NoA - The North Alliance

Yesterday, at #NoABrainFood in Oslo, we explored one of the hottest topics in digital transformation: Balance between autonomy and governance in agile development. The session brought together perspectives from academia, industry, and the public sector. Led by Stian Meuche from Scienta AS, the discussion featured contributions from Casper Lassenius (Aalto University), Vegard Steinsholt (Nav), Jostein Emmerhoff (Schibsted), Laila Warncke-Wang (Telenor), and Magne Jørgensen (SimulaMet). Here are our top 3 takeaways: Autonomy is nuanced, not a “silver bullet”: Professor Lassenius highlighted the complexity of autonomy. While it fosters motivation and creativity, unchecked autonomy can hinder communication and coordination in larger teams. Balance is key: Industry leaders shared how balancing autonomy with governance creates productive environments. NAV’s “tight-loose-tight” model and Telenor’s focus on “value streams” are excellent examples of structured flexibility in action. Context matters: From Schibsted’s product focus to SimulaMet’s research-driven insights, a recurring theme was the critical importance of tailoring approaches to each organization’s unique context. There are no one-size-fits-all solutions. Thank you to everyone who joined us — see you next time!

Can AI turn (data) garbage into gold, or does it require a human touch for critical decisions? And can AI guide customers toward making more sustainable choices? Explore these questions in this client-case-based reflection by Julian Cæsar Andersen from NoA Connect Norway. #ai #LLM #biasinai

Everything you always wanted to know about the three step approach to AI and creativity (but were afraid to ask)... Our latest NoA AI Report is here, crafted by three creative superstars from &Co. / NoA: Sally Trier Mark Ellegaard Jacob Benjovitz Don't miss their insights into blending AI and creativity to drive success. #ai #creativity #marketing

Yesterday, we proudly took home the Best Website award at this year’s Gulltaggen! We won, thanks to the collaboration between NoA Ignite, Unfold / NoA, and NoA Consulting. The winning project was a complete redesign of the website for Øyafestivalen, one of Norway’s biggest and most beloved festivals. Øya needed a website that reflected its commitment to sustainability while being more user-friendly. The key goals included improving mobile usability, enhancing accessibility, and streamlining content updates — especially during critical moments like artist announcements. The result is a modern, sustainable, and intuitive website. Its coding and hosting were optimized to reduce the digital footprint, while a refreshed eco-inspired design, mobile-first approach, and improved accessibility elevated the user experience. With Sanity CMS, the festival team can now update content seamlessly, and new filtering options make it easier for users to find exactly what they need. Stay tuned for Øya 2025, and meanwhile, do check out site here: www.oyafestivalen.no Congratulations to the entire team!

Just in! We’re proud to announce that NoA has secured 21 nominations across all agencies at this year’s Eurobest. How many of these will turn into trophies will be revealed in a few weeks. Fingers crossed! Here is the NoA shortlist: Åkestam Holst / NoA – 16 nominations (Best in the Nordics!) “Mission Talita” (3) – Talita Categories: Brand Experience & Activation, Digital Craft, Film “IKEA – Sleepfluencer” (11) – IKEA Categories: Brand Experience & Activation, Direct, Media, Outdoor, Social & Influencer “IKEA – Here Comes the Sun” (1) – IKEA Category: Outdoor “Blackout Ad” (1) – IKEA Category: Print & Publishing Bold Scandinavia / NoA – 2 nominations “The Eurovision Lights” – SVT Categories: Design, Industry Craft &Co. / NoA. – 2 nominations “Pass it on” – European Parliament Category: Film “Gå Med” – Hjerteforeningen + TrygFonden Category: Film Anorak / NoA – 1 nomination “Imagine a World…” – På(fyll)™ Category: Film

