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Is staying current the key to the ‘next now’?

Is staying current the key to the ‘next now’?

Lars Kreyenhagen emphasizes the philosophy of contemporary branding as a proactive approach to leadership and team management. He argues that it’s crucial for brands to prepare for future challenges rather than merely chasing trends. The core of this strategy lies in fostering strong company values, effective communication, and structured career plans to drive transformation and increase brand value. Kreyenhagen highlights the importance of being willing to change, as this readiness is essential for successful collaboration with clients. By blending insights from brand consultancy, design, and advertising, he aims to equip brands for the "next now." According to Lars Kreyenhagen, this holistic approach ensures brands are not just viable today, but are also positioned effectively for tomorrow. Don’t miss more tips and insights on contemporary branding in the full episode.

2026·Season 3·Episode 2Highlight
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Lars Kreyenhagen · Co-Founder and Executive Strategy Director

Leadership insights

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Transcription

00:03

SHAPING THE NEXT NOW

00:15

"Is being trendy the key...to anticipating the next now?" This question is so cool.

00:23

Thanks a lot for asking it, actually.Perhaps it needs a bit of defining.

00:28

What we do is called contemporary branding.For us it's a philosophy that revolves around mindset and competences.

00:41

Moreover, it's an...attitude of our own that, over the years,we've been developing to stay up to date.

00:52

It's something that my partner Claudia and I have agreed upon,when founding the agency,because we shared that mindset and those competences,and firmly believed in the philosophy of contemporary branding.

01:13

And...perhaps it should be defined more precisely what that really means.

01:21

In fact, being up to date doesn't mean...chasing after every new trend,or wanting to be trendy, but rather...

01:32

the next now, for us, means precisely preparing brands so they're ready for the future.

01:42

We prepare them today so they perform well tomorrow.

01:45

That is, to make brands viable for the future,and to make the future viable for brands.

01:51

That, for us, is what constitutes the next now.And contemporary branding is, so to speak,our principle... as to what we ought to do for brands.

02:03

And we unify in that principle the perspectives of three different types of creative company.

02:12

We think like a brand consultancy,we shape like a design studio,and we make an impact like an advertising agency.

02:24

And those three perspectives are unified,in Karl Anders,under the concept of contemporary branding.

02:35

How should one's attitude to change be,both from the agency's and the client's perspectives?

02:44

We always check the willingness to change whenever we begin a new project with a client.

02:51

And the willingness to change...Well, if you're not willing to change,there's no point working with us.

03:01

We're a partner for transformation processes.We want to drive companies, the industry, forward in a real way,we want to create a real impact, increase brand value,and properly prepare brands so they can face future challenges in the best possible way.