Helsinki (Finland) – The first corporate partnerships with World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 were announced on 29 November, 2010. The main partnership agreements were signed with Blue1, Finavia, Fortum, HOK-Elanto, Martela, MTV MEDIA and Viking Line. Partnership-level agreements were signed with Clear Channel and Stockmann.

The role of corporate partners in the project is exceptionally large, and corporate collaboration is remarkably versatile. Use of design for success in business is on the rise worldwide, and this is reflected in the World Design Capital (WDC) Helsinki 2012 project. Design plays a key and growing role in boosting competitiveness in various sectors of the economy, and the potential of design is increasingly well understood.

WDC Helsinki 2012 acts as a strategic partner to corporations, striving to utilise new ideas and opportunities both domestically and internationally. The project offers a platform for corporations to tap into many opportunities, including international networking and marketing, progress in design know-how, and new influence in society.

“Our corporate partners’ role in the WDC Helsinki 2012 project is exceptional, because their activities become part of the content of World Design Capital. Corporations help to prove that we are a leading and broad-based design city of the future,” says Pekka Timonen, Director of International Design Foundation, the organisation that manages the WDC Helsinki 2012 project. “A vision of the power of design is a common denominator in all participating corporations. Naturally different sectors utilise design in different ways. Of key importance for us is that our corporate partners are aware of the potential of design and are able to make use of it.”

The combined value of the first partnership agreements now announced is close to 2,5 million euros. Partnership negotiations will continue in 2011. The targeted total value of all corporate partnerships with WDC Helsinki 2012 is four million euros. At that level, WDC Helsinki 2012 would constitute one of the largest corporate partnership projects in Finland to date.

Comments on collaboration with World Design Capital Helsinki 2012:

BLUE1

“Finland’s future is built through collaboration. We in Blue1 want to participate in building the future Finland marked by innovations together with strong partners. That is the gist of our collaboration with WDC Helsinki 2012. Innovations and high-quality design are essential to the future of Blue1’s air travel. We consider design and service design key factors in the success of developing our customer experience further, and we aim at a new type of ease and smoothness in air travel for our passengers.” – Juha Järvinen, Vice President Commercial, Blue1

Further information:
Tom Christides
Vice President Communications and Public Affairs
Blue1
t: +358 40 7523131
e: tom.christides@blue1.com
w: www.blue1.com

CLEAR CHANNEL

“Clear Channel is the world’s largest advertising agency in forums outside the home. The advertising solutions of Clear Channel Finland have a tangible impact on the everyday experience of Finns in the busiest traffic junctions, cityscape, shopping centres, digital media and cinemas. Outdoor advertising has a strong influence on the cityscape and how the residents experience it. A well-designed and carefully implemented outdoor advertising network offers new impressions for people’s everyday life. Our activities are guided by responsibility for the environment. We are a pioneer in environmentally friendly media solutions. The values and goals of the WDC Helsinki 2012 project support Clear Channel Finland’s way to think and operate in developing media environments.” – Timo Tammi, General Manager, Clear Channel Finland

Further information:
Kim Nordström
Marketing Manager
Clear Channel
t: +358 0 20 7 312 005
e: kim.nordstrom@clearchannel.fi
w: www.clearchannel.fi

FINAVIA

“Finavia’s Helsinki-Vantaa international airport participates in the WDC Helsinki 2012 project and aims to grow the international visibility of the airport by utilizing the Helsinki Airport brand. The airport helps to raise awareness of Finnish values and Finnish design; Helsinki Airport brands Helsinki and, at the same time, all of Finland. An international airport is always a “business card”, the first contact with the city and the country. Helsinki Airport aims to differentiate itself from the competition and to be the leading and most popular transfer hub in Northern Europe.” – Kimmo Ruotsalainen, Senior Vice President Marketing, Finavia

Further information:
Kimmo Ruotsalainen
Senior Vice President Marketing
Finavia
t: +358 0 20 708 2351
e: kimmo.ruotsalainen@finavia.fi
w: www.finavia.fi

FORTUM

“Fortum seeks to be one of the developers of the energy of the future and energy design as our response to the climate challenge. Fortum is already participating in a process aimed at energy solutions related to future housing and transportation. The process requires joint efforts by many sectors and actors – and WDC Helsinki 2012 offers a unique opportunity for it.” – Anne Brunila, Executive Vice President, Corporate Relations and Sustainability, Fortum

Further information:
Anne Brunila
Executive Vice President
Corporate Relations and Sustainability
Fortum
t: +358 0 10 452 0970
e: anne.brunila@fortum.com
w: www.fortum.com

HOK-ELANTO

“HOK-Elanto has more than one quarter of a million customer contacts every day in which we can emphasize the importance of good consumer items in our everyday routines. At the same time, we wish to make successful service design our brand. We will also seek to communicate the role of successful design through more effective use of our landmarks in the city.” – Matti Niemi, CEO, HOK-Elanto

Further information:
Ralf Nyberg
Head of Corporate Communications
HOK-Elanto
t: +358  0 10 76 60590
e: ralf.nyberg@sok.fi
w: www.hok-elanto.fi

MARTELA

“WDC Helsinki 2012 will put Finland into the core of the international design community for one year. Martela’s vision is to be a leading Finnish B-to-B interior solutions company in office interiors, and support to the project is a natural extension of this vision. The project approaches the design sector from a broad perspective – via city planning, architecture, industrial design and service design, and this makes the project particularly interesting to Martela. It is magnificent to be part of a well-managed and inspiring programme!” – Heikki Martela, CEO, Martela

Further information:
Leena Puttaa-Sollo
Brand Manager
Martela
t: +358 40 8495480
e: leena.puttaa-sollo@martela.fi
w: www.martela.com

MTV MEDIA

“MTV MEDIA is eager to join the WDC Helsinki 2012 project as a first-level corporate partner. MTV MEDIA plays a unique role in the everyday life of the Finnish consumer every day, and design is an essential part of MTV MEDIA’s channels. The future collaboration and planned projects will put the valuable message of WDC Helsinki 2012 into the hearts of Finns through the contents and channels of MTV MEDIA.” – Heikki Rotko, Executive Vice President, MTV MEDIA

Further information:
Leena Mentula
Communications Manager
MTV MEDIA
t: +358 (0)10 300 5267
e: leena.mentula@mtv.fi
w: www.mtvmedia.fi

STOCKMANN

“We have a great deal in common with the Design Capital Year. Stockmann has participated in the efforts to promote top design in fashion and interior decoration for years by offering its customers the best Finnish and international design. The year 2012 will also be a jubilee for Stockmann, which will celebrate its 150 anniversary. Our flagship department store is situated in the heart of the Helsinki city centre, so we will be in the centre of the WDC Helsinki 2012 year.” – Maaret Kuisma, Marketing Director, Stockmann

Further information:
Maaret Kuisma
Marketing Director
Stockmann
t: +358 0 9 121 5820
e: maaret.kuisma@stockmann.com
w: stockmann.com

VIKING LINE

“Enjoying life is the leading principle for Viking Line in developing services for our customers. Design is important for all of us in enjoying everyday life, and therefore the decision came naturally to us to become one of the first-level corporate partners in the WDC Helsinki 2012 collaboration, which is unique in Finland.” – Pavlos Ylinen, Deputy Managing Director, Viking Line

Further information:
Karolina Klockars
Business Development Manager
Viking Line
t: +358 50 568 7306
t: +358 9 123 5257
e: karolina.klockars@vikingline.fi
w: www.vikingline.fi

Contact:
Pekka Timonen, Director
International Design Foundation
t: +358 50 337 43 86
e: pekka.timonen@wdchelsinki2012.fi

Sanna-Mari Jäntti
Development Director
International Design Foundation
t: +358 0400 536 581
e: sanna-mari.jantti@wdchelsinki2012.fi

Jukka Kunnas
Project Director
Infront Finland Oy
t: +358 400 613 012
e: jukka.kunnas@infrontsports.com

About the World Design Capital

The World Design Capital® (WDC) project is a biennial international designation created to identify and recognise cities that have effectively used design to revive the city and improve its quality of life.

Under the direction of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid), the WDC will promote the importance of good design strengthening and empowering cities to use design to position their competitive advantages from a social, cultural and economic point of view.
www.worlddesigncapital.com

About the International Design Foundation

Established by the City of Helsinki, the International Design Foundation is responsible for the planning and execution of the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 project. The foundation manages all international rights and brands related to the project. It also supervises compliance to the international organizing agreement signed in 2010.

In addition to its Board of Directors, the foundation will have a broad-based committee tasked to support the project’s activities and to assure that the project will represent society on a wide basis.
www.wdc2012helsinki.fi/en