Fireworks Advertising Group, a leading communications, sales and marketing advisory firm in Uganda and Burson-Marsteller, a leading global public relations and communications firm have today jointly announced an Exclusive Market Affiliate agreement.
The two firms also announced the creation of Brainchild Burson-Marsteller- a specialist communications firm, offering integrated Public Relations, Digital Communications and Experiential Marketing.
Under the non-equity agreement, Brainchild Burson-Marsteller will become Burson-Marsteller’s exclusive partner in Uganda.
Commenting on the partnership at a press conference held at Brainchild Burson-Marsteller’s office in Kampala, Burson-Marsteller Africa Chairman and CEO, Robyn de Villiers, said: “Today’s launch of Brainchild Burson-Marsteller is an exciting step for Burson-Marsteller Africa and our longstanding exclusive affiliate, Fireworks Advertising Group, the holding company of Brainchild Burson-Marsteller. Both organizations have long been committed to providing strategically-sound, market relevant communications to an impressive range of clients and moving closer to each other, as we are doing today, we are confidentwe will deliver benefits across the board.”
“Our people have made a mark on this industry by delivering strategic and impactful integrated communications solutions. This partnership allows us to leverage Burson-Marsteller’s global insights and knowledge to continue delivering game-changing solutions; solutions that build brands, protect reputations, deliver on business objectives, but above-all are measureable,” said Caleb Owino, Group Managing Director at Fireworks, the parent company of Brainchild Burson-Marsteller.
Brainchild Burson-Marsteller, which is 100% owned by Fireworks Advertising Group, now becomes part of the Burson-Marsteller global PR and Digital Practice- covering 110 countries across six continents.
In Africa, Burson-Marsteller Africa is present in 53 out of 55 countries. These include: Burson-Marsteller in Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa; Vivid Burson-Marsteller in Zimbabwe; RikhoziBurson-Marsteller in Mozambique; PrimediaBurson-Marsteller in Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; Icon Burson-Marsteller in Cameroon; McAllister Burson-Marsteller in Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea; Media Link Burson-Marsteller in Liberia; InfocusBurson-Marsteller in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Mali, Gabonand Burkina Faso;Optimum Burson-Marsteller in the DRC and Congo Brazzaville; PrimediaBurson-Marsteller in Benin; Digital One Burson-Marsteller in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia;Cactus Burson-Marsteller in Ethiopia and Djibouti; Engage Burson-Marsteller in Kenya and Tanzania andMajestic Ventures Burson-Marsteller in Rwanda and Burundi.
“The emerging African continent is key to our clients’ global business strategies. Today’s announcement shows our ongoing commitment to ensuring that we are where our clients need us to be, ready to offer them strategic communications services that will contribute to their overall business success. We see a rapidly increasing demand for communications services in line with Africa’s growing importance and have a dedicated focus on being able to service our current and future clientsacross this important region,” said Jeremy Galbraith, CEO Burson-Marsteller Europe, Middle East & Africa and Global Chief Strategy Officer.”
General Manager Appointment
Fireworks Group has appointed Muhereza Kyamutetera as the General Manager, Brainchild Burson-Marsteller.
Kyamutetera, has spent 8 years as a PR professional (6 of them at Fireworks) at a senior level, handling a number of large local and international brands.
At Fireworks where he rose to the rank of General Manager, he led his team to win industry accolades such as the PRAU Excellence Awards;
- Best PR Campaign Of The Year (2009)
- Best Crisis Communications (2011)
- Overall Excellence Award (2011)
- Best Crisis Communications (2012).
He has also led the Fireworks PR team, to win the Outstanding PR Practice Award (2011) from the Burson-Marsteller Africa Network.
He is the sitting Vice President of The PR Association of Uganda (PRAU).