Exploring Scandinavia

Psychologist Jerome Bruner found that we are 22 times more likely to remember a fact when it is wrapped in a story. Stanford’s Graduate School of Business found that when people listened to pitches, either containing facts and figures or a story, only 5% recalled a statistic, but a whopping 63% remembered the stories. I have analyzed hundreds of the best storytelling campaigns for brands (my opinion only), and I am pleased to share some of them with my readers in a series called the Brand Masters of Storytelling.

Winning Isn’t Comfortable

In my opinion, Nike’s 2024 campaign succeeded by moving beyond romanticized athletic perfection toward a raw, authentic portrayal of the pain and grit of running. By focusing on the shared, uncomfortable reality of training (e.g., sore muscles, early mornings), it created deep emotional resonance with both novice and elite runners, driving a reported 16% increase in sales.

The campaign didn’t just highlight the physical toll of running but also revealed the core of Nike’s marketing genius through a series of emotionally charged short-form videos spotlighting famous athletes.

The campaign launched with a film called Sunshine, created by Wieden+Kennedy in Portland, which portrays the challenges of running in poor conditions. Set to a version of You Are My Sunshine, the 30-second ad featured a variety of runners facing the rain and included a cameo from basketball star Juju Watkins.

Instead of showing perfect, effortless running, the campaign tugged at heartstrings and leveraged influencer marketing and runner stereotypes to deliver its message exclusively on Instagram. Each film tackles a different challenge runners face: early mornings, hitting a wall, and climbing a staircase after a run. This approach created radical relatability and empathy.

The campaign aimed to shift toward an inclusive running culture, appealing to casual joggers while paying homage to devoted marathoners, ensuring the message hit home for all skill levels and reconnecting with runners.

Despite Nike’s campaign being limited to one social network, its marketing efforts were more dialed in than ever. The Winning Isn’t Comfortable campaign followed Winning Isn’t For Everyone, which ran during the Paris Olympics and celebrated the single-mindedness of the world’s highest-achieving athletes. The films will run globally through marathon season, supported by social assets and outdoor ads (with copy such as ‘If you don’t hate running a little, you don’t love running enough’) that mirror the out-of-home billboards for Winning Isn’t For Everyone.

The Winning Isn’t Comfortable campaign follows Winning Isn’t For Everyone, which ran during the Paris Olympics and celebrated the single-mindedness of the world’s highest-achieving athletes. The films ran globally throughout marathon season, supported by social assets and outdoor ads (with copy such as ‘If you don’t hate running a little, you don’t love running enough’) that mirror the style of the out-of-home billboards for Winning Isn’t For Everyone.

The ads used humor (e.g., set to Nazareth’s “Love Hurts”) to portray athletes’ love-hate relationship with pain.

Reframing “discomfort”

Five years ago, running was Nike’s largest category. The brand dominated the sport and led in innovation – its controversial Vaporfly running shoes were worn by the first athlete to run a sub-two-hour marathon, and a prototype was even banned for giving an unfair advantage. But as the popularity of running (and running clubs) has soared since the pandemic, Nike has failed to capitalize on the trend, losing market share to nimbler newcomers such as Hoka and On Running.

In the 2024 campaign, Nike amplified its message. It reframed “discomfort” not as a failure but as a necessary part of progress and triumph, aligning with Nike’s heritage of championing personal achievement.

Nike’s target group was men and women between 12 and 55, a broad range. Some argue that such a broad range would create minimal impact. But let’s say the optimal range within that estimate is 20-45. This range is young enough to remain active without significant health concerns, yet old enough to spend their money on one or several running products from Nike.

An authentic campaign rooted in real insights

Amid a decline in sales and an increasingly fragmented market, Nike was reinvesting in running culture to restore its relevance – with a focus on the ‘everyday running category’, as CEO John Donahoe outlined during an earnings call at the end of 2023. Winning Isn’t For Everyone celebrated the world’s greatest athletes. Winning Isn’t Comfortable portrays regular runners pounding pavements before work, in bad weather, at local park runs, and more. The films felt authentic and rooted in real insights, depicting the everyday experiences ordinary people endure out of sheer determination and a love of running.

