circle conversations │ florian wupperfeld
Florian Wupperfeld has worked in branding and marketing for nearly 20 years working, amongst others, with BMW Group, smart, adidas, NY Times, Soho House, Jumeirah, or Thompson Hotels. He is also the founder of Leading Culture Destinations, a publishing platform that celebrates the best cultural destinations and experiences around the world, as well as the associated Leading Culture Destination Awards, a unique event that, in its inaugural year, has already started to feel like the Oscars for museums.
@wupperfeldflorian | @lcd.travel
How would you define culture?
Culture makes places smart destinations.
Today, we are witnessing a new trend in culture. Governments, tourism ministries and those companies involved in customised tourism offerings have identified “culture” as one of the key drivers for tourism. Culture not only offers a unique experience in terms of highlighting a city or country’s touristic assets, it is also a way for emerging economies to position themselves in the service sector.
Culture offers people the opportunity to discover the unique DNA of a place. It’s a sustainable form of tourism since the travellers learn – and not just consume.
What are the most inspiring or energising places for you to travel to?
Trancoso, Mexico City, Ibiza and Belgrade.
What does earth mean to you?
Earth = Mama.
What are you currently working on?
Currently I am working on a temporary museum which will travel the world creating social, cultural and commercial value for cities. After Covid there is many new opportunities and challenges to re-activate inner cities and to create a sense of inclusion and experience for citizens.
What is the toughest part of your job?
I come up with new strategies for the future, and the toughest thing is to give people confidence to make decisions, to change and to step beyond their comfort zones — because ‘the new’ or ‘change’ requires courage.
What is the best part about what you do?
The best thing is that I really love what I do.
What is the most important thing in life?
To look forward to tomorrow.
What does sustainability mean to you?
Everybody thinks sustainability is something to do with the environment — which it is — but there is also social sustainability, cultural sustainability, commercial sustainability…
Sustainability means basically to do something which is for the long term, not exploiting other people or resources — but sustainability is also a huge part of greenwashing terminology; it's a very diluted word.
WIND Jacket / Florian's tape art
If I say blue, what comes to your mind?
The sea. Yves Klein Blue.
Strength?
Believing in yourself and pulling through to the end, because everybody can run the first two miles of a marathon, but the last two miles are the toughest ones.
Beauty?
Beauty is something you fall in love with.
Softness?
OYUNA
Precious?
Health.
