The Secretly Scandinavian are Q Gourki and Erik Kvålseth, a multiple-passport-holding, timezone-agnostic, pragmatic creative director team. With experience that spans continents, categories and communication types, the Secretly Scandinavian have done what you need done, can work where you need them to work, and would love to put their problem-solving creative brains to work for your brand.
Det finnes ikke dårlig vær, bare dårlige klær.
Norwegian saying: There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.
THINGS THE SECRETLY SCANDINAVIAN DO
Integrated Branding
Creative Positioning
Creative Direction
Messaging & Copywriting
Art Direction & Design
AI Empowered Creative
“I had no idea they were both Scandinavian.”
— ECD at a major agency
BRANDS WE’VE BRANDED FOR
Q Gourki
Less Obviously Scandinavian
Creative Director / Art Director
Kiumars “Q” is the less obvious Scandinavian of the Secretly Scandinavian, and a creative veteran with extensive brand building and rebranding experience. Q has led teams and created campaigns for products ranging from coffee to luxury yachts, earning press and awards for their creativity and effectiveness. With his traditional Swedish work ethic and focus on results-driven advertising, Q has established himself as an experienced creative lead who brings a unique blend of strategic thinking, creativity and aesthetics to every project.
Q lives in Encinitas CA with his family. He’s an avid surfer and a geek about staying active when not solving the world’s branding problems. He also takes an interest in current affairs, music, and things on wheels!
ERIK KVÅLSETH
More Obviously Scandinavian
Creative Director / Copywriter
Erik is the more obvious Scandinavian of the Secretly Scandinavian and has extensive experience as a creative director and copywriter. He helped Harley-Davidson celebrate their 100th, Indian Motorcycles relaunch, Purina re-brand and has led integrated branding for local, national and international brands.
He is currently married, has two kids that are also secretly Scandinavian, and lives in a probably-never-to-be-completed house right outside Minneapolis. In his spare time he’s an avid cyclist, motorcyclist, rock climber and telemark skier.
THAKO HARRIS
Technically Not Scandinavian
Director of Project Management
Thako is the only member of the team who does not have any kind of scandinavian citizenship and, sadly, has to get by with US and German passports. However, thanks to his studies in Fisheries and Wildlife Management at the University of Minnesota, this dynamic, bi-lingual executive brings a unique set of skills to operations and resourcing. Thako is adept in strategic and tactical planning, and has a proven track record for creating, delivering, and implementing solutions that align with business strategies and objectives, improving business performance, reducing overhead, generating revenue, and reducing risks. That’s a lot of big words, but we can sum it up simply as, “Thako is a really interesting guy with the skills to get it done.”
Thako currently lives in Spain with his family, where he spends his days biking and searching for the perfect post-ride pastry.
