Burson-Marsteller to launch an ongoing series of communications and public relations workshops for 1871 members through Burson Lift
CHICAGO (July 29, 2014)—1871, Chicago’s leading hub for digital startups, joined global public relations and communications firm Burson-Marsteller to announce a partnership that will provide new training programs for 1871 members. Through Burson Lift, which provides communications counsel for emerging and growth companies, Burson-Marsteller will create and host a series of workshops to help entrepreneurs develop sound communications and public relations strategies.
“1871’s primary focus is on helping entrepreneurs develop successful businesses,” said 1871 CEO Howard A. Tullman. “As part of the extensive range of resources 1871 makes available to its members, our selection of workshops allows members to work directly with industry experts who are best equipped to provide meaningful training in their respective fields. We are excited for Burson-Marsteller to bring its public relations expertise to the 1871 community.”
Burson Lift helps growth companies develop their businesses through its Innovation Education program, a series of courses that offer strategic communications lessons pertinent to entrepreneurial success. The Innovation Education courses at 1871 will focus on message development, challenging marketplace assumptions, storytelling and communication tactics for an evolving media landscape.
“Determining a communications strategy is a necessary part of any company’s business plan, but it is critical to ensure it happens at the right time in the development lifecycle,” said Erica Swerdlow, Burson-Marsteller’s Executive Vice President in Chicago. “Burson Lift provides the best talent and insight from across our global agency to help growth companies uncover the communications strategies best suited for their needs. It is an exciting time for start-ups in Chicago and we are delighted to work with 1871 to help build businesses in the region.”
The partnership with Burson-Marsteller is one of the first examples of 1871’s new strategy to provide sequential education programming to the members that extends over a period of time and builds from session to session. The idea behind this type of programming is to provide continuity and growth for the member companies throughout the educational processes.
In 2013, 1871 provided more than 4,500 hours of one-on-one mentoring to its members and produced over 650 events, workshops or working educational sessions.
About Burson-Marsteller
Burson-Marsteller, established in 1953, is a leading global public relations and communications firm. It provides clients with strategic thinking and program execution across a full range of public relations, public affairs, reputation and crisis management, advertising and digital strategies. The firm’s seamless worldwide network consists of 73 offices and 85 affiliate offices, together operating in 110 countries across six continents. Burson-Marsteller is a part of Young & Rubicam Group, a subsidiary of WPP (NASDAQ: WPPGY), the world’s leading communications services network. For more information, please visit bm.com.
