Sari H Wilholm, entrepreneur within the field of music and brand-building, forms new company aiming at creative people. REPUBLIC 66 is a unique hub with endless possibilities.
In 2012, Sari H Wilholm founded the company Brands for Fans with business partner Yvonne Wener. The company pioneered the drinks segment in collaboration with several of the world’s biggest artists, for whom drinks became another branch of their merchandise portfolio. Success was immediate, mainly due to the tight artist-collaborations and the ability to give fans genuine experiences of getting up and close to their bands through attractive premium products in the beverage segment. In a world where credibility is the key to success, the small company from Stockholm managed to attract artists such as Motörhead, In Flames, GHOST, Slayer and Scorpions as well as renowned entities such as Sweden Rock Festival and the Swedish film producer Jonas Åkerlund. Brands For Fans was bought by Umida Group in 2018, who saw the company as a good addition to their portfolio.
- Working close to artists/clients and fans has always been key to me. During my sejour with Brands For Fans, we built a very close relationship to the artists and their fans. My passion for doing that has always been what’s driven me, and the fans have always appreciated our passion and credibility. Exciting as it was, working with Umida as owners of Brands For Fans, I want to re-assess the original passion and credibility, where we laid our foundation - with the focus on our artists and customers.
The result is REPUBLIC 66; a hub for creative people in need of assistance in their business, no matter which line of creating they do. REPUBLIC 66 assists with PR and marketing strategies, producing or creating experiences within events and happenings. The company offers creative help with brand building and merchandising, but also handling of bookings, contract-writing and legal advice.
Within the realm of REPUBLIC 66 business, one can also find agency-work (coordinating requests and bookings etc.) while a full-scale management is under construction as well as plans for a record label. Should the work require expertise outside the company, key personnel are tied in within the areas the customer needs help.
Sari H Wilholm has, apart from founding Brands For Fans, worked with and built brands within the Swedish beverage segment such as Jack Daniel’s, Bowmore, Moët & Chandon, Nicolas Feuillatte, Fernet, Lindemans etc. She also created and runs Queens of Stockholm, one of the larger female networks in Stockholm with more than 2000 members today.
- Through my work at Brands For Fans and with Queens of Stockholm, I’ve noticed that there is a big need for creators and people within creative businesses to work with complete solutions. With credibility comes trust, and we want to be the support and the lever for our customers to take their next steps, whichever they may be. REPUBLIC 66’s business idea and set-up is just that; a one-stop shop solution that is more in tune with the world around it in 2021 than ever before.
The first person that Sari chose to connect to REPUBLIC 66 was Martin Gustafsson. With his strong drive and his endless passion for music, marketing and events, Martin has an ability to connect the customer, communication, and execution. He therefore became a perfect companion. Martin has previously been working as Brand Manager for the radio networks Rockklassiker, Vinyl FM and Svensk Pop at Bauer Media. Prior to that, he was active in the Malmö area as a concert and club promoter, over the years involved in over 300 events. Among other things Martin ran the acclaimed rock club Beggars Banquet at Debaser Malmö, but since 2016 he has lived and worked in Stockholm.
For more information about REPUBLIC 66 visit: www.republic66.com Questions or contact please email: sari.h.wilholm@republic66.com
Phone +46 (0) 70 727 16 28
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Photos taken by Mattias Sulander/ Reckless Media
Location: Galleri Diva
Assist: Emilia Lindberg