Ruder Finn

Ruder Finn
Private
Industry Communications
Public Relations
Marketing
Founded 1948
Headquarters New York City
Beijing
Area served
Global
Key people
Kathy Bloomgarden, CEO
David Finn, Founder
Bill Ruder, Founder
Website www.ruderfinn.com

Ruder Finn is a public relations firm with co-headquarters in the United States and China.

History

Ruder Finn was established in 1948 in New York by David Finn and Bill Ruder.[1]

Their first client was Perry Como, and over time they expanded their network to include consumer products companies as well as government agencies.

In the 1960s through late 1990s, while representing long-time client Philip Morris (now Altria), Ruder Finn was instrumental in crafting the public relations campaign that disputed the evidence tobacco smoking is hazardous to health.[2][3][4][5]

In 1997, Ruder Finn ran the Global Climate Coalition, a group of mainly United States businesses opposing action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.[6]

In 1998, the firm was caught in a conflict of interest after it was revealed that it represented both the Jewish Agency for Israel and Switzerland government.[7] The Jewish Agency's World Jewish Restitution Organization was pursuing a settlement with the Swiss government over its financial dealings during World War II.[7]

In 1999 Ruder Finn established RFI Studios, a digital practice, to help clients protect and build their reputation online. The agency expanded in Asia, establishing offices in Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Singapore, Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.

In 2005, pro bono work done for the UN raised speculation when Kofi Annan's nephew, Kobina, worked as an intern at the firm.[8]

In 2012, Ruder Finn accepted a contract worth from the government of Maldives that was condemned by the Commonwealth of Nations for organizing a political coup d'état that led to the fall of the first democratically elected President of the Maldives. Vice-president of Ruder Finn Tchividjian "admitted there were 'diverse points of views' surrounding the circumstances around the change of government"[9] the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group reiterated its call for early elections to be held in the Maldives.[10]

In 2011, Ruder Finn acquired Thunder Communications, a Chinese event management, brand and marketing consultancy, and formed a partnership with Kyodo Public Relations.[11]

The agency has won the PRSA Bronze Anvils, Big Apple Awards, SABREs and PRWeek Awards.[12][13][14][15] David Finn received a Big Apple Award.[16]

In April 2015, the firm paid $30.7 million for a 34,000-square-foot property on East 53rd Street for new corporate headquarters for the firm. [17]

Clients

References

  1. David Finn, The Way Forward: My First Fifty Years at Ruder Finn. New York: Millwood Publishing. 1998. p. 12.
  2. Ruder & Finn, Inc., "Project “B”: an alternative proposal to project “A”″, September 1995, Tobacco Institute, Bates no. TIMN0004276/4299 Archived 9 March 2011 at WebCite
  3. Ruder & Finn, Inc., "Public Relations Study for Philip Morris, Inc.", January 1968, Philip Morris, Bates no. 2021280871/0957 Archived 9 March 2011 at WebCite
  4. Ruder & Finn, Inc., "Preliminary Proposal for a Corporate Affairs Programme", February 1991, Philip Morris France, Bates No. 2500120377/0438 Archived 9 March 2011 at WebCite
  5. 1,247 documents linking Ruder Finn and Philip Morris at the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library at the University of California, San Francisco Archived 9 March 2011 at WebCite
  6. Hammond, Keith (December 4, 1997). "Astroturf Troopers, How the polluters' lobby uses phony front groups to attack the Kyoto treaty". Mother Jones. Retrieved February 6, 2016. The Global Climate Coalition (GCC), run by Washington P.R. firm Ruder Finn, represents the big oil, gas, coal, and auto corporations.
  7. 1 2 Cohen, Deborah Nussbaum. "Leading P.R. firm caught in fray between Swiss, Jewish clients". Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
  8. Questions surface about Annan's nephew Archived 9 March 2011 at WebCite
  9. http://www.prweek.com/uk/news/article/1128604/ruder-finn-picks-controversial-maldives-brief/
  10. http://www.thecommonwealth.org/news/246248/160412cmag.htm
  11. 1 2 "Ruder Finn expands in China with four new accounts". PR Week. July 26, 2011. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  12. "People and Accounts of Note". New York Times. July 5, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
  13. "2012 Bronze Anvil Results" (PDF). Public Relations Society of America. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
  14. "Pepsi Takes Home Top Honors at SABRE Awards". The Holmes Report. May 10, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
  15. "2011 PR Week Awards". PR Week. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
  16. "People and Accounts of Note". New York Times. June 5, 2006. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
  17. Richard D. Pace. "Ruder Finn Pays $30 Million for New Office - PR News". Everything-PR: Public Relations, Marketing and Social Media News.
  18. "Caribou Coffee taps Ruder Finn as AOR". PR Week. January 27, 2012. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  19. "McGough to Lead New RF Insights Unit at Ruder Finn". The Holmes Report. January 18, 2007. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
  20. "Ruder Finn". Read Abstracts. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  21. 1 2 "Ruder Finn". The Holmes Report. October 26, 2010. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  22. 1 2 3 "Global Agency Report: Ruder Finn". PR Week. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  23. "Gucci, Puma holding company taps Ruder Finn for US corporate work". PR Week. March 21, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  24. "TiVo enlists Ruder Finn". PR Week. July 23, 2007. Retrieved July 17, 2012.

External links

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