boards on Pinterest. Come pin with us @ www.Pinterest.com/Sandja

Fashion We Like features My Style: Sandja Brügmann

My Style: Sandja Brügmann

Danish-born Sandja Brügmann is a managing partner and chief creative strategist at Refresh Agency. Refresh Agency is based in Boulder, CO, USA and Copenhagen, Denmark.  Sandja resides in Copenhagen.

Photocredit: Anders Beier, Denmark

Q: Who is the most stylish person you have ever seen?

Helena Christensen — I just love her bohemian luxury style.

Q: Please describe your style in three words.

Eco-luxury comfort.

Q: What is the biggest mistake one can make when getting dressed?

Not feeling good, grounded and comfortable.

Q: Do you believe in role models?

Yes, in certain situations.

Q: What are your favourite fabrics?

Cashmere, well-worn linen, ultrafine merino wool, silk, second use cycle leather. What is most important to me is that the company I purchase from shows social and planetary consciousness and makes an effort to practice clean business with a heart.

Q: Are there any style combinations that you object to?

Personally, I am at a place in my life where I’m playing around with a few new and more expanded styles such as more feminine and playful styles, colours and floral patterns as well as more vintage prints. I used to only wear black — and though I still love black, I find the feminine shapes, softer tones and floral patterns a great compliment to my personal process.

Q: Which city has the best-dressed women?

New York & Copenhagen — the two are very different. Female style in Copenhagen has an almost androgynous feel.

Q: Would you say that you are conservative or bold?

I am a mix of both. I wear a lot of classic, comfort pieces, but you rarely see me without an element of bold — often found in my shoes, boots, scarves, sunglasses and jackets.

Q: What are the rules, if any, in the way you dress?

To feel comfortable and to feel good. To play with other styles than my usual, and to allow myself plenty of time in yoga pants.

Q: Celebrities and style.…

Are like all the rest of us. What we chose to wear is our personal brand and an artistic expression of who we are.

Q: One garment/accessory that you can never have enough of?

My old beat up Old Gringo cowboy boots — you’ll see me wear them dressed up, dressed down, in yoga leggings, with skirts, fancy dresses, to work, with a bikini and a beach tunic — they are just so comfortable and so me.

Q: A woman should always look…

Uniquely and comfortably herself.

Q: Who taught you what you know about style?

I am an artist, and I observe the world around me. I always have. When something feels fun, balanced, vibrant, creative, soothing or just ‘right’ it can quickly become part of my world. It’s the same with fashion. To me, fashion and how I dress are a unique and creative expression of my essence.

Q: How do you select your clothing every morning?

I do not spend a lot of time thinking about it actually. I know my closet, and I know I can’t go “wrong.” Anything I wear that makes me feel good will let my true self shine through. That’s what truly matters, not so much the actual pieces I wear.

Q: What is your biggest regret?

I was about to say no regrets, but then that awful mullet at age 12 came back to haunt me…

Q: The three essential things a woman should know about style are…

Buy key pieces of quality and mix with less expensive pieces of a more playful, colorful and width of style ranges, so you can easily create different looks and have fun with it.

Q: Do you have any shopping rituals?

Some of my favorite luxury second hand boutiques are in Copenhagen, where I have discovered some of my greatest finds. Otherwise, I mainly purchase items that inspire me on my travels.

Q: What is the first thing you notice on a woman?

I notice whether or not she seems at peace with herself.

Q: What are the most treasured items in your wardrobe?

My aforementioned Old Gringo cowboy boots, a second hand purchased vintage Chanel purse, a plexiglass and black pleather wrist watch my granddad made for my mother in the 60s, a colorful Pucci scarf — my big stack of scarves in general from hand-me-downs from my mother’s youth to recent purchase by Danish designer Kudibal. I love scarves. My mother’s wedding band with my father’s name and their wedding date in 1975 engraved (my father passed away in my late teens), and a few leather jackets from Danish design label Munderings Kompagniet.

Q: Which designer never fails to impress you?

We are all human, and I do not believe in perfection as a possibility, and as such I am not disappointed that no design house has ever created a full collection that blows me away.

Q: One article of clothing that a woman needs to pay close attention to is…

Her shoes.

Q: Is comfort an enemy of style?

No… and perhaps a bit of yes when it comes to those fabulous and sexy high heels.

Q: Who would you like to see next in “My style”?

Christian Zigler, innovative entrepreneur and founder of ShopBox.com @shopboxcom. Tania Ellis, founder of The Social Business Company.

Q: The best words of advice you have ever heard?

Be the change you wish to see in the world. — Ghandi

Fashion We Like is a London-based fashion blog by Haris Stavridis. You can follow the team on twitter @fashionwelike

http://www.fashionwelike.com/my-style-sandja-brugmann