It’s TikTok, baby! Last week, NoA’s Finnish creative agency Bob the Robot / NoA and performance marketing agency Bluebird Media / NoA brought home two Nordic TikTok Awards, including the Grand Prix, together with its clients Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences and Levi Hotel Spa Resort. A huge thank you to TikTok for Business for a great award ceremony!   Read more about the winners here (Resumé article in Swedish): https://lnkd.in/dhqNrSuh   In addition, NoA’s Swedish creative agency Åkestam Holst / NoA was shortlisted four times. Find all the shortlisted companies and campaigns here: https://lnkd.in/dKNvt-Jj   To add to the NoA mix, Mira Ekman, Content Creative from Åkestam Holst, was part of the jury.   Stay tuned for potential more TikTok news, as the team from Bob the Robot will be representing the Nordics in the TikTok European Grand Prix Awards in Lisbon next week.   In the photo (left to right): Pia Moilanen (Bob the Robot), Hanna Huuskonen (Haaga-Helia), Susanna Heinonen (Bob the Robot), Katariina Ollari (Bob the Robot), and Ari Nevalainen (Haaga-Helia).    #tiktok #tiktokadawards #socialmedia #marketing

At NoA, we are dedicated to learning everything we can about AI and using its full potential to create value for our clients across all markets. To this end, we have launched several group-wide initiatives, including knowledge-sharing hubs, initiated future NoA-specific AI features, and launched innovation projects with clients across all our capabilities. Additionally, we have introduced a range of new initiatives at country and company levels. Don’t miss this latest NoA AI Report from Saana Simander at our Finnish creative agency, Bob the Robot / NoA, to learn more about their approach. Spoiler alert: Action is more important than strategy! #AI #strategy #marketing #tech

We are excited to announce that Lisa Eidmann will join the NoA Group as new Chief People & Talent Officer. “With Lisa onboard, we can continue NoA’s cultural and commercial journey, with a best of breed ambition when it comes to both products and services to our clients, as well as building an attractive and safe work environment for our talents throughout the group. I am very happy to welcome such a strong leader within the people and talent space”, says Mikael Jørgensen, Group CEO at NoA. “From my first meeting with NoA, I felt the positive energy and the unique culture. Together with all new colleagues, I am excited to shape a people strategy that supports growth, innovation, and creativity. The chance to work within such a business-driven environment, with a presence across multiple markets, is an incredible opportunity. My goal is to ensure HR plays a key role as a strategic partner - driving business results while fully supporting our leaders and colleagues,” says Lisa Eidmann, incoming Chief People & Talent Officer at NoA. Read more here (article in Swedish): https://lnkd.in/dX-9YVEx Lisa joins NoA in January. #marketing #tech #peopleandtalent

A few months back, our NoA family in Finland finally found their way under the same roof. Last week marked an almost equally important milestone as the NoA House Launch event filled the new premises with inspiration and buzz. Instead of just showing off the shiny new office, everybody got a deep dive into creativity, collaboration, and a whole lot of fun. Best part? Being together. Huge thanks to the incredible workshop hosts – Hanna Tikander and Tuomas Peltomäki as well as Bob the Robot / NoA, DK&A / NoA and Bluebird Media / NoA. Hanna, one of Finland’s top personal branding experts, shared valuable insights on building a personal brand in today’s world. Tuomas, a journalist and podcaster with Helsingin Sanomat, took us on a journey into the art of crafting compelling headlines. Attendees even got hands-on with an AI atelier experience led by Bob the Robot and dove into their own cognitive biases through DK&A’s interactive mobile game. Thank you to everyone who joined us for this unforgettable day. We’re excited for what’s next – stay tuned for more events! Photo credit, evening pictures: Julius Konttinen

WE HAVE A WINNER!   Last night, NoA and Resumé handed out this year’s NoA Growth Award (Tillväxtpriset) to Tomas Bäcklund, CMO at Elite Hotels of Sweden AB. The award was handed out at the gala dinner celebrating Sweden’s Best CMOs.   The jury statement read: The winner of the NoA Growth Award (Tillväxtpriset) has broadened their role, broken down silos, and gained influence over the entire customer journey. With an impressive combination of business understanding, customer focus, and the ability to turn strategy into concrete actions, the winner has clearly contributed to both profitable growth and more satisfied customers. Congratulations Tomas Bäcklund, Elite Hotels of Sweden!   The jury also gave an honorable mentioning to Jeanette Eliasson, CMO at Nordnet Bank AB.   Many thanks to this year’s jury with jury president Niklas Bondesson, and jury members Anders Ullstrand, Caroline Rudbeck, Andreas Fredmark, Erika Bennerholt, Johan Anselmsson, Niclas Sandin, and Emma Stjernlöf.   Photo: Pax Engström   #marketing #tillväxtpriset #noagrowthaward #sverigesbästamarknadschef