How did I not know this? Or rather, Denmark, why did you not tell me?
Had I been the owner of this story, there would have been bells and whistles in the airport arrival hall, postcards picturing runic inscriptions and key holders with blue teeth hanging. Because there is no power like the power of a story, and this one just knocked me out.
As I was reflecting on the visit that our team made to Copenhagen in June, I browsed through websites educating myself on the history of Denmark. In one chapter I came across a mind-blowing, well-kept secret: the name of the solution for every day wireless connections, The Bluetooth, originates to King Harald I, the Viking ruler of the vast Danish kingdom from ca 958 to 985 AD.
Harald was the first Christian king of Denmark. He had a tooth that was blue, almost black, which was perhaps a fruit of poor medieval dental care or a mere result of the king’s love for bilberries. Either way, the beauty flaw earned Harald the nickname “Blåtann”, “Bluetooth”. I found this simply too intriguing, so I had to read more.
In the 1990s some major technology companies (including Nokia) worked together in search of a common standard for wireless connecting between devices. The name “Bluetooth” is said to be found in a late-night discussion about Scandinavian history between Swedish engineer Sven Mattisson and American Jim Kardach. They figured that the peculiar Viking, who reportedly was a skilled communicator and was known for uniting Denmark and Norway, would provide for the perfect codename for the project. In the end, the codename became the actual trademark and a world-wide recognized brand. The Bluetooth symbol consists of the runic initials of Harald, H. B.
Did Mattisson and Kardach discover the name truly by accident, or did they perhaps spend hours digging into the history of Vikings searching for the perfect story? Did King Harald convert Danes to Christianity out of pure faith and good will? Was the unification of Denmark and Norway result of a brotherly and sisterly fellowship or a brutal conquest?
Thanks to extensive media literacy, there is a common understanding, that brand stories are not to be taken as historical truths. I would describe them as fables cooked in a pot of historical ingredients spiced with yummy flavors.
Luckily, I am not a historian, therefore I may embrace the story without fact checking every detail. Thanks to extensive media literacy, there is a common understanding, that brand stories are not to be taken as historical truths. I would describe them as fables cooked in a pot of historical ingredients spiced with yummy flavors.
Searching For The Danish Soul
I knew nothing about Harald while wandering in the lively blocks around the colorful canal of Nyhavn. We had been given some serious food for thought in the Enigma Museum of Communication. What struck me there was the high level of preparedness of the Danish officials in the decades after surviving the Nazi occupation. Mass surveillance was used in the name of democracy to help prevent the worst from happening. Living under the threat from the South feels very relatable to Finns who, till today, cannot rest the eye that looks to the East.
Later we had a most interesting meeting with Kresten Schultz Jørgensen, colleague of our CEO Alpo from the ICCO (International Communications Consultancy Organisation) Board of Management. Kresten described the Danes as people who are constantly on the market. “There’s always something happening”, he said snapping his fingers rapidly, “be fast, be honest, get straight to the point”, he advised us saying that Danes are always in a hurry to move forward.
It did seem like the bicycles of Copenhagen could have ridden on all the way to the Mediterranean, which they in fact did in early times, when the Danes traded with the Romans and peoples all the way from Constatinopolis and Crete. Something inexplicable in the atmosphere flowed over me like honey. The cleanliness and order was very Nordic, the liveliness seemed Continental, even Southern. I returned home dealing with the typical Finnish aftermath of travelling: feeling we are small and somewhat less exciting. Of course the Danes are outgoing and self-confident – they have been international for over 2000 years!
For me personally, what is most exhilarating is the metastory of King Harald and the Bluetooth: engineers create a world-wide, revolutionary technology brand on the basis of historical events and characters, etymology and storytelling.
For me personally, what is most exhilarating is the metastory of King Harald and the Bluetooth: engineers create a world-wide, revolutionary technology brand on the basis of historical events and characters, etymology and storytelling. As someone who has been navigating a cross-functional career in business, technology and communications with a degree in Arts, may I just take a second to say: don’t skip your history classes, take the trip to the museum, go listen to the concert, and, for crying out loud, hire the one who studied humanities!
So, what started as a search for better understanding of the Danes, threatens to end as the culmination of the writer’s personal crusade. Please accept my humble and honest statement: it’s not about me, it’s about you. To co-operate and do business with people you need to understand where they come from – and you need to show interest in them. Sorry no, you need to be interested in them. To understand you must listen. Denmark, I am listening.
Larissa Rima, Senior Consultant
P.S. Now that you know the story of Harald Bluetooth, have a look what you find if you google “bluetooth postcard” or “bluetooth key holder”. Such waste of a good story, don’t you think?