Jacob Benbunan opened the Best Icelandic Brands Awards, sharing insights on workplaces as brands.

Shaping culture, shaping brand success

Jacob Benbunan opened this year's Best Icelandic Brands Awards in Reykjavik, hosted by brandr, one of Iceland’s leading branding agencies. This annual event celebrates outstanding brands and reflects the forces shaping business, culture, and society.
In his keynote, Jacob explored a vital but often overlooked dimension of branding: the workplace itself. Drawing on decades of experience, he highlighted how organisations can nurture strong internal cultures to build meaningful, resilient brands from within. This insight resonates in a world where reputation is forged not only through customer experience but also through the lived <a href="https://saffron-consultants.com/work/service/employee-experience" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">experience of employees.</a>
He brought this to life by sharing <a href="https://saffron-consultants.com/journal/zelestra-launches-new-customer-centric-brand" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">our collaboration with Zelestra</a> to redefine their employer value proposition (EVP) and help them stand apart in a fiercely competitive landscape. By aligning their culture and their strategy, we crafted Zelestra’s brand to attract top talent and foster long-term engagement.

Industry leaders, including Karen Ósk Gylfadóttir, CEO of Lyfja, and William Bosanko, CEO of Brandpie, led insightful conversations throughout the evening. Dr. Fridrik Larsen, founder of brandr, moderated a panel featuring some of Iceland’s top business minds. The event culminated with a celebration of 2024’s standout brands, including big wins by Sky Lagoon, Alfreð, and Arna. ELKO took home the award for Best Workplace Brand, recognised for its commitment to growth, well-being, and a culture where 80% of its leaders rose from within. 
Iceland’s growing influence in global branding makes events like these key forums for exchange, learning, and inspiration. Our collaboration with brandr extends to initiatives like <a href="https://saffron-consultants.com/journal/charge-europe-2024" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CHARGE Europe</a> and continues to explore the intersection of brand, culture, and technology across industries and across countries.

Best Icelandic Brands Awards

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