Uniting strategic innovation with local insights and creative collaboration

The Commerce & Culture team unites global insights with local expertise, focusing on catalyzing impact through strategic creative solutions.

Our methodology bridges theory and practice—combining design thinking, strategic foresight, and theory of change with hands-on creative production to deliver tangible outcomes.

Our Approach

For forward-thinking organizations, Commerce & Culture serves as a strategic partner, driving meaningful change through creative collaboration. Our practice is rooted in four interconnected elements: narrative transformation, a strategic framework, collaborative creative productions, and project incubation.

  • Narratives are the threads that connect us, shaping how we see the world. Our focus is to create stories that reshapes perceptions and enable diverse stakeholders to see challenges and opportunities in new ways. By elevating narratives grounded in shared objectives, we align understanding, and inspire collective action to drive sustainable change.

  • No single method can address today's multifaceted challenges. Our hybrid model creates a framework that integrates expertise from forward-looking businesses, NGOs, cultural agents, and community leaders to make narrative transformation impactful and sustainable.

  • At our core, Commerce & Culture is driven by strategic storytelling and creative practice. We unite creatives, strategic thinkers, and local communities to shape visually driven platforms and experiences that resonate across contexts. This collaborative approach ensures solutions that are both strategically sound and culturally authentic.

  • Project Incubation is where we experiment with novel ways of storytelling. Through iterative development and refinement, we create spaces to test new approaches and formats. Each initiative assesses stakeholder alignment, cross-sector resonance, and practical feasibility.

Offices

New York

Nestled in the West Village, one of Manhattan's most charismatic neighborhoods, our New York office resides in a historic half-timbered building. New York, being one of the world's most diverse and forward-thinking cities, provides us with a constant source of inspiration and collaboration opportunities.

Copenhagen

In Copenhagen, we are positioned within the OMA-designed BLOXHUB. This locale, along with the connected community, enhances our ability to integrate sustainable practices and creative solutions that reflect Nordic leadership in social policy, design, and environmental stewardship.

Nairobi

Located in the serene neighborhood of Karen, our Nairobi office sits within the vibrant Nairobi Garage, enabling us to collaborate closely with a diverse community of impact entrepreneurs, creatives, and technologists driving societal change and sustainable development across the East African region.

People and Purpose

  • Thomas Damgaard

    Founder & Director
    Copenhagen

  • Brenda Kerubo

    Community Manager
    Nairobi

  • Li Munch

    Senior advisor
    New York

  • Paul Njogah Mbugua

    Partner
    Nairobi

  • Argot Murelius

    Editing & Copywriting Consultant
    Los Angeles

  • Jorge Clar

    Bilingual Translator & Senior Editor (EN/ES)
    New York

  • Hashem Eaddy

    Photography & Media Resources
    New York

“We fuse strategy, mobilization, storytelling, and design to reshape narratives and catalyze systemic impact”

Mission

To ignite sustainable transformation through synergy of diverse partnerships and creative collaboration.

Core

Uniting strategy, storytelling, and design to shape purposeful narratives and enable meaningful change.

Purpose

Advancing inclusive development and sustainable innovation through creative collaboration.

Our Story

  • Initially focusing on supporting the cultural and creative sectors in the Global South and engaging in public diplomacy in the Nordics, we began as a small, passionate team working at the intersection of culture, commerce, and social impact—a unique space where shared value could be created. Since then, we've grown into a global network of diverse talent united by a singular vision: to enable meaningful change through strategic creativity.

    Over the years, we've developed a hybrid approach that seamlessly blends the strategic rigor of a consultancy, the creative innovation of an agency, and the mission-driven principles of a non-profit. This integrated model enables us to craft holistic solutions that drive purposeful change across sectors and geographies.

    Through our work with purpose-driven partners, we've witnessed firsthand how creative collaboration reshapes narratives, influences policies, and enables systemic impact. From fuelling the global campaign for the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals launch to incubating Africa Reframed, we've consistently helped our partners unlock their potential for positive change.

    Today, as we face complex social, geopolitical, and environmental challenges, our mission has never been more vital. We believe in uniting bold ideas with strategic thinking to advance sustainable development. From this perspective, we invite purpose-driven organizations and forward-looking brands to join us in shaping narratives that drive meaningful change.

Installing the Afghan Tales exhibition at the Museum of World Culture in Sweden

“Amplifying impact by blending client services with mission-driven initiatives.”

In-house Initiatives

  • By nurturing partnerships and integrating strategy, creativity, and mobilization, we incubate projects that shift narratives and catalyze collaboration, enabling communities and brands to engage new audiences and amplify societal contributions.

    To ensure cultural understanding, strategic foresight, and creative excellence, we collaborate with a longstanding and evolving network of professionals and creatives, including strategic thinkers, innovative creators, cultural scholars, and social advocates. Leveraging these talents allows us to tackle complex challenges and drive lasting change.

    Our initiative, Africa Reframed, showcases this transformative capacity. Through a unique image bank, hybrid learning, exhibitions, and visionary partnerships, we highlight the continent’s diversity and potential, fostering a forward-looking understanding that resonates equally with African creators and global brands.

Let’s start
a conversation

We partner with forward-looking brands, NGOs, foundations, government agencies, and cultural institutions. Our hybrid model enables organizations to unlock the potential of strategic creativity, driving meaningful change and delivering tangible results.

Whether you're interested in strengthening existing initiatives or co-creating something new, let's explore how we can advance your objectives together.