What happens, when relevance meets influencing, coaching change communications, or service design corporate communications? Kaiku Helsinki and Cocomms decided to find out and create something new to the market. The merger gives rise to an agile, fully Finnish communications agency with an exceptionally large service portfolio.
Kaiku Helsinki’s core competencies are relevant communications, service design, and coaching. In the autumn of 2020, Kaiku reinforced its research services by an affiliate, strategic research agency Vastakaiku. Cocomms is known for corporate communications, change and crisis communications, sustainability communications, public affairs, creative and digital communications as well as strong international business.
Kaiku Helsinki’s Pete Saarnivaara will continue as CEO and partner in the new company.
”I believe that with Cocomms we can build a contender for the Finnish communications agency field that combines the best features of small and big communications agencies: we serve our clients in all their communications needs in Finland and abroad keeping the speed, flexibility, and simpleness of an entrepreneur-led agency,” says Saarnivaara. “That is exactly what is needed right now. Rapid changes in our clients’ operations will not end with the pandemic.”
Kaija Pohjala becomes a partner of the new company
Kaiku Helsinki buys all the shares of Cocomms. Kaija Pohjala, owner and CEO of Cocomms, will become a partner in the new company as well as a board and management group member. In addition to Saarnivaara and Pohjala, the other owners of the company are Kimmo Kuokka, Ville Lehtovirta, Jouko Marttila, Salla Syrman, and Markku Vänskä.
“Kaiku is a proficient and respected agency in Finnish ownership whose values are similar to those we have at Cocomms. We found a common theme and trust at the very beginning of the negotiations. To top it all, our competencies complement each other and there are hardly any overlap in our operations,” says Pohjala.
”Three decades of being in charge of developing the operations of a communications agency has been an incredible journey, but is has also been hard, strenuous, and prone to risk. I felt that it was time to change role and open a new door in my career. In my new role in Kaiku, I can focus on the client work and sales that I love and to manage our international network contacts,” she continues.
For the time being, both companies will continue operating under their own brands. Planning the integration of operations will start by involving the employees of both companies.
”According to the wishes of our employees, we want to create a bold, human, sincere, and creative work community where people can develop themselves and the company. We want that working in our agency is considered a merit in our industry,” Pete Saarnivaara says.