Curious about the entrepreneurial adventure behind inspiring brands, Brand and Strategic Professional Martijn Arets decided to quit his job, hand in his lease car, ignore all uncertainties and follow his dream. For five months, he travelled more than 15,000 kilometres across Europe in a one-of-a-kind 1971 Volkswagen T2 camper van, meeting with the founders, CEOs and brand managers of 20 authentic European brands in what was to prove a unique trip: Brand Expedition. On popular demand, he has bundled the lessons and stories behind 20 appealing European brands such as Lego, Mini, Skype, The Body Shop and Adidas to create Brand Expedition, the book. More information? Check www.brand-expedition.com or send Martijn a Tweet: @martijnarets.

1. READ OUT LOUD
THE STORY BEHIND
- KRONAN -
CONQUERING THE WORLD ON AN
OLD-TIMER BICYCLE

2. BEFORE YOU START….
please look into your camera and tell
us slowly your name, city and
country… Then you can start reading
this paragraph out loud… Have fun!

3. In an era in which it seemed that
there was no end to the new-fangled
bicycle models, we all of a sudden
saw the return of an old-timer. A
1939-model, built during a time when
the Swedes thought they could win

4. the war on a bicycle, the Kronan-bike
soon captured the hearts of many a
bicycle lover. Then, not long
thereafter, it seemed to have
disappeared off the face of the earth.
Time to find out what happened.

5. Just before the apparent radio silence
around Kronan, I had interviewed
its founder, Johan Wahlbäck. His
plans had been ambitious and we had
stayed in touch over the years. In
order to find out how things are

6. going now, I met again with Johan in
his office in the center of Stockholm.
After completing his military service,
Johan went to the Swedish university
town of Uppsala to study.

7. - END OF RECORDING-