Romanian BDR Associates increased its business turnover by 25% in S1 2014

Romanian BDR Associates Communication Group posted a 25% increase of its turnover in the first six months of 2014, in terms of consultancy services and strategic communication, compared to the same period of 2013.

BDR Associates revenue reached over RON 2,8M, most coming from specialized consultancy offered to clients in Romania and abroad. With this result, the company reconfirms its leadership among the communication agencies in Romania and creates the premises for consolidating its presence in the Republic of Moldova and in other markets abroad, which offer opportunities for communication projects.

In S1 2014, BDR Associates won a series of important pitches and extended its professional portfolio with ten prestigious clients in the private and institutional sector:Chep, KPS Diagnostics Laboratory, Vaillant in Romania Ministry of Justice, Finance in Motion GmbH & The National Bank in Moldova, USAID BRITE Program in Moldova and, respectively Intercontinental Hotels, a client assisted in Georgia.

As regards the agency’s revenues during this period, a significant percentage of approximately 40% was strictly generated by strategic communication consultancy, supported by monitoring, analysis and specialized research, the remaining 60% being given by other specialized services, as well as public affairs projects.

 We have reason to rejoice the achieved results, yet in moderation and with prudence for the last quarter of the year, considering it is an election year, which means a pending status at the level of potential investors interested in Romania and stagnation in other segments of the economic phenomena which attract communication needs. We were delighted by two things: the incomes recorded in the first part of the year represented mostly consultancy and services rates, which for any consultancy agency means professional recognition, and the figures achieved allowed us an increase in staff spending with over 12% compared to the previous year, in other words investment in people

Catalina Rousseau,

President and CEO BDR Associates.

According to the agency’s assessments, the major trends recorded in the communication area in the first part of 2014 were mainly stationed in the area of strategic consultancy, dominant among the services required by companies and institutions, translated in specialized activities such as crisis management, construction of message, media communication or trainings tailored on areas and industries.

An upward trend was also observed in the case of activities that imply comprehensive professional competences and experienced consultants, capable to develop the analysis and specific research for building efficient communication strategies, both for the marketing policy as well as for supporting the business objectives of the companies traditionally operating in Romania or of the potential investors interested to know the local market and its specific.

The segment of professional event organizing at the corporate level has picked up dramatically in the recent period, confirming in the first part of 2014 the clients’ increased interest for large scale events, the professional event becoming a strategic component and a vehicle commonly used for keeping customers loyal, for winning new market segments, as well as for marking important moments in the life of the company.

The common denominator of communication interests, whether for the private or for the institutional sector, is represented by the alignment of the communication strategies with the marketing and business objectives, as one of the viable solutions for maintaining the companies’ position and reaching the business objectives for 2014, in an unstable economic environment.

In the first months of 2014, BDR Associates developed several large scale events including Cisco Connect 2014 – a reference annual event for the IT&C industry, The Superbrands Gala – the highest recognition in branding performance, Vaillant anniversary event – 10 years in Romania, as well as the launching of the Atletico de Madrid Football Academy in Romania.

BDR Associates continues its development policy on other markets as well, focusing, as market leader, on consolidating the presence of the agency in Republic of Moldova, an increasingly interesting market in terms of strategic communication potential at institutional level.

The strategic communication and public relation agency BDR Associates is the exclusive affiliate of Hill + Knowlton Strategies in Romania, part of WPP, one of the largest international communication groups in the world. Founded in 1995, BDR Associates offered along time professional assistance in the area of strategic communication and public relations for hundreds of clients, among which important international and local companies, official insititutions, international organizations, associations and NGOs in Romania or Republic of Moldova. BDR is the first Romanian agency  to have opened a representative office abroad, in Republic of Moldova, in 2002. In 2005, BDR Associates became the partner designated by the Superbrands International Organization for the implementation of the Superbrands programs in Romania and for publishing the Superbrands books. BDR is also the first PR agency in Romania who won, in 2006, the high reputation Sabre award for Best Practice in Central-Eastern Europe. The company also developed communication projects on other markets such as Georgia, Serbia, Azerbaijan and Croatia.