Sussex-based
Quad and the Quadracci family’s
Windhover Foundation has extended its support for
The BrandLab's efforts to diversify the marketing industry.
After
previously committing $1 million over three years to The BrandLab in 2021, Quad announced on Wednesday that it has made another three-year $1 million commitment. The BrandLab is a nonprofit focused on creating opportunities in the marketing industry for young people from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Quad’s commitment in 2021 helped bring The BrandLab, which was already established in Minneapolis and Kansas City, to Milwaukee.
This new commitment will improve The BrandLab’s workshops that encourage marketing professionals “to consider how their organizations can adopt more inclusive practices,” according to the news release. The funding will also help support programming to introduce high school students to careers in marketing. By the end of 2027, The BrandLab hopes to expose more students who identify as Black, indigenous and people of color to that programming by 20%, according to the news release.
Quad’s commitment will continue to provide internships and help increase those internship placements by 40% through 2027, according to the news release. There will also be annual co-branded scholarships for those pursuing an education in marketing. Quad and The BrandLab created a new scholarship program for marketing and advertising students.
“Quad and the Windhover Foundation are committed to this work because it is deeply connected to our values and reflects our long-standing commitment to invest in the future of the Milwaukee community through programs that grow human capital,” said
Joel Quadracci, the chairman, president and chief executive officer of Quad, in the news release. “The BrandLab is helping drive a meaningful difference for young people by providing access and opportunities to careers in the marketing and advertising profession. The BrandLab is purpose-built to help achieve that reality.”
Quad has helped The BrandLab establish 35 partner relationships and connect 81 interns with Milwaukee companies or agencies since 2021, according to the news release.
“Quad's ongoing partnership has been essential to our work, which not only helps team members bring their full selves to work, but diversifies the creative field to ensure agencies and corporate marketing departments are representing a broad range of communities accurately and authentically,” The BrandLab CