RF Thunder Wins Two-year Contract for BMW China South Region

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Jun 02, 2015, 09:00 ET

GUANGZHOU, China, June 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- RF Thunder, sister company of Ruder Finn Asia, has won a pitch for a two-year contract for BMW China, maker of luxury cars, for the South China region. The pitch, which was held over three months, involved local and international companies. RF Thunder Guangzhou will manage media events and media communications on a range of projects throughout the contract. The Guangzhou office is the second RF Thunder office in China, established in 2013 following Shanghai in 2011. In January and April this year, RF Thunder opened its Hong Kong and Beijing offices.

There are six BMW regional offices in China: North, East, South East, Middle, West and South. The South China region is an important BMW market and has been active in building a profile through media relations as well as dealer communication programs.

In China, overall growth in passenger-car sales was lower in 2014 due to China's economic slowdown, local efforts to cut down on air pollution and traffic congestion through license plate quota, and a crackdown on official corruption. According to the Chinese Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), sales in 2014 still grew at 9.9 percent, with sales of 19.7 million automobiles nationally.

"This is the first time RF Thunder and BMW China have worked together and the winning of the retainer is recognition of Ruder Finn Asia's status as the leading PR consultancy in the automotive industry in China. RF Thunder has supported Ruder Finn Asia in several projects involving premium cars and major automotive events including the Guangzhou Auto Show and the Shanghai Auto Show," Emily Situ, RF Thunder, Guangzhou General Manager, said.

"It is a real privilege to add BMW to our existing auto client portfolio," Elan Shou, SVP and Managing Director, Ruder Finn Greater China, said. "With our 20 years' experience in the China auto industry, Ruder Finn Asia is undoubtedly the leading PR agency in this field. I believe our sister company, RF Thunder, will provide the highest standard of service to continue the legacy of Ruder Finn in China's auto industry."

"Ruder Finn Asia is the premier communications agency in the luxury market in China, and this new partnership with BMW China further underscores our leadership in this important brand sector," said Kathy Bloomgarden, Global CEO of Ruder Finn. "As our portfolio of automotive experience continues to expand across the global agency, we leverage our experience in corporate reputation, cross-channel customer engagement and digital storytelling to strengthen brand-consumer connections."

BMW China
The BMW Group, headquartered in Germany, is the world's largest maker of luxury cars, with activities in more than 150 countries. In 1994, BMW Group established a representative office in Beijing, which is recognized as BMW's official entry to the Chinese market. In 2003, joining forces with a Chinese partner, BMW Brilliance Automotive was formed to handle production, sales and customer support. In 2004, Plant Dadong in Shenyang was established to produce cars exclusively for the local market. In 2005, BMW China Automotive Trading was established as another milestone in BMW's long term commitment to Chinese market. BMW China has more than 420 dealerships in China. By both import and local production, BMW has introduced its entire product series to the Chinese market including 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, X, Z, M series as well as MINI and Rolls-Royce brands. There are six regional offices of BMW in China, including North, East, South East, Middle, West and South region.

About RF Thunder
RF Thunder (formerly Thunder Communications), was established in Shanghai in 2001 and acquired by Ruder Finn in 2011. RF Thunder has since established offices in Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Beijing together with a network of affiliate offices nationwide. As part of the Ruder Finn Group, RF Thunder complies with the same international service standards and operational procedures. The firm delivers innovative, strategic communications to the property, fashion, lifestyle, luxury, travel and healthcare sectors. Key clients include Wheelock Properties (Hong Kong), Baume & Mercier, Clarins, Club Monaco, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Harry Winston, LVMH Perfumes & Cosmetics, Moet Hennessey, Roche and Sanofi.

About Ruder Finn Asia
Founded in 1989, Ruder Finn Asia is the Asia-Pacific subsidiary of New York-based Ruder Finn (www.ruderfinn.com), the leading independent global public relations consulting firm. Growing at an average of 25 percent every year since 2000, Ruder Finn Asia today employs close to 300 consultants in Asia-Pacific and has offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mumbai, New Delhi and Bangalore. The firm is represented across all other regional markets through a network of high quality affiliates. Ruder Finn Asia's business centers on four strategic pillars: Corporate & Public Trust, Global Connectivity, Health & Wellness and Life+Style. The firm offers expertise in reputation management, digital and social marketing strategy, crisis communication, employee engagement, design and executive skills training. Ruder Finn has dedicated teams for digital strategy, CSR, arts, culture and activation, providing insights and counsel into market trends, including annual research reports including the China Luxury Forecast, Physicians Digital Outlook Survey and other publications. Delivering award-winning innovative, strategic public relations campaigns, Ruder Finn Asia's key clients include Emirates, Jumeirah, Cartier, Volkswagen Group, Sanofi, Daiichi Sankyo, L'Oreal, Omron, Hermes, GSK, Cotton Inc, Bang & Olufsen, Michelin and leading brands from the Kering, LVMH and Richemont Groups.