Audo Copenhagen
From Copenhagen to New York, Audo Copenhagen is rooted in a philosophy of soft minimalism and human–centered design. In this conversation, we speak with Thomas Hassler, Marketing & Communications Director for North America, whose work shapes how the brand’s world is experienced across both digital and physical spaces. Thomas reflects on the dialogue between heritage and modernity, the intention behind Audo Copenhagen, and the evolving language of design that feels calm, purposeful, and enduring.
tell us about yourself and your role at Audo Copenhagen.
I am the marketing and communications director for Audo in North America, based in New York, where I focus on growing awareness for our brand and products in addition to building upon our global community through brand stories and our physical spaces.
I found marketing and PR through a rather circuitous route. I started my career in retail while also working as a freelance photographer on the side and transitioned into marketing years later. I saw the impact of strong branding and communications firsthand on the floor of retail stores, speaking with customers who shared their stories of discovery. That was the lightbulb moment. I knew I wanted to have a hand in shaping the stories and narratives being created at the companies I worked for, but I didn’t really know if marketing was how I’d do that. It turned out to be the perfect balance between my creative ambition as a photographer and my experience managing businesses.
Audo’s aesthetic philosophy plays into soft minimalism. How do you translate that idea into storytelling across your channels?
Audo works with incredible designers across the globe, each with their own unique perspective and philosophy. Through this communal partnership the brand has been able to create a synthesis of all these perspectives that has defined our visual and product aesthetic. This deeply personal collaboration has also allowed us to tap into the human nature of design, both through the people making the work but also by how we envision living with design today.
“That translates into storytelling around how things feel (both literally and emotionally).”
How objects interact within a space to create meaning and purpose, and how to create moments of quiet harmony in a multitude of settings.
We like to create stories about the experience of design rather than individual products or collections. It’s a very personal approach, and we are very intentional and mindful with the content we create and put out in the world. For me the “soft minimalism” term is both an aesthetic identity for the brand, but also a guiding principle for our marketing and communications. Less is more, as it were.
Your work sits at the intersection of Danish heritage and modern global design. How do you preserve that balance while keeping Audo’s vision forward looking?
“Our approach derives from the idea of a dialogue between past and presenT, where history and modernity come together.”
We have a keen awareness of and respect for the traditional roots of our brand and products, but we intentionally push the boundaries of how to reinterpret these concepts and ideas for the present. MONUMENTS, our exhibit during last year’s 3daysofdesign in Copenhagen was a real–world example of this philosophy. We redesigned the House in collaboration with Norm Architects and offered an immersive experience that blended the classical and the contemporary, treating each as equal. This recognition of the past’s continued relevance defines how we approach and reinterpret design for today’s world.
Audo is part of the Flos B&B Italia Group, a family of legacy design brands. What has that collaboration taught you about maintaining individuality while being part of something larger?
There is a strong collaborative spirit between the brands in the group, and the deep well of history and design excellence motivates each brand to continue exploring design at the highest level. It has also allowed us to grow our business globally and reach new audiences thoughtfully while defining our brand and product assortment on our own terms.
Community is a big part of Audo. From the pieces themselves to the way the brand speaks online. How do you capture that feeling of togetherness through communication?
“We see community as an integral element woven into everything we create and do.”
Audo, to me, represents a powerful sense of optimism and openness, and an acceptance and understanding (internally and amongst our designers) that we all approach design differently, on our own terms. From a comms perspective this is translated into content and stories that expand the opportunity to experience our brand, whether that’s regular newsletters or a beautiful website, or events at our showroom or with partners, or in the media.
Audo House is a beautiful expression of the brand. Part showroom, part creative hub, part home. What inspired the concept, and how has it shaped the way people experience Audo?
Audo House was inspired by and is a direct reflection of Audo’s collaborative spirit and approach to design.
“The building was designed, fundamentally, as a place to foster connection.”
It aims to redefine how we use design and space for facilitating those connections—both with the product and objects in the house, and with each other. We knew that if we built a venue offering this freedom, it would become a destination for powerful ideas and cultural engagement. People can now see our products in situ, across a multitude of environments, which is, for me, how Audo is meant to be experienced.
How do you approach shaping a voice, like Audo’s, that feels totally distinct but never overpowering?
Our team approaches this from a place of honesty and trust in what we stand for, and a belief that what we are creating is meaningful and serves a purpose. We’re not trying to sell a way of living or a certain lifestyle. We share our vision of what design represents and how we choose to live with it as a daily part of life in the hope that others share this outlook or are inspired to.
“This translates into a voice that is calm, quietly poetic, and economical.”
Blending emotional resonance with material clarity.
Many of Audo’s designs, like the Plinth Collection and Eave Seamline series, have become modern icons. When the design already speaks so powerfully, how do you decide what story to tell around it?
I am always asking myself this same question! One way I approach these challenges is to go back to the beginning, to the inception of the product and comb through the raw materials from the designers or studio who developed it. If I find something worth pursuing, I then work out whether it is going to add value to the existing narrative. But often, it is deciding less on how to tell a new story, and more about how to continue elevating the status of these iconic pieces. There is always a new angle, whether it is a take on materiality, construction, color, or texture. And these choices are also heavily influenced by cultural shifts and trends in the industry and at large. What might have been interesting in the spring might not be relevant six months later. It requires being open and adapting to these subtle influences.
How do you communicate timelessness in a way that still feels evolving and alive?
For us, timelessness is defined by an ability to go beyond aesthetics and to meet contemporary needs in a thoughtful, meaningful way. That’s done by creating objects, spaces, and content that resonate on multiple levels — functionally, emotionally, aesthetically, and culturally.
“For something to be timeless it must solve a purpose with elegance.”
While also embodying qualities like adaptability, durability, and relevance across generations. We’re always in pursuit of this perfect balance, where form and function are effortlessly connected and where the human experience feels familiar and fresh.
