BROWNBOOK

Here at Brownbook, we have just come across FreundevonFreunden.com (FvF), a Berlin-based online portal that profiles creatives from diverse cultural backgrounds either in their homes or within their daily work environments. Founded in 2009 by a group of three friends – Timmi Seifert, Torsten Bergler and Frederick Frede – FvF sought to attract a global audience by presenting different perspectives on people, cities and creative places.

With a style that is aligned to Brownbook, we were interested to find out more about the initiative.

How did the idea of FvF come about and what do you have to offer to readers?

Initially, we had a design studio and agency called NoMoreSleep. But instead of always working for the client, we wanted to have creative freedom. So we did everything from logos, to branding and website development, design and the strategic concept. We asked our friend Ailine Liefeld to take the pictures and began portraying basically our friends. That is also where the initial focus came from; a lot of our friends are creatives, designers or artists. We had the idea for FvF at the beginning of 2009 and went online in October 2009. In the summer of 2010, we started with videos and a year later, we went international and released interviews with friends and creatives from Sao Paulo to Copenhagen. In November 2011 we published our first book and soon our iPad app will be released.

As far as our featured guests go, we want to stay true to our focus and portrait Freunde von Freunden, friends of friends. We started out with literally close friends and asked them if they want to recommend another friend. This is how we expanded our network. But even if we started out with designers, artists and photographers we are equally interested in people from different fields who are inspiring and have a passion. No matter if it‘s gardening, cooking or designing space shuttles.

Who is your target audience?

Anyone who wants to be inspired. So far, we have featured two profiles in Beirut and three in Turkey. We are happy to cover that part of Europe because it has so much heritage and historical relevance and amazing people and stories.

Does FvF have other additional offerings besides a website?

We also do content collaboration and partnerships when it stays true to our concept and has a value for our readers. We believe that brand involvement doesn‘t necessarily compromise the quality of a publication.

*Pictured above is Zeynep Kayan, a Turkish photographer and artist as featured in FreundevonFreunden.com

Photography: Esra Özkavcı