The newly completed Estonia brand video presents Estonia as we experience it ourselves – digital, safe, smart, and a fertile ground for future ideas. In typically Estonian terms, normal – though visitors often look at it with pleasant surprise and admiration. The video narration was read by Estonian musician Yasmyn, the director is Janar Aronija, and the creative concept was developed by Optimist Creative. The video can be downloaded from toolbox.estonia.ee.
The world around us is relatively unstable and constantly changing. The speed of technological development, the climate crisis, and the struggle for democratic values are making people increasingly ask questions such as where it is good and safe to live, where to study, and where to build a business and a source of income. In the middle of these changes, Estonia has a great deal to offer the world – and this video introduces exactly that.
The video shows Estonia as we experience it ourselves. As a digitally advanced country and a growth platform for international companies. It highlights our education system, which supports the development of creative and confident children, as well as an environment with strong opportunities for career-building and family life.
At the same time, we highlight Estonia’s clean nature, contemporary urban space, top-level food culture, and sauna culture – all part of our everyday life, yet something exceptional in many parts of the world.
The Estonian word normaalne – “normal” – runs throughout the video. “It is something very Estonian that we ourselves often do not even notice, yet use when we describe life in Estonia. Estonians are not naturally boastful, and normal is even something a little boring on the surface, but usually means that things are actually very good. We decided this would be a fun way to introduce Estonia – something memorable that might also raise a slight smile. For ourselves as well as for others,” said Carl-Ruuben Soolep, Head of Messaging for the Estonia brand.
The creative idea for the Estonia brand video came from the personal experience of Optimist Creative’s Creative Director, Anoorupa Bose. Originally from India, Anoo moved to Estonia, drawn by our digital culture, creativity, and… snow. We asked her why normal is the most accurate word for Estonia and how she arrived at the idea.
You are a creative professional who decided to bring your life and work to Estonia. Why Estonia? Do you remember when you first heard about it?
I found an article introducing Estonia that described the country as a “start-up nation.” To me, something like that can only exist if an entire society thinks openly and gives people the freedom to act. That is what I need most in my work. I started looking into it more, googled around, and saw a photo of a snowy Christmas market in the middle of the Old Town – it felt magical. Creative energy plus exotic snow. I applied for a job, got it, bought a one-way ticket… and never looked back.
You are the author of the creative concept behind the brand video. What does the word normal mean to you in the Estonian context, and why does it work so well as the central idea of the video?
As a foreigner, one of the first things I noticed was how casually Estonians treat things that elsewhere in the world would seem revolutionary. No one turns their head when a delivery robot crosses the street. No one is surprised when a six-year-old travels independently on public transport. No one gets excited that the forest is ten minutes from home. Everything that elsewhere would be seen as a symbol of progress is here simply basic. Just… normal. That mindset felt to me like the best proof of Estonia’s forward-looking nature. When we had to create a film that shows Estonia’s future-oriented spirit, I knew we had to start there.
The video contains six different stories, each telling something about Estonia. How did you decide which stories and scenes would make the final cut?
That was very difficult. Honestly, I could make a five-hour film out of “normal” situations. But when the choice had to be made, I relied on my own experiences. I thought about the moments when, living in Estonia, I myself had the feeling: “Wait, is this really how it is? No way.” For example – children learning to code, the highest number of start-ups and unicorns per capita, robots bringing potatoes to your home, e-voting, a forest just ten minutes away, business meetings in a sauna… All of these are rare things that here simply blend into daily life. That is our normal.
The video uses few words, but they carry a lot of meaning. How difficult was it to write such a text? And why did you decide that the word normaalne should remain in Estonian?
The text came straight from the heart, so it did not feel difficult at all. Janar, our director, also added some very good nuances. That is one of the reasons I really enjoy working with him. But the text only works if it is performed well. Yasmyn’s voice gave the words life and authenticity, and the music was at once progressive and human.
As for the word normaalne, it sounds beautiful and melodic, and it perfectly reflects how Estonians react to very progressive things. I definitely wanted to keep it in Estonian to preserve authenticity and to show pride in the Estonian language.
You have experienced Estonia both from the outside and now by living here yourself. What is your personal normal here? What do you tell friends or family that always surprises them?
For me, it is finishing the workday at 17:30, or even earlier if the work is done. Elsewhere, especially in advertising, that would be almost unthinkable. But here it is possible, because work–life balance is something valued by managers, colleagues, clients, and the state itself. It is simply normal.
If you had had 15 extra seconds in the video, what scene would you have added?
I would have added a scene of a father taking 18 months of parental leave. Because here, that is not something unusual. It is just normal.
Estonia’s new brand video was directed by Janar Aronija. We asked him how it is possible to fit the story of an entire country into one minute – and what mattered most to him in the process.
How did you approach the challenge of showing all of Estonia in one minute?
The creative team gave me a script that already felt almost final. It read like song lyrics or poetry. I approached it like a music video director, creating visuals for a song that did not yet exist.
How did you end up choosing Yasmyn to read the text?
Her name was suggested early on. I had always wanted to work with her. Her voice and character, somewhere between hip-hop and soul, suited our project perfectly. Her fluent English gives the video a certain international quality.
Brand films often tend to play it safe. How did you find the balance between a more creative approach and the core values of the Estonia brand?
We wanted to move a bit beyond the nature-focused image Estonia has traditionally had and bring in more colour and a more urban feel without losing the core of the brand. We approached it like a music video rather than a classical campaign.
Which scene spoke to you most personally?
Because I live near those filming locations myself, the balance between work and nature is especially close to my heart. The place where the characters are admiring cows is exactly the same place where I often go running after work, and I am still amazed by how close truly primeval nature is to city life here. Just a stone’s throw away.
You have directed films for companies and also made music videos. What was different about this project?
Combining elements of advertising and music videos is quite rare. Building the visuals directly on the words and the “song” was something I had genuinely missed.
If someone followed you around for a whole day in Estonia, what would be the “normal” thing that would seem very special to them?
I have a small black cotton cloth that I wrap around my thumb, and fidgeting with it calms me. I do it completely unconsciously. If someone notices and asks about it, I blush, but to me it is perfectly normal.
The video is intended for use by anyone who wants to introduce Estonia in their work or personal life.
What is the purpose of the video, and who is it meant for?
The video is meant for anyone who wants to introduce Estonia in their work or personal life. It must not serve directly commercial purposes only. From a practical point of view, we see that people who present Estonia – entrepreneurs, ambassadors, and other storytellers of Estonia – often need convenient and practical tools. We produced a video that is memorable and introduces Estonia through our key success stories and reputation drivers – the things that help set us apart in the world. There is also another video that introduces Estonia through powerful and beautiful imagery and also shows everything we have to offer, simply in a different style and tone.
The production of the video was funded through the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility, which is intended to support Estonia’s economy and export capacity. The video is meant for use both in business centres attached to embassies and more broadly – anyone can add it to a presentation about Estonia, use it at events, in marketing, and so on.
Is the final message of the video – “Experience the new normal. Experience Estonia.” – Estonia’s new slogan?
It is the creative concept of this particular video, not the one and only slogan for introducing Estonia. There may be several, depending on need and context. Everything presented in the clip is part of our everyday life – a normality that visitors often view with positive surprise and admiration. As an interesting fact, the author of the creative idea is not Estonian, but someone who moved here from India to live and work. The idea came from her personal reflection on Estonia and Estonians.
As for the specific wording, normaalne is something very Estonian that we ourselves often do not even notice, yet use when we describe life in Estonia. Estonians are not naturally boastful, and normal usually means that things are actually very good. We decided it would be a fun way to introduce Estonia – something memorable that would also bring a slight smile. For ourselves as well as for others.
The video resembles the style of some technology companies. Why this stylistic choice?
Brand studies show that Estonia is strongly associated with technological development, business friendliness, and innovation. We decided that a bolder approach to carrying that image and brand would be a fresh new angle that helps us stand out among other countries. Many strong technology companies have grown out of Estonia, and the speed of our country’s development has often been compared to a start-up. Comparing the video to those of strong tech companies is a compliment – it means the feeling and emotion have been captured well. We trusted the creative and production team and chose them precisely because of their previous style and work.
Production:
Director: Janar Aronija
Creative Director: Anoorupa Bose (Optimist Creative)
Voice: Yasmyn
Produced by: Get Shot Films
The production of the video was funded by the European Union Recovery Fund (NextGeneration EU).