The campaign, detailed in a Contagious article, was seen as a bold, disruptive move to fend off competitors and reconnect with its core audience, according to the campaign analysts at Branding in Asia.

Nike marketed this campaign exclusively on Instagram, thereby singling out older generations who prefer Meta (Facebook). Men and women between 18 and 44 are the primary users of Instagram because a majority grew up with it, which is another reason the optimal range for Nike’s campaign is between 20 and 45.

Appealing to runners’ emotional ties to the sport

In a category cluttered with technical specs and proprietary features, Nike appeals to runners’ emotional ties to the sport. As running has become more inclusive (for example, run clubs used to be elite affairs; nowadays they welcome amateurs), Nike is adapting its communications to reflect the newer, novice runners who started running during the pandemic, while paying homage to established, lifelong runners – both groups that are heavily targeted by category disruptors Hoka, On, and Unlimit.

The campaign avoided the typical “glory” shots to focus on the “grit,” helping distinguish it from other brands, as noted in this case study.

While Nike is a global brand, its primary focus for this campaign was likely the United States for several reasons. The United States is not only one of the largest consumer markets but also home to most runners, races, and sports markets worldwide.

A heritage of campaigns championing realistic, personal achievements

Winning Isn’t Comfortable drew on Nike’s heritage of campaigns championing realistic, personal achievements, such as Find Your Greatness. The 2012 ad series, coinciding with the London Olympics, showcased ordinary people pursuing their own versions of greatness across various sports. It was one of Nike’s most successful campaigns, driving $506m in revenue growth.

Do you have any suggestions for other storytelling campaigns? Please give me a hint: editor@dailyscandinavian.com

Brand Masters of Storytelling, told by Tor Kjolberg.
Previous articles on storytelling:

10 Best Books on Storytelling for Brands
Why Storytelling in Brand Marketing Is More Important Than Ever—and Why It Can No Longer Belong to Marketing Alone
How Storytelling Can Help Launch Your Product in Scandinavia
Rethink How Destinations Are Experienced
My 12 Survival Techniques as a Storyteller

There was a time when Nokia was synonymous with mobile phones built to withstand just about anything. As of early 2026, however, the next chapter of Nokia’s history is defined by a complete strategic pivot away from consumer smartphones and a total focus on B2B networking, AI-driven infrastructure, and 6G development.

In 2013, Nokia sold its mobile phone division to Microsoft. Many assumed the brand would simply disappear, swept away by flashier, shinier alternatives.

In the fall of 2025, however, Nokia announced the opening of its new, state-of-the-art R&D and manufacturing campus in Oulu, Finland, which will design, test, and deliver next-generation AI-ready networks.

Focus on Network Infrastructure and 6G 

Nokia is now investing heavily in next-generation connectivity, leading European 6G research initiatives (such as Hexa-X) and securing key 5G-Advanced contracts.

NVIDIA is investing $1 billion in Nokia to collaborate on network AI, leveraging Nokia’s infrastructure to enable AI-driven connectivity. Nokia has solidified its position as the second-largest global player in optical networks (21% market share) and ranks first in XGS-PON technology for fiber networks. The business is making a comeback and has opened a 55,000-square-meter campus in Oulu. “This is where we prepare for the next decade,” says Jarkko Pyykönen, head of Nokia Oulu.

Covering the entire product development lifecycle, Nokia’s new “Home of Radio” campus is home to around 3,000 experts and boasts some of the world’s most advanced radio network laboratory and manufacturing technology. This capacity will provide both simulated and real-world field verification environments to accelerate network evolution, ensuring that secure 5G and 6G networks are designed, tested, and built in Europe.

Corporate Strategy and Industrial IoT

A major focus for 2026 is expanding private wireless networks for industrial clients in mining, manufacturing, and logistics. Nokia is retooling its operating model and plans to finalize the direction of new units, including incubating defense-focused technologies, by 2026.

The company aims for a 13% operating margin by 2026, driven by stabilizing network demand and specialized technology deployments.

Most of Nokia’s main competitors are now Chinese. Its factory also collaborates with the nearby NATO test center to develop defense-grade 6G communications technology. The partnership underscores a strategic reality: the stability of Europe’s digital backbone increasingly depends on trusted network suppliers.

Other 2026 Developments

With over 20,000 patent families, Nokia continues to dominate the patent landscape for communication technology. Some restrictions on the use of Nokia equipment in Chinese telecommunication networks have been noted, highlighting geopolitical challenges.

2026 marks Nokia’s definitive return from a public-facing brand to a specialized B2B technology powerhouse, effectively retiring the “brick phone” legacy in favor of industrial AI and infrastructure solutions.

Nokia’s Next Chapter, Tor Kjolberg reporting

In a bid to stand out from the usual online content, IcelandAir has launched a humorous promotional campaign to find the world’s worst photographer and treat them to a series of outdoor adventures in Iceland. The adventures will be featured in marketing activities during and after the trip.

Are you the world’s worst photographer? This airline will pay you to take photos of Iceland. The selected candidate will receive an all-expenses-paid 10-day trip to Iceland in June 2026. In addition, there’s a US$50,000 payout for photography, content creation, and participation in the campaign. You can apply here.

Calling prospective participants, the airline’s advertising campaign declares: “We want to prove that even the worst photographer can take great photos of Iceland. Is that you?” To apply, candidates must have no professional photography background, no special interest in learning photography, and be “comfortable using a phone or basic camera without overthinking it.”

If you count yourself among the world’s bad shutterbugs, for once, the disadvantage might just work in your favor.

Any hopefuls must be 21 years of age or older, possess a valid passport, be legally permitted to travel to Iceland, the UK, and the USA, be physically able to participate in the planned activities, and have no disqualifying criminal or legal issues. Applications are open until April 30, 2026.

Wanted: “World’s Worst Photographer,” Tor Kjolberg reporting.

In my new book, “How I’ve Survived as a STORYTELLER for Over 50 Years: 12 Survival Techniques”, I argue that these techniques are essential for success.

Here is a brief summary of my 12 survival techniques:

Survival technique No. 1: Mastering change

Change is often framed as external. Most people hate change. It’s uncomfortable. The familiar is better. However, A proverb emphatically emphasizes a fact: “You can’t step into the same river twice.” A river is constantly moving, whether you want it to or not. If you observe, accept, act, and reflect, you’ll have an advantage over your competitors.

On the other hand, you can also make a change. Thoughts that you acquire as a habit are the most powerful tool when you need to influence your own situation and that of others.

Survival technique No. 2: To become a master, study the masters

Regardless of your field—business, sports, science, or management—it turns out that those who create the fastest and most lasting results are those who have learned from people who have already achieved the best results. Exceptional results rarely happen by chance. Individual personality and circumstances play a role, of course, but the most capable among us seem to share certain habits, mental models, and approaches to problem-solving. These patterns can be studied, understood, and applied.

Survival technique No. 3: Storytelling is the art of intelligent salesmanship, amplified by mass media

Telling stories, whether real or fictional, is an inherently human trait. However, the way we communicate with others has changed dramatically over time. Technological developments have shaped the way we communicate today.

This survival rule comes directly from the greatest advertising master of all time. It was Claude Hopkins, author of the book Scientific Advertising, first published in 1923. Decades later, the legendary David Ogilvy, often called the “father of advertising” and one of the greatest copywriters of all time, said the following about Hopkins’ book: “No one, at any level, should be allowed to do advertising unless they have read this book at least seven times. It has changed my view of advertising.”

Survival technique No. 4: You can get everything you want in life if you help other people get what they want

This is a statement by the American super salesman Zig Ziglar. Dale Carnegie, author of “How to Win Friends and Influence People”, explained the same message this way: “The only way to influence people is to find out what they want and show them how to get it.”

Survival technique No. 5: Before you start selling, you should find out what your buyers want

But how do you find out? There are two answers to this question. It depends on whether you are conducting personal sales (one-on-one) or through advertising (where you want to influence an entire segment at once).

You can find advice in one of the best books on sales ever written, Harry Browne’s classic “The Secret of Selling Anything: A road map to success for the salesperson who is not aggressive, who is not a ‘smooth talker’ and who is not an extrovert.”

Survival technique No. 6: Do thorough preparation before you write a single word

Thorough preparation is a prerequisite for good results, no matter what you prepare. It reduces uncertainty, improves your decision-making, and increases the likelihood of achieving your goals. If you want to produce a good story for a client, asking questions is the way to go. My “secret” weapon for writing stories that clients appreciate and that deliver results is a list of questions I have refined at regular intervals over the years.

Survival technique No. 7: Use the “II” formula – Intention and Imagination

“The war is won before it is fought” (Sun Tzu).

This is a translation of the Chinese general Sun Tzu’s work, circa 500 BC. Many Olympic medalists and football teams agree with the general’s statement and mentally prepare themselves before competitions. They picture themselves on the medal podium, especially the feelings that come with it.

Survival technique No. 8: Get more information than you need

This is one of the most important things I’ve learned as a storyteller, and it took me several years to recognize its importance. When I received my first freelance assignment, I didn’t know how to write an article that would capture attention, and I gained my first hints by reading David Ogilvy’s books.

Survival technique No. 9: Learn everything about the product

“My technique, if I have one,” wrote Leo Burnett, “is to saturate myself with the knowledge of the product.”

William Bernbach put it this way: “If I had to give anyone one piece of advice, it would be to know your product inside and out before you even begin to work. Your cleverness, your provocativeness, your imagination, and your ingenuity must come from knowledge of the product.” 

Survival technique No. 10: The burden of proof is yours

The problem is that most copywriters or storytellers are good at making promises but poor at providing evidence. This is a serious mistake, because nobody acts without being convinced.

When creating credible storytelling, you must take into account the limitations of the art of persuasion: people do not resist being persuaded; they resist being misled. The goal of credible text is therefore not cleverness, hype, or even emotionality – it is credibility put under the microscope.

Survival technique No. 11: No market knowledge – no market

In this chapter, I recommend that you, before writing a single word, ask yourself ten questions about those you want to convince of anything.

Survival technique No. 12: Problems create opportunities

“A sale is nothing more than the solution to objections,” said the famous sales trainer Zig Ziglar. Before you map out a strategy for a text, you should therefore create a plan that takes into account the four most common objections.

When I use the word problems, I mean the full spectrum of consumer desires – issues, wants, needs, dreams – I summarize the terms with the phrase “problems” for simplicity. As marketers, because that’s what storytellers are, at least in this context, our job is to identify problems and communicate possible solutions. The bigger the problem, the bigger the market.

This book was published at the beginning of this year. I have never had any New Year’s resolutions. On the other hand, I have always reflected on the path ahead. This book outlines my 12 survival rules for storytellers, drawn from more than 50 years of experience. If you want a free digital copy of my book, please just send me an email (editor@dailyscandinavian.com) with e-book in the subject line.

My 12 Survival Techniques as a Storyteller, written by Tor Kjolberg
Previous articles on storytelling:
What Makes a Story Stick?   
10 Best Books on Storytelling for Brands
Why Storytelling in Brand Marketing Is More Important Than Ever—and Why It Can No Longer Belong to Marketing Alone
How Storytelling Can Help Launch Your Product in Scandinavia
Rethink How Destinations Are Experienced