Jacob Bredesen
Norwegian politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jacob Jansen Bredesen (born 21 November 1998) is a British–Norwegian marketing executive and former politician for the Liberal Party (Venstre). He serves as the marketing director for Sagastad.
Career
In 2024, Bredesen directed the digital marketing strategy for the sea launch of the Myklebust ship replica. The campaign reached over 85 million users online.[1]
This effort increased the museum's social media following from 6,500 to nearly 100,000 in under six months, positioning it as one of the most followed cultural attractions in Norway.[2] During this period he managed promotional collaborations with automotive influencer Supercar Blondie.[3][4] and coordinated a Viking wedding[5] with Norway's former Minister of Culture Abid Raja acting as lawspeaker. [6]
In October 2024 Bredesen captured a video of the excavation of the Myklebust burial mound[7] resulting in over 28 million views.[8] with subsequent digital content sustaining high engagement.[9] By February 2025, these digital efforts established the museum as the most-followed cultural institution in Norway.[10]
In April 2025 Bredesen coordinated a stunt where Martins Licis[11] pulled the Myklebust ship independently..[12][13] He stated the idea was to bring global attention to the project [14] and that it started as a joke that turned into reality. [15] In June 2025 he coordinated a documentary starring Chris Pontius[16] and later entered a partnership with Norwegian TV personality Leif Einar Lothe [17]
Bredesen was also responsible for technology at the Sagastad Viking Center.[18][19][20][21] In the role he developed a Virtual reality experience that recreates Nordfjordeid during the Viking Age.[22][23][24][25][26]
Since 2024 he has also been the marketing director for the cruise port in Nordfjordeid.[27][28] where his focus includes maximizing the local economic impact of cruise traffic [29] and managing the industry's public relations through community education. [30]
Early life and education
Background
Bredesen was born in the United Kingdom, as the son of the dance teacher and choreographer Candice Bredesen and photographer and painter Tommy Bredesen.[31] His parents had both studied art at the same university.[32] He is the oldest[33] of five siblings.
He moved to the small Norwegian town of Florø in 2003 with his family; his father was from the town.
In 2005 his mother was awarded the cross cultural prize by Flora Municipality for her work to build a dance environment in the town.[citation needed] Later the same year the family moved to Nordfjordeid, in Stad Municipality.
His mother was busy when the family lived in Florø, consequently she learned little Norwegian. When she was shopping Jacob had to translate for her.[33] This became important in 2006, when Bredesen was only seven years old. He saved the life of his 3-month-old sister, when her face turned blue and she struggled to breathe.[34][35] As his mother knew little Norwegian she called the British emergency number 999 instead of the Norwegian 113. Jacob called the correct number and assisted emergency services.[35][36][37]
When Bredesen was confirmed he traveled to Malawi with the Norwegian Church Aid, to learn about aid work in the region .[38] He was later involved in the youth organization Changemaker. After this his interests moved over to politics he joined the regional youth council[39] and the political party Venstre.[40]
Bredesen attended Eid Upper Secondary School. He then studied International Baccalaureate at UWC Red Cross Nordic in Fjalar Municipality.[40]
Political work
Bredesen was the president of Sogn og Fjordane Unge Venstre,[41] and thus also a member of the county council of Venstre in Sogn og Fjordane, and a member of the national board of Unge Venstre.[42]
He was also employed as the election secretary during the 2015 election.[40]
Bredesen was the first sixteen year old to vote in the 2015 municipal election in Eid Municipality[43][44] He was unable to vote in the county elections due to this being a trail for 16 and 17-year-old's being able to vote in select municipalities.[45]
Bredesen has supported more liberal drug laws in Norway, such as legalizing cannabis.[46] He has supported the right for students to freely chose the school they want to attend in the county[47] and expressed that he believes the school days should start later.[48][49] When he lived in Fjaler as a student at UWC he started work on a E-sports class for Dale Upper Secondary School.[50] He has also demanded that asylum seekers get to work as they wait for judgement in Norway.[51] Bredesen has also criticized the Solberg cabinet for not focusing on climate issues.[52]
In 2016 he was opposed to Christian songs being used in the county parliament and said that religion and politics should not mix.[53][54][55] He was later appointed as the chair of the Norwegian Humanist Association in Nordfjord.[56] He has also been a vocal critic of Donald Trump and far-right ideology.[57][58]
Bredesen stepped down from his roles in 2017 to focus on his studies. [59]
In 2023 he was a candidate for Stad Venstre in the municipal elections.[60]
Ventures
Bredesen studied game design in England, but dropped out to focus on his own projects.[61][62] Since 2018 he has run the video game company Six Kings. He has published games on Nintendo Switch, Xbox and PlayStation platforms.[63][64][65][26]