The Medinge Group is an international think-tank of marketing and branding experts that meets annually at Medinge, Sweden, founded by authors and consultants Thomas Gad and Anette Rosencreutz in 2001. The meetings are attended by consultants, authors and thinkers from the United States, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, France and New Zealand. The Group examines the future of branding as a discipline and profession, providing leading thinking and research.

There have been meetings in Amsterdam in January 2003 and January 2004 under the Medinge banner hosted by Dutch author Sicco van Gelder. A London meeting may take the place of the Amsterdam one in 2005.

A Medinge South meeting is mooted for March 2005 in New Zealand.

Top Brands with a Conscience award

Every year since November 2003, the Group has named companies for its 'Top Brands with a Conscience' award for the following year. This is regarded as a sign that a company has achieved humanitarian, social or environmental aims while being successful at the commercial elements of branding.

2004 winners

• CaféDirect (UK)
• Infosys Technologies Ltd. (India)
• Kiehl's (United States)
• Max Havelaar Foundation (the Netherlands)
• Natures & Découvertes (France)
• Patagonia (USA)
• Sanrio (Japan)

2005 winners

• Dilmah Teas (Sri Lanka)
• Flexcar (http://www.flexcar.com) (USA)
• Grameen Phone (Bangladesh)
• John Lewis Partnership (UK)
• Paolo Soleri (USA)
• ROMP (UK)
• Semco (Brazil)
• Working Assets (USA)

External link

• Site and blog for Beyond Branding, book authored by Medinge Group members (http://www.beyond-branding.com/)