Wikipedia

Ruder Finn

Ruder Finnis apublic relationsfirm with headquarters in theUnited StatesandChina.It is a largeprivately-ownedcommunicationsagency, servingcorporations,governments,andnon-profits.[1]It also has offices inSan Francisco,London,Washington, D.C.,Singapore,and severalIndianmetro areas including theNational Capital Region.

Ruder Finn
Company typePrivate
IndustryCommunications
Public Relations
Marketing
Founded1948
FounderDavid Finn
Bill Ruder
HeadquartersNew York City
Beijing
Area served
Global
Key people
Kathy Bloomgarden
(CEO)
Nick Leonard
(managing director, UK)
Elan Shou
(managing director, China)
Atul Sharma
(managing director, India)
Michael Sschubert
(Chief Innovation Officer)
Peggy Walsh
(Chief Operating Officer)
Ian Glover
(Chief Financial Officer)
Tejas Totade
(Chief Technology Officer)
Adeline Phun
(General Manager, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
Hilal Khashan
(Managing Director, Norway)
Websitewww.ruderfinn.comEdit this at Wikidata

History

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Origins: 1948-1960's

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Ruder Finn was established in 1948 inNew YorkbyDavid FinnandBill Ruder.[2]

The firm's first client was country singerPerry Como.Its success at promoting Como attracted more clients in show business, includingDinah ShoreandJack Lemmon.[3]Ruder Finn eventually expanded to represent consumer product companies andgovernment agencies.[3]

In the 1960s through late 1990s, while representing long-time clientPhilip Morris(nowAltria), Ruder Finn was instrumental in crafting the public relations campaign that disputed the evidencetobacco smokingis hazardous to health.[4][5][6][7]

1990s

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In the early 1990s,Croatiannationalists initially (and later theBosnianandAlbaniansides) hired Ruder Finn for the "information war."They unleashed a wave ofpress releases,press conferences,press materials, and even established a "Bosnia Crisis Communication Center." The carefully and consciously constructed narrative interpretation by this agency ofSerbiaas the newNazi GermanyandSlobodan Miloševićas the newHitlerlaid the fertile ground on which the very complexcivil war– withwar crimescommitted by all involved parties – could now be distorted and portrayed as a new extermination war and genocide by the Serbs against their own population. The horrors of the terrible massacres andgenocidesofWorld War IIwere invoked, rising like ghosts and overshadowing the current events. The "Račak Massacre,"extensively reported worldwide for days, became a turning point inNATOpolicy towardBelgradeand changed public perception inEuropeand the USA regardingairstrikes onYugoslavia[citation needed].

In 1997, Ruder Finn ran theGlobal Climate Coalition,a group of mainly United States businesses opposing action to reducegreenhouse gas emissions.[8]

In 1998, the firm was caught in aconflict of interestafter it was revealed that it represented both theJewish Agency for Israeland thegovernment of Switzerland.[9]The Jewish Agency's World Jewish Restitution Organization was pursuing a settlement with the Swiss government over its financial dealings during World War II. Ruder Finn responded to this news by severing relations with the Jewish Agency.[9]

In 1999, Ruder Finn established RFI Studios, a digital practice, to help clients protect and build their reputation online.[10]The agency expanded inAsia,establishing offices inShanghai,Beijing,Hong Kong,Guangzhou,Singapore,Delhi,MumbaiandBangalore.

2000s

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In 2005,pro bonowork done for theUNraised speculation whenKofi Annan's nephew,Kobina,worked as an intern at the firm.[11]

Kathy Bloomgarden, Finn's daughter, became CEO when he retired in 2011.[12]That year Ruder Finn acquired Thunder Communications, a Chinese event management, brand and marketing consultancy, and formed a partnership withKyodo Public Relations.[13]

2010's

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In 2012, Ruder Finn accepted a controversial contract from thegovernmentofMaldivesthat was condemned by theCommonwealth of Nationsfor organizing a politicalcoup d'étatthat led to the fall of the first democratically electedPresident of the Maldives.[14]Vice-president of Ruder Finn Emmanuel Tchividjian "admitted there were 'diverse points of views' surrounding the circumstances around the change of government"[15]TheCommonwealth Ministerial Action Groupreiterated its call for early elections to be held in the Maldives.[16]

The agency has won thePRSABronze Anvils, Big Apple Awards, SABREs and PRWeek Awards.[17][18][19][20]David Finnreceived a Big Apple Award.[21]

In 2015, Ruder Finn acquired the Japanese business ofKyodo Public Relations,one of the largest independent PR firms inJapanand the first PR agency to be listed onJASDAQ Securities Exchange.[22]

2020s

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In June 2020,Saudi Crown PrinceMohammed bin Salman'sNeomcity project signed a $1.7 million contract with Ruder Finn to counter criticism and controversies surrounding the project and its founder,[23]such asmass arrests,theassassination of Jamal Khashoggi,and conflict over forced evictions onHoweitattribal land.[24]

In July 2020, Ruder Finn acquired the video content studio Osmosis Films, headquartered inBrooklyn,New York.[25]

In 2021,Huaweispent $3.5 million with Ruder Finn according to media reports and public records.[26]In 2023, the two companies ended their partnership.[27]

In 2021, Ruder Finn was ranked 30th on the Global Top 250 PR Agency Ranking.[28]

In October 2023 Ruder Finn was named the PR Agency of the Year. This award was given at theMedical Marketing and Media Awards(MM+M), in New York.[29][30]In the same month, Ruder Finn acquired Pandan Social, a Malaysian firm that was founded in 2018.[31]

In March 2024, Ruder Finn acquired the digital marketing agencyFlightpath.[32]

References

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  1. ^"Keeping a legacy alive: CEO puts her stamp on the family business".CNN. 2014-04-17.Retrieved2019-11-07.
  2. ^David Finn,The Way Forward: My First Fifty Years at Ruder Finn.New York: Millwood Publishing. 1998. p.12.
  3. ^abRifkin, Glenn."David Finn, Co-Founder of a Public Relations Power, Dies at 100".The New York Times.Retrieved1 February2022.
  4. ^Ruder & Finn, Inc., "Project 'B': an alternative proposal to project 'A'", September 1995, Tobacco Institute, Bates no. TIMN0004276/4299ArchivedJune 14, 2011, at theWayback Machine
  5. ^Ruder & Finn, Inc., "Public Relations Study for Philip Morris, Inc.", January 1968, Philip Morris, Bates no. 2021280871/0957ArchivedJune 14, 2011, at theWayback Machine
  6. ^Ruder & Finn, Inc., "Preliminary Proposal for a Corporate Affairs Programme", February 1991, Philip Morris France, Bates No. 2500120377/0438ArchivedJune 14, 2011, at theWayback Machine
  7. ^1,247 documents linking Ruder Finn and Philip Morris at the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library at the University of California, San FranciscoArchivedJune 3, 2016, at theWayback Machine
  8. ^Hammond, Keith (December 4, 1997)."Astroturf Troopers, How the polluters' lobby uses phony front groups to attack the Kyoto treaty".Mother Jones.RetrievedFebruary 6,2016.The Global Climate Coalition (GCC), run by Washington P.R. firm Ruder Finn, represents the big oil, gas, coal, and auto corporations.
  9. ^abCohen, Deborah Nussbaum."Leading P.R. firm caught in fray between Swiss, Jewish clients".Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Archived fromthe originalon June 9, 2012.
  10. ^"Ruder Finn Pays $30 Million for New Office - PR News".Everything-PR: Public Relations, Marketing and Social Media News.2015-04-28.Retrieved2019-08-18.
  11. ^Questions surface about Annan's nephewArchivedFebruary 6, 2011, at theWayback Machine
  12. ^Rifkin, Glenn."David Finn, Co-Founder of a Public Relations Power, Dies at 100".The New York Times.Retrieved1 February2022.
  13. ^"Ruder Finn expands in China with four new accounts".PR Week. July 26, 2011.RetrievedJuly 3,2012.
  14. ^Wright, Oliver."Fury at lobbyists over lucrative work for brutal Maldives regime".The Independent.Archived fromthe originalon March 4, 2020.
  15. ^Cartmell, Matt (April 16, 2012)."Ruder Finn picks up controversial Maldives brief".PR Week. Archived fromthe originalon June 19, 2016.
  16. ^"Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) Concluding Statement".April 16, 2012. Archived fromthe originalon April 27, 2012.
  17. ^"People and Accounts of Note".New York Times.July 5, 2012.RetrievedJuly 6,2012.
  18. ^"2012 Bronze Anvil Results"(PDF).Public Relations Society of America.RetrievedJuly 5,2012.
  19. ^"Pepsi Takes Home Top Honors at SABRE Awards".The Holmes Report. May 10, 2011.RetrievedJuly 5,2012.
  20. ^"2011 PR Week Awards".PR Week. Archived fromthe originalon 2015-09-10.RetrievedJuly 6,2012.
  21. ^"People and Accounts of Note".New York Times.June 5, 2006.RetrievedJuly 6,2012.
  22. ^"Ruder Finn snaps up China business of Japan's Kyodo Public Relations | PR Week".PR Week.Retrieved2016-05-19.
  23. ^Dorsey, James M. (2 July 2020)."Saudi prince defends trophy projects amid crisis".Asia Times.Archived fromthe originalon 6 August 2020.Retrieved24 August2020.
  24. ^Meuse, Alison Tahmizian (24 April 2020)."Saudi tribesman killed resisting MBS backed project".Asia Times.Archived fromthe originalon 30 April 2020.Retrieved24 August2020.
  25. ^"Ruder Finn Expands Multi-Platform Video Storytelling Capabilities with Acquisition of Osmosis Films".2020-07-21.Retrieved2020-07-21.
  26. ^Cook, Sarah (June 27, 2023)."China's Foreign PR Enablers".The Diplomat.Retrieved2023-06-28.
  27. ^Larkin, Ewan (30 October 2023)."Huawei and Ruder Finn cut ties after nearly three years".PR Week.Retrieved2023-12-07.
  28. ^"Top 250".www.provokemedia.com.Retrieved2022-01-18.
  29. ^Finn, Ruder."Ruder Finn Named PR Agency of the Year at Medical Marketing & Media Awards 2023".www.prnewswire.com.Retrieved2023-11-30.
  30. ^Staff, MM+M (2023-07-17)."MM+M reveals its 2023 Awards finalists".MM+M - Medical Marketing and Media.Retrieved2023-11-30.
  31. ^"Ruder Finn Acquires Malaysian Digital Agency".PRovoke Media.Retrieved2023-12-07.
  32. ^"Ruder Finn acquires digital marketing agency Flightpath".PRWeek.
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