On Tour in Germany

I’m en route to Munich where frog will, for the second year in a row, sponsor the Trendforum (Nov 30-Dec 2), a conference that gathers European innovation, marketing, and R&D executives to explore emerging technologies, social trends, and innovative business models. Together with Gravity, a local creative firm, we will co-host the official Trendforum opening party on Monday. In addition, my colleagues Elizabeth Roche (Associate Creative Director) and Till Grusche (Senior Marketing Manager) will moderate a frogThink workshop, and frog executive creative director Tjeerd Hoek will give a presentation about software/hardware convergence. Other speakers include Ray Kurzweil (well, via 3D-hologram….), Jan Geldmacher (CEO of Vodafone Germany), Thomas Ingenlath (Head of Volkswagen Design Center), Axel Becker (Trendscouting, Airbus), and many more.

On December 3 frog will co-host the second edition of the Digital Brand Tank series that we launched in July this year in Munich. The Digital Brand Tank is an invite-only forum for senior German marketing executives who come together to discuss the impact of social media and digital lifestyle on their brands. After the successful pilot in the summer, we are continuing our collaboration with Munich-based digital branding agency Das Goldene Vlies and are also partnering this time with first division German soccer club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, which will host the event in the VIP lounge of its stadium. Appropriately, the topic is “Social Media and Sports Marketing,” and given the upcoming World Cup, the Winter Olympics, and the Women’s World Cup in Germany in 2011 we are looking forward to participants from sponsor brands (i.e. Nike), sport marketing agencies, TV networks, and rights holders.

Finally, frog will participate in the Creativity World Forum on December 1-3 in Ludwigsburg where frog founder Hartmut Esslinger will give a keynote on “How Design Strategies Are Shaping the Future of Business.’ Other speakers include Franz Fehrenbach, CEO of Bosch and Esko Aho, Executive Vice President Nokia, former Finnish Prime Minister and EU Ambassador "Year of Creativity and Innovation" Finland, among others.

If I find time between all these events, I’ll have some Gluehwein at the famous Munich Christmas Market or as the Bavarians say “Christkindlmarket.”