|
Q1 What is the Medinge Group?
A1 A top-level think tank of brand professionals who meet annually
to exchange ideas about theory, strategy, and trends in international
branding. The Medinge Group is a not-for-profit collective, supported
by member contributions.
The group meets in August at Medinge, Sweden and in
January in Paris.
Medinge's for-profit arm, the Medinge Consulting Group,
builds nimble teams on an as-needed basis for a range of clients.
Q2 Who are the active members of the Medinge Group?
The active members are listed on our home page.
Membership is by invitation. Founder members have published
dozens of books and articles between them.
Q3 What is the mission of the Medinge Group?
A3 The Medinge Group strives to influence businesses from inside—and
outside—to become more human, and more humane.
The group believes it possible to accelerate change
across enterprises and societies by acting on principles of compassionate
branding.
Q4 What does the Medinge Group do to influence change?
A4 The Medinge Group’s first initiative in 2002 was to publish the
Brand Manifesto, which set forth collective beliefs about the state of
branding.
In 2002, 14 members of the Medinge Group came together
to author Beyond Branding, a collection of essays about compassionate
branding. The book was published in November 2003 by Kogan Page.
In November 2003, the Medinge Group released its first
yearly list of Brands with a Conscience. Now in its fifth year, the awards
are a closely watched annual event in the international business community.
The Medinge Group maintains an online Speakers’
Bureau and a for-profit consultancy group. In 2007 the group launched
an online journal of member publications.
Q5 Why are brands important?
A5 Brands are ideas bearing names. They carry our shared stereotypes,
good or ill. They embody our values. Today, organizations must preempt
a groundswell of cynicism about brands, or face the consequences.
Q6 What are the attributes of compassionate brands which the group
recognizes in the companies it respects?
A6
- A visible conscience.
- Apologizing when things go wrong.
- Investing time and energy in relationship-building.
- Promoting the vaue of caring for one another.
- Acknowledgement that we are all equal.
- Being visibly accountable for their actions.
- Taking risks in line with their beliefs.
Q7 How was the Medinge Group founded?
A7 The group was initially brought together through the energies of
Thomas Gad, brand visionary, author and founder of Brandflight. He invited
an international group of brand professionals, many affiliated with the
Institute for Brand Leadership, to attend the first meeting.
|
