Ruder Finn Enhances Global Content and Analytics Capabilities with Acquisition of Digital Agency Daylight Partnership

HONG KONG and NEW YORK, Dec. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ruder Finn today announced it has acquired Daylight Partnership, a dynamic digital marketing and analytics consultancy with a focus on engagement, content, and data-driven insights. Daylight's competitive edge is a dedicated Insights & Analytics team delivering a suite of products including predictive analytics, influencer mapping and social listening tools, in addition to innovative social and VR branded content.

The move advances Ruder Finn's global analytics capabilities and strengthens its digital expertise to further address the fundamental challenge companies face in trying to translate massive amounts of customer data into direct, valuable information. Ruder Finn's clients can now gain stronger insights from big data and use that information for targeted customer outreach.

Daylight Partnership will merge with Ruder Finn's digital arm, Ruder Finn Innovation Studios (RFI), and will be known as RFI Daylight. Daylight's founder, David Ko, will take on the regional role of Senior Vice President of RFI Studios Asia. David will lead a team of 50 brand specialists spanning China, Hong Kong, Singapore and India to create strategic brand campaigns for Ruder Finn's clients in Consumer, Luxury, Retail, Healthcare, and Technology sectors. Based in Hong Kong, David will report to Jean-Michel Dumont, Chairman of Ruder Finn Asia, working jointly with the RFI teams in the U.S. RFI Daylight will also lead a global analytics offering, staffed in both Asia and the US, available to Ruder Finn's clients in every market.

"Our clients are continually looking for ways to turn data into insights that deliver a competitive advantage. By connecting advancements in computational linguistics and machine learning to new and emerging digital channels and the Internet of Things, Ruder Finn will be able to deliver hyper-relevant insights and activations to clients, both on a macro and micro level. Having previously collaborated with David and Daylight Partnership on influencer mapping and crisis simulations, we are delighted to now officially welcome his team and expertise to the Ruder Finn network," said Ruder Finn CEO Kathy Bloomgarden.

Jean-Michel Dumont, Chairman, Ruder Finn Asia, said: "The communications world is moving and changing at such a rapid rate and we now see ourselves as integrated marketing communicators. It's been an amazing experience working with David and his team. They are a perfect fit and will bring amazing value, support and strength to RFI's regional network."

David first joined the global connected community in 1990, when he co-founded the CompuServe Hong Kong Forum and became a columnist for IDG covering the emerging Internet phenomenon. Since then he has continued to build a career in Asia's marketing industry, first as practice leads for Edelman and Hill & Knowlton, then as regional corporate communication leads for Cisco Systems and Redback Networks. He founded Shout Communications in 2001, a PR consultancy acquired by WE Worldwide in 2005. In 2013 after eight years with WE he left PR, establishing Daylight Partnership.

David Ko said: "Daylight Partnership has been proud to call Ruder Finn a partner for the last two years, and today's announcement signifies an eagerly awaited move into the next stage of our growth. Our mutually beneficial collaboration has already resulted in projects for multinational brands such as Prudential, Porsche, Cartier, Bayer, Nestlé, and many more. Together with Ruder Finn, we have co-developed highly sought after strategic products such as the SONAR social media crisis simulation system. As head of RFI Studios for Asia, it is my privilege to be part of a team of 50 digital natives and creatives across the region. Many more exciting new initiatives are in the pipeline, and we cannot wait to share more news as we launch them successively."

RFI Studios, an award-winning, full-service digital agency established in the U.S. in 1999, expanded into China in 2013 to service growing social media needs in the region. RFI Asia has been expanding with the hire in October of Alan Ma as Head of RFI China, overseeing RFI offices in Beijing and Shanghai as well as being involved in regional collaboration with the rest of the Ruder Finn network.

Over the past two years, Ruder Finn has been expanding with strategic partnerships and acquisitions. In October of this year, Ruder Finn and ENGAGE, a member company of the EON The Stakeholder Relations Group, signed a partnership agreement under which ENGAGE became the Philippine partner of Ruder Finn's comprehensive Asia Pacific network. In 2015, Ruder Finn acquired the China business of Kyodo PR, one of Japan's oldest and largest independent consultancies. At the end of 2014, Ruder Finn acquired the Asia-Pacific portfolio of SharpeLankester, an international consultancy specializing in reputation management, crisis communications and investor relations.

For further information, please contact:

David KO, Senior VP, RFI Studios Asia
Email: [email protected]
Tel. (+852) 9461 0703 

Jean-Michel DUMONT, Chairman, Ruder Finn Asia
Email: [email protected]

Katy KELLEY, Global Marketing, Ruder Finn
Tel. (+1) 646-757-6123
Email: [email protected]

Daylight Partnership
Founded in 2013, Daylight Partnership is an award-winning marketing consultancy based in Hong Kong. Daylight's services include strategic consulting, brand-building, experience design, social and messaging platforms, immersive storytelling (VR and AR), web and app innovations, insights & analytics, and corporate training. Clients include Digital Domain, Fitbit, Lee Kum Kee, L'Oréal, New World Development, Prudential, Sino Group, SOGO, Swire Properties, and many more.

ABOUT RUDER FINN
Ruder Finn, Inc. is one of the world's largest independent global communications and creative agencies with dual headquarters in the U.S. and China. Founded in 1948, Ruder Finn serves the global and local communication needs of over 250 corporations, governments, non-profit organizations, and startups. The agency is organized around four strategic pillars that reflect its core areas of expertise: Health & Wellness, Corporate Reputation & Transformation, Technology & Innovation, and Consumer Connections. RFI Studios, the agency's full-service digital practice, leads the industry in designing and developing internal collaboration platforms, building conversations and communities around brands, and staying top-of-mind in the world of mobile applications. Ruder Finn's work, talent and culture have received industry-wide recognition, featuring awards from the Cannes Health Lions, the Clio's, the SABRE Awards, the Big Apples and the PRWeek Awards. In 2016, Bulldog Reporter named Ruder Finn Large and Tech Agency of the Year, and PR News' has listed Ruder Finn as one of the Top Places to Work in PR for three years in a row. For more information, visit www.ruderfinn.com. 

SOURCE Ruder Finn

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