Jonas Sevenius

The Innovator 25:

Jonas Sevenius

Creative director & co-founder)

Jung Relations

Stockholm

"Think big, start small, don't give up"

Sevenius' leadership has helped turned Jung Relations into one of the premier creative agencies in one of the world's most creative communications markets. Notable work has included “unbranded” campaign for Volvo (which turned the traditional model for introducing a new car on its head and led a global transformation of the Volvo brand) to a range of other efforts that combine public relations thinking with digital marketing, influencer engagement and product development. Unsurprisingly, the firm is a perennial fixture at the top of the Global Creative Index, thanks to work for such clients as Volvo Cars, Svenska Spel, Absolut Vodka, P&G, Adidas and Sony Mobile.

How do you define innovation?

Innovation at its best is when want to reach beyond shallow marketing, in order to challenge the status quo, disrupt your business and create longstanding value.

Most innovative PR/comms campaign you’ve seen in the last 12 months?
The rebirth of Pokémon.

What brands and/or agencies are most innovative when it comes to marketing/PR?

Tesla, Volvo Cars, Uber, adidas, Under Armour, Google, Chipotle, NASA.

Describe a moment in your career that you would consider ‘innovative.’

When I left my previous job to start Jung. And every moment when I get to work with people with extreme or very different perspectives. That triggers innovation.

In what area of marketing/PR do you see the most innovation?

Product/service development

How would you describe the communications/PR industry’s level of innovation?

Lagging the other marketing disciplines.

Where do you see the greatest opportunity for marketing & PR to become more innovative?

Content& creative

Who most influences how innovative a brand’s marketing/PR is?

CMO

Who is your mentor and why?

My intelligent wife. She helps me prioritise what is important in life, and she helps me amend most of my ideas.

How do you find inspiration?

From my fantastic colleagues, clients, entrepreneurs, competitors, politicians, grass-root activists, news media and from pop culture.