VOCAST, an innovative Danish tech company, which allows lifestyle, fashion, design and beauty brands to present digital content and communication materials with a “taylor made method” and a design interface to partners, the media and the press, expands to Italy. The company, founded in 2007 by former Danish journalist Jens Hamborg Koefoed, opened its first office in Copenhagen, and then expanded to Stockholm and Berlin. Currently the software is used by about 500 brands worldwide, including such as Ganni, Versace, WoodWood, Salvatori, ex.it, Samsøe Samsøe, Karakter, HAY, & tradition and Menu.VOCAST is also an official partner of Copenhagen Fashion Week, the Swedish Fashion Association, the British Fashion Council, the Fashion Council Germany, Stockholm Furniture and Light Fair and OsloRunway.
YOU ARE CERTAINLY ONE OF THE MOST TALENTED NEW GENERATION'S ENTREPRENEURS IN THE INDUSTRY. KINDLY INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
My name is Jens Hamborg Koefoed and I am a danish journalist and co-founder of the Brand Sharing PlaPorm VOCAST. Growing up in a family of art directors and architects, I became naturally obsessed about visual aesthethics, craftsmanship and the importance of establishing an emotional connection with your audience. With these values deep within me, I created the company in 2007 with the purpose to support fashion, design and lifestyle clients in sharing their stories to the world in the midst of a fragmented and saturated digital landscape.
IF YOU WEREN'T INVOLVED WITH VOCAST, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE IN YOUR LIFE? – I would have become an industrial designer. Probably designing furniture or cars. I became a journalist instead and soon realized that journalists talk about what other people create instead of creating themselves. So I turned to my love for design, aesthethics and creation and set out to shape a digital communication tool that empowers the creatives to share their vision with the world.
WHY IS VOCAST SO RELEVANT FOR THE FASHION INDUSTRY NOW MORE THAN EVER? – Digitalization is creating a global, professional community around the fashion industry. As ever buyers and press and other professionals are looking for newness, originality, authenthicity but as opposed to earlier they are all now just a few clicks away. Digitalization is bringing fashion professionals together, and VOCAST represents a premium way of sharing your brand with these people. And even more so for smaller brands, since the digital arena is more democratic. It is democratic, because all brands big or small can create a webshop and a website. And there is not much difference between the biggest website and the smallest. The same goes for VOCAST. It is a chance to operate globally with the same power and reach as the biggest brands out there.
WHAT ARE VOCAST’S THE MAIN GOALS FOR THE UPCOMING YEARS? – We have discovered how giving a message to that consumers have fundamentally changed with the introduction of digital and social media. Lifestyle went from handling a handful of important editors to hundreds or even thousands of influencers, stylist, retailers and even consumers to reach their audience. Our mission is to help those design driven brands turn that knowledge into an advantage to access the global community of fashion and design. Expanding internationally we are inspired to see how we can help those design focused companies get their message to the world, and all our resources are focused on growing our company to help more of them.
NOW SOMETHING MORE INTIMATE: DESCRIBE TO MY READERS YOUR HOUSE. – My house is highly accessible online through hcps://www.instagram.com/villa.oce/. My wife's a fashion and design stylist and shares images from our home here.
WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY THE MOST? – Apart from my family, I feel blessed to be part of a talented team in VOCAST. As I get older I realize, that there is very little you can do alone. But working with a talented team with different skills that compliments each other and makes everyone better is one of the finest feelings in the world. It's like: "We made this together. We might have argued and fought along the way, but through combining our skills, we made it and we couldn't have done it alone".
YOU COLLABORATED WITH SOME OF THE MAJOR PLAYER IN THE INDUSTRY. WHICH COLLABORATION MAKES YOU SO PROUD? COULD YOU REVEAL TO MY READERS SOMETHING MORE ABOUT IT? – Working with the likes of Versace, Uniqlo or similar global brands is a recognition, that you do well. I am proud of achieving that. But my heart beats for smaller design driven companies, where the owner, the family, or the creative director is fighting to bring their vision to life. For companies at that stage, we do a real difference, and that is why we get out of bed in the morning.
WHICH ARE THE ASPECTS OF GEN Z THAT WORTH REFLECTING ABOUT IN YOUR OPINION? – Gen Z is the most conscious generation yet. They buy into communities and authenticity. With that in mind I think it is obvious that brands in the future needs to put more attention to their brand and communication, to create a clear idendity. If what you claim to do in your communication isn't reflected in your product and your actions, they will see right through it. Do something original. Something that makes a positive difference, and then the global digital community will embrace your project and help spread your vision. I have seen enough examples to know that to be true.
WHICH IS YOUR BIGGEST SOURCE OF INSIPIRATION? – Talking to young(er) people and hearing their different view on things.
WAS THERE A SPECIFIC MOMENT WHEN YOU REALIZED YOU WANTED TO WORK IN THE LUXURY FIELDS? HOW THAT CAME UP TO YOUR MIND? – One of my favorite danish fashion brands, Bruuns Bazaar went bankrupt and I realized that there is only one of each. Good brands are like people. You have an emotional connection with it, and if you contribute like we do at VOCAST, it is an honour to help the creative forces get their vision out to the world. Especially we take pride in working with companies that are managed by creative visions rather than monetary goals.
EN FIN, DO YOU HAVE A LIFE MOTTO? – Happy people perform better.
WHAT PIECES OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE EMERGING FASHION BRANDS TRYING TO ESTABLISH THEMSELVES? – Do something original, something creative, something sustainable. Do something that stands out and makes a positive impact. And be persistent. Overnight success takes at least ten years and great brands take a lifetime.