27th January 2025
We are delighted to have advised Big Sky Communications Inc, a San Jose based Customer Marketing and Advocacy agency, on its acquisition by New York headquartered Ruder Finn, one of the world’s largest independent integrated marketing consultancies with offices across North America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
Big Sky is a pioneer in Customer Marketing and Advocacy; the agency defined and shaped the sector into what it is today. Major blue-chip clients including J.P. Morgan Payments, F5, Snowflake, Neo4j and other industry leaders rely on Big Sky to build high-value Customer Marketing and Advocacy programs to strengthen their brands and drive sales.
Together with their team of over 40 Customer Marketing and Advocacy experts, Colleen Padnos and Eddie Miller will continue to run Big Sky within the Ruder Finn family of companies and further expand Ruder Finn’s B2B storytelling capabilities and client offering.
Ruder Finn CEO, Kathy Bloomgarden, commented:
“Today one of the most powerful ways to build trust and create a framework for brand loyalty is through customer storytelling. The Big Sky team enhances Ruder Finn’s ability to craft authentic stories that resonate with customers. Big Sky will add to Ruder Finn their great expertise in capturing and bringing to life customer experiences that spotlight growth, problem solving and generate sales opportunities.”
Eddie Miller, Co-Managing Director of Big Sky Communications commented:
“Buyers today form opinions about a brand by listening to what others say, so integrating real-world customer voices into marketing campaigns is more critical than ever. Ruder Finn’s acquisition of Big Sky and embrace of Customer Marketing and Advocacy underscores the need for companies to connect with customers through more personal, relatable conversations and stories.”
Colleen Padnos, Co-Managing Director, Big Sky Communications commented:
“Our Customer Marketing and Advocacy expertise aligns well with Ruder Finn’s focus on innovation and What’s Next. Every company needs to better understand their customers, build communities, and find new ways to elevate their customers’ voices. We’re thrilled to be part of the Ruder Finn family of companies and look forward to offering a broader portfolio of global services to enable clients to tell more and stronger customer stories everywhere.”
“It has been nothing short of an absolute pleasure working with Green Square. Their expertise, professionalism, and strategic guidance were amazing. Most notably, Green Square’s integrity and the fact they genuinely care about achieving the right outcome, not just any outcome, are tremendously appreciated by Eddie and me. There was never a doubt throughout the process that they always had our best interests top of mind, first and foremost.”
Nick Berry, Partner at Green Square commented:
“Colleen and Eddie’s core focus in considering the acquisition was ensuring it was the right fit for Big Sky’s staff and clients for the next chapter of their journey. Having got to know them very well, it was clear from the initial contact with Ruder Finn that they would be a fantastic partner for Big Sky, both culturally and strategically. We hugely enjoyed working with Colleen and Eddie, as well as the Ruder Finn team on this transaction, and look forward to seeing both parties thrive as they move forward together.”