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1895
Hakuhodo is founded.
Print advertising business Hakuhodo is founded by a young businessman named Hironao Seki, one of the last Samurai warriors.
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2014
kyu is established.
July—kyu is established as a strategic operating unit of HDY, with SYPartners and RedPeak Group as founding members.
Michael Birkin is announced CEO.
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2015
Digital Kitchen, Sid Lee and C2 enter the Collective.
July—SYPartners and IDEO launch The Powerful Now, a project to change the global perspective and norms for the aging population.
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2016
IDEO joins kyu.
April—The first Collective Canvas is held in San Francisco, featuring a series of talks, masterclasses, sessions and labs, and a showcase of innovative and creative work.
December—kyu’s headquarters opens at 395 Hudson Street in New York.
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2017
IDEO adds Datascope, and Yard joins SID Lee. BEworks joins kyu.
January—The first conference between kyu and HDY companies is held in Tokyo.
June—The second Collective Canvas takes place in Montréal.
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2018
BIMM joins Sid Lee. Kepler Group enters the Collective.
April—The kyu Portfolio opens in the kyu Studios, a showcase of company work around the Collective.
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2019
ATÖLYE joins.
Sid Lee’s creative community is rearranged to include Hornall Anderson, Infrared, RedPeak and Digital Kitchen.
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2020
Sid Lee adds Haigo and Denizen to its creative community. Godfrey Dadich and Public Digital join kyu.
Kepler Group invests in Infectious Media, expanding into London and Singapore.
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2021
SYPartners brings Rich Talent Group into kyu. Kepler Group adds Napkyn Analytics.
November—A coalition of kyu’s health specialists pilot Project Spark to fight COVID-misinformation for the Office of the Surgeon General.
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2022
Gehl and Lexington enter the Collective as do new partners Ghost Note, SYLVAIN, Neol and Upstatement.
April—kyu OS launches, allowing the collective to share information on everything from new hires to the latest projects.
May—kin’22 ponders the beyond via virtual and in-person events across the globe.
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2023
kyu House launches at COP28.
January—A global business development summit takes place in London, establishing ways of working together.
December—At COP28 in Dubai, a kyu-led contingent of ATÖLYE, BEworks, Gehl, IDEO, Lexington, Neol, Public Digital, and SYPartners launch kyu House to offer solutions around climate.
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2024
kyu celebrates its 10th anniversary.
October—Sid Lee, Kepler, Bimm, Napkyn, Digital Kitchen, Yard, C2, and Haigo join together to form marketing services network, kyu Pulse.
December—The collective competes to put its best work on display; 153 submissions in 9 categories highlight work for 95 clients.
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2025
Specialist agencies Sid Lee Sport and Never Not are established.
February—La Fête, a marketing-focused edition of kyu House, serves as a soft launch of kyu Pulse.
April—In recognition of its expertise, Sid Lee’s London office rebrands as Sid Lee Sport.
July—Never Not spins out of GDP, with a focus on video storytelling.
