Nordic Friend

What Nordic Friend does

Nordic Friend Oy is a Helsinki-headquartered marketing and communications agency founded in 2016 by Jesse Ketonen (Chairman) and Rixin Jiang (CEO), specializing in helping Nordic and European companies enter, operate, and grow in the Chinese market. The firm operates from five offices — Helsinki, Shanghai, Beijing, Berlin, and Stockholm — supported by a wholly-owned Chinese entity (Shanghai Beiyou Business Consulting Co., Ltd.) and a global spin-off brand (Waitan Agency, launched 2021). Its service portfolio is organized around four pillars: Localization Marketing (daily WeChat/Weibo account management, programmatic advertising, SEO/SEM, event support), PR and Communications (press releases, media pitching, KOL collaboration, media monitoring), Consulting/Research (trend analysis, competitor benchmarking, distribution strategy), and Creative Production (brand storytelling, multimedia content, AIGC-driven creative).

The company monetizes through project-based consulting fees, retainers, and campaign management charges, with pricing quoted per engagement rather than published. Customer segments include Nordic enterprises expanding into China, Finnish and Nordic government bodies (Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Visit Rovaniemi, House of Lapland, StudyInFinland), industrial B2B firms (Kemppi, UPM, Nokian Tyres), and aviation/consumer brands (Finavia/Helsinki Airport, Hartwall). Distribution relies on direct consultative enterprise sales supplemented by partnerships with Business Finland, four Nordic business chambers, and Chinese platforms including ByteDance/Douyin, Xiaohongshu, Ctrip, Weibo, and Xinhua CNC.

Underlying capabilities combine cross-cultural talent (bilingual Nordic-Chinese staff), proprietary content assets (the annual Nordic Companies Marketing in China survey, the China-Nordic Marketing Calendar), and applied AIGC tooling (GPT-4, Midjourney, OpenClaw agents) integrated into creative workflows and packaged as paid AI training workshops. Notable credentials include a 2019 Cannes Lions Media Lion for the #LIFEINHEL campaign with Finavia and TBWA/Helsinki, EU Interreg Nord ELY funding for ByteDance-related R&D, and a Business Finland Expert Search Database listing. The company is privately held, founder-controlled, and self-funded with no disclosed venture capital, private equity, or acquisition activity.

Name

Nordic Friend

Legal name

Nordic Friend Oy

Website

https://nordicfriend.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nordic Friend is a Helsinki-headquartered, founder-controlled marketing and communications agency founded in 2016 that helps Nordic and European companies enter and grow in the Chinese market through localization, PR, consulting, and creative services delivered from offices in Helsinki, Shanghai, Beijing, Berlin, and Stockholm.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Helsinki

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Marketing and Communications Services: Professional services revenue model including localization marketing (daily account management, programmatic advertising, SEO/SEM, event support), PR and communications (press releases, media pitching, KOL collaboration), consulting/research (trend analysis, competitor benchmarking, distribution channel suggestions), and creative production (brand storytelling, multimedia content, AI-driven creativity). Revenue generated through project-based consulting fees, retainer agreements, and campaign management charges.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Nordic Friend is a marketing and communications agency that helps Nordic and European companies enter, localize, and grow in the Chinese market. The firm delivers four core services — Localization Marketing, PR and Communications, Consulting/Research, and Creative Production — across WeChat, Weibo, Douyin, Xiaohongshu, and other Chinese digital platforms.

Product overview

Nordic Friend is a digital-era marketing, communications, and advertising agency specializing in the Chinese market with offices in Helsinki, Shanghai, Beijing, Berlin, and Stockholm. The company operates a services-portfolio architecture organized around four core service pillars: Localization Marketing (daily social media management, programmatic advertising, SEO/SEM, event support), PR and Communications (press releases, media pitching, KOL collaboration), Consulting/Research (trend analysis, competitor benchmarking, growth strategy), and Creative Production (brand storytelling, multimedia content, AIGC). These core services are complemented by specialized add-on offerings including the Growth Seeking Marketing in China package (Growth Seeking Diagnosis, Digital Marketing Optimization, Operational Excellence), the China-Nordic Marketing Calendar tool, the annual Nordic Marketing Day event series, and AI/B2B training workshops. The company also operates Waitan Agency as its global-facing brand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Waitan Agency: Shanghai-based marketing and communications agency specializing in the Chinese digital market, launched as Nordic Friend's global expansion brand in 2021

Products and services

• Localization Marketing Comprehensive localized marketing services in China including daily social media account management on the WeChat ecosystem, programmatic advertising on Chinese platforms, website SEO and SEM, event and expo support, localized content creation, and community engagement for both B2B and B2C clients.
• PR and Communications Professional brand and communications strategy service in China managing the full lifecycle of press releases from creation to distribution, media pitching and monitoring, KOL/influencer collaboration, and comprehensive reporting across Chinese digital and traditional media channels.
• Consulting/Research Marketing strategy consulting service including trend analysis, competitor benchmarking, distribution channel suggestions, integrated marketing communications strategy, consumer behavior insights, and regulatory compliance guidance to help clients uncover growth opportunities in the Chinese market.
• Creative Production High-quality creative content production service including brand storytelling, multimedia content creation, advertising creatives, print and publication materials, AI-driven creativity (AIGC), and graphic and motion design tailored for Chinese media platforms.
• Growth Seeking Marketing in China A cost-effective, Agile-based marketing service package for SMEs in China targeting resilient growth. It includes a Growth Seeking Diagnosis plus three packages — Target Segment & Channels Optimization, Digital Marketing Optimization, and Operational Excellence of Marketing Management — and is delivered using GOMMS-B2B agile marketing methodology.
• Nordic Marketing Day Annual flagship marketing and sales-focused event series for Nordic businesses in China, featuring keynote speeches, expert panels, and networking, with sessions held in both Shanghai and Beijing and drawing 500+ participants and 100+ speakers across years.
• AI Training Workshops Practical AI training workshops for marketing professionals covering AIGC tools (GPT-4, Midjourney), prompt practice, marketing automation, research and strategy use of AI, and OpenClaw-based AI agent implementation, with hands-on demonstrations.
• B2B Marketing Workshops Workshop series on B2B prospecting and marketing on social media, B2B agile marketing for effective business delivery, and branding strategies, including co-creation activities, BPS learning, and workshop/training completion certificates.
• Waitan Agency (Global Expansion Brand) Shanghai-based marketing and communications brand operated as a sub-brand of Nordic Friend, offering the same China market expertise (localization marketing, PR, consulting, creative production) to non-Nordic clients from regions beyond the Nordics.

Quantifiable outcome

• 66% increase in WeChat followers for ThisisFINLAND
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Business FinlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed in Business Finland's Expert Search Database following assessment, providing professional services for Finnish companies succeeding in international markets. Business Finland was created from the merger of Tekes and Finpro, serving as the official Team Finland network for internationalization.
• Nordic Tourism CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial Source Market Partner (China) for the pan-Nordic travel industry association Nordic Tourism Collective. Contributes insights, updates, and services with added value for the Nordic travel community.
• TBWA/HelsinkicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency collaboration for Helsinki Airport #LIFEINHEL campaign. TBWA/Helsinki created the campaign concept and Nordic Friend executed social media management on Weibo and WeChat.
• Swedish Chamber of Commerce in China (SwedCham)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborative partner for events and company visits including Douyin visits and Nordic Marketing Day. SwedCham members receive access to Nordic Friend's expertise and events.
• Norwegian Business Association China (NBA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizer of events including AIGC seminars, Douyin visits, and Nordic Marketing Day. NBA members benefit from Nordic Friend's China market expertise.
• FinnCham ShanghaicoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborative chamber partner for breakfast roundtables, workshops, and the Nordic Companies Marketing in China survey report.
• Danish Chamber of Commerce in China (DCCC)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-author of the Nordic Companies Marketing in China 2023 survey report and collaborative partner for events.
• Ocean Engine (Douyin Group)coreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial partnership with ByteDance's marketing service brand for Douyin advertising and company visit events. Nordic Friend brings SwedCham and NBA members to visit Douyin/Bytedance offices.
• Ctrip (Precise Advertising)coreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial advertising partner of Ctrip, helping international brands reach Chinese travelers through precise mobile advertising on China's leading travel platform.
• XiaohongshumajorTechnology or IntegrationPlatform partnership enabling company visits and educational events about Xiaohongshu marketing. Nordic Friend organizes member-only visits to Xiaohongshu headquarters.
• TikTok/BytedancecoreTechnology or IntegrationNordic Friend received limited beta access to TikTok advertising platform, enabling service for advertisers with TikTok/Douyin operations. Partnership strengthened with Interreg Nord ELY funding for R&D on ByteDance-related offerings.
• Xinhua CNCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTelevision network of China's largest media group partnered for Finnish Lapland photography campaign and photo exhibition at Beijing Photo Week, reaching 600 million viewers.
• WeibocoreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary social media platform for client campaigns including Santa Claus official account verification and Finnish national brand marketing.
• Global MatchmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Cindy Zhu, provides tourism industry expertise and connections for Nordic travel clients entering Chinese market.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• BlueFocus: China-born digital marketing and communications group expanding globally. Relevant as both a competitor for foreign-brand China marketing work and a potential partner or acquisition counterpart for Nordic Friend.

Direct peers

• Dragon Trail International: China-focused digital marketing and PR agency helping international brands enter and grow in the Chinese market. Directly comparable in target customers (foreign brands), core services (WeChat/Weibo/Douyin marketing, PR, KOL), and cross-border positioning.
• WE Communications: Global communications agency with an established Asia-Pacific practice serving technology, healthcare, and consumer clients in China. Comparable in serving foreign enterprises seeking China-market PR and integrated marketing services.
• WildChina Group: Cross-cultural marketing and travel agency connecting Western brands with Chinese audiences. Comparable in helping Nordic/international clients engage Chinese consumers through tailored campaigns, content, and partnerships.
• Hoffman Agency: International tech and consumer PR/marketing agency with a China practice serving B2B and B2C technology brands. Comparable in cross-border PR, content, and integrated communications for foreign companies entering Asia.
• Resonance China: China-focused creative and digital marketing agency serving international brands with integrated campaigns. Comparable in boutique scale, China-platform expertise, and cross-border execution for foreign clients.
• Labbrand: Branding and marketing consultancy with strong China presence, helping multinational clients build and localize brands in China. Comparable in offering brand storytelling, localization, and digital-platform execution for foreign companies.

Broad incumbents

• WPP: World's largest advertising holding company with deep China operations through Ogilvy, Grey, and VMLY&R. Represents the broad incumbent alternative Nordic enterprise clients may choose when they need global scale alongside China expertise.
• Publicis Groupe: Global advertising and communications holding company with significant China presence (Publicis China, Leo Burnett, Saatchi). Represents an established full-service alternative for Nordic multinationals.
• Dentsu: Major Japanese-origin advertising network with substantial Greater China operations. Competes for the same multinational clients Nordic Friend serves, often with bundled digital, media, and creative capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nordic_friend
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nordicfriend

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nordic Friend