Annual report for 2025: Ola Comstedt reflects on the past year

Now we are here with a new year ahead of us, 2026., and hope for brighter times. Not only for us at Contrast, but for our country and the world at large.

The signs of the economy are good. At the same time, we know that decisions made on the other side of the Atlantic and by leaders in the East can have major consequences, even for us small business owners in Sweden. The only thing that is certain right now is that nothing is any longer guaranteed.

It demands of us: being adaptable, working agilely, and sticking to a clear plan, even when the external environment is turbulent.

A year that required a lot of sacrifice

When we entered 2025, we had a good feeling. Pretty soon it became clear that the year wouldn't turn out the way we had imagined. Sales were sluggish and the uphill climb felt steep at times.

At the same time, one might ask: what exactly did we expect?

The interesting thing about a tough world is that it often sparks something else: determination, focus.

The whole gang at Contrast rolled up their sleeves, adopted a daredevil attitude and proclaimed: now we’re going!

When it turned around

Despite the dark clouds in March, we managed to turn the year around. When we closed the books in June, we could report a positive result.

Then it released. The cork came out. Autumn became intense and strong.

The human being at the center when (almost) everything is digital

We see that our segment within the communications industry is stable. Many traditional agencies are struggling to remain relevant in an era where AI tools are taking over an increasingly larger portion of production.

Our work looks different. We work with communication in the real world. With meetings between people, something that is still difficult to replace with digital solutions.

There are more reasons why the event industry is breathing new life into the morning air. In an increasingly digital world, human connections are becoming more important. We still do business with people. We need to meet, talk, listen, and gather around what matters.

We need to build culture, values, and contexts. That is how relationships grow. That is how we solve problems. It is together that we move forward.

A personal reflection

During the Christmas holidays I watched the documentary about Live Aid. Forty years have passed since Bob Geldof gathered the world to fight hunger in Ethiopia.

I was moved, both by nostalgia and by the power of so many people coming together around a common cause. As a 16-year-old, I myself sat in front of the TV and watched my idols make a difference.

Life felt simpler then. Maybe it’s because I was a teenager, but maybe life was simpler too.

Today, we are more characterized by individualism; our daily lives are dominated by screen time in solitude. That is why we need meaningful contexts together. Meetings where we really get to know each other and build relationships.

The meeting is the lubricant. Between people and brands, but also for society as a whole.

Because being alone isn’t strength. We create change together. In the big things, and in the small ones. Together with a 400-million-strong audience, or at work, in the sports club, and at home at the kitchen table with the family.

Wishing you a happy new 2026!

// Ola Comstedt