Dear media industry! You have proven that you are the most innovative and strong-willed people in Norway

My favorite thing is walking the dog. We walk up to Grefsenkollen. It's steep and hilly, and I walk with someone who runs a little faster than me.

The past year has been like that too. We haven't always known what's around the next corner. There have been rapid changes. But we've stuck to our guns and pressed on with great courage and an iron will. We're going up and forward. We know that.

Dear friends and colleagues at advertisers, media agencies and partners: You are the most innovative, forward-thinking and dynamic people I know. Together we manage a huge concentration of brands, position, tradition and identity. All are important and part of our lives. It's a huge and wide-ranging responsibility.

We have lifted each other up

That's why I'm so incredibly impressed and proud when I see the determination and commitment you've shown over the past year. Every single day! We have created new ways of communicating, new forms of collaboration, new solutions and, not least, we have forged new bonds. We have lifted each other up, shared experiences that have given us more muscle.

This bodes well for the new year

I think steep and winding walks in the forest make me a better mom, partner, colleague - maybe even a better person. In the same way, I think the experiences of 2021 have made us all stronger. Wiser. Braver.

We know we're going up. We know we can do it when we work together. Then we can do anything!

Here's a summary of the Aller year!

Five hundred people work at Karvesvingen 1 in Hasle. They love their jobs and their colleagues. But like most others, we have been working in a shared solution with an office and home office for much of the year. On Teams. Has it worked? Oh yes, it has! It has worked like a charm. I've talked to more people in a day than before. I've had more time. I've learned a lot from many people and laughed so much. And of course there's a lot I miss, but it's all about making the best of the situations we're in.

What has impressed me most is how our colleagues at Aller have been there for each other to create magic in everyday life. We have had and still have pop-up sessions on Teams several times a week, where employees have offered inspiration and entertainment. Wine courses, stock tips, training and love advice - this creates a huge amount of unity, commitment and job satisfaction. And it shows that we can build culture - even virtually!

Stocking up on people

It's always exciting to get new colleagues. In 2021, we have onboarded 21 new employees in the commercial department - and even more are on the way. In total, we will hire 80 new people at Aller Media. These people will create new and exciting editorial content and strengthen our position as one of Norway's leading media houses - with a clear strategy to become number one. This is the investment of our time, and we are doing it at a time when Norwegian editor-driven media are more important than ever.

The investment has been made possible by strong digital growth, and print revenue is also more stable than it has been for a long time. All in all, this gives Aller Media the opportunity to focus even more on good content and attractive advertising solutions for users and advertisers. Put another way: We are investing more in our media channels to provide you with better content, products and smarter solutions.

The latest innovation is Aller Social Club - a wonderful and varied team of influencers and podcasts that many advertisers have already discovered. The profiles enable us to create new and exciting communication solutions for advertisers.

Collaboration = success

The best things in life are created together with others. The Stop Smoking campaign we created with the Norwegian Directorate of Health and Mindshare climbed to the top of the Media Awards and took the gold with a solution that focused on real people who tried and actually managed to quit smoking. This campaign was brilliantly creative, and most importantly: It saved lives!

There is much to celebrate in the past year. Let's take everything we've created together into 2022 - and dare to set even higher goals. I look forward to seeing you all in the new year.

Thank you for your trust and cooperation! Have a merry and peaceful Christmas and a happy new year!

Chris, Commercial Director