NVPC appoints Ruder Finn as PR partner to amplify City of Good narrative

Singapore's National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) has appointed Ruder Finn Asia to manage PR duties following a tender first called in April this year. Incumbent Muse & Motif defended the account. Director, marketing and advocacy, Jeffrey Tan, told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that taking its various programmes and events into consideration, Ruder Finn presented a holistic and integrated communications strategy designed to amplify the City of Good narrative.

"The team also displayed a good understanding of the giving landscape and is experienced in multiple facets of PR and communications, including versatility in engaging audiences through digital and virtual platforms, which is pivotal in these times," Tan said but declined to state how many agencies pitched.

With Ruder Finn on board, NVPC hopes to continue capturing hearts and minds by positioning itself as a credible and trusted thought leader in the giving space, and in so, highlight the value of its programmes and initiatives to the people and communities in our City of Good. It is also looking to cast its reach to a regional audience by engaging in more dialogue and contributing to the conversations within the sector.

"Collaboration is the cornerstone of many of NVPC’s programmes and initiatives, and Ruder Finn has a track record of longstanding relationships with their partners. We hope to work with Ruder Finn in fostering and strengthening more of these partnerships, as well as telling the stories that come to light as we build a City of Good together," Tan said. Through Ruder Finn’s robust B2B network, NVPC also hopes to engage corporate organisations in redefining the corporate purpose and exploring ways in which it can impactfully uplift the community together.

Brian Witte, deputy GM of Ruder Finn Asia, Singapore, said that the agency is excited to partner with NVPC to inspire the community to give their best for others. "Whilst COVID-19 has been a catalyst for giving, current efforts only scratch the surface of what can be done. With this challenge in mind, the team focused on a purpose-driven narrative and strategy to achieve three clear goals: Build awareness of NVPC and its initiatives, establish NVPC as a leader in the space of giving, and further move the needle in community volunteerism and philanthropy," added Witte.

Despite the challenging period, NVPC stayed true to its City of Good vision and highlighted the outpouring generosity of Singaporeans who stepped up to help others in their time of need. It won bronze for Best Media Relations Strategy at MARKETING-INTERACTIVE's PR Awards 2021 for the President’s Volunteerism & Philanthropy Awards 2020 Special Edition: Our Finest Hour in the City of Good.

Last year, its "City of Good Show: Saving Our Charities" fundraising series also bagged the bronze award for Excellence in Content Marketing at MARKETING-INTERACTIVE's Marketing Excellence Awards 2020. It was also recognised as a finalist in the category of Excellence in Event Marketing (Virtual).

Meanwhile, NVPC is also in the midst of finalising the appointment of a creative and media agency. The tender was also called in April and seeks an agency partner to conceptualise, design, plan and execute the marketing campaigns of two key products. These are namely a brand-building campaign for its "City of Good" vision, and the SG Cares Giving Week. The length of the appointment is for one year, with the option to extend for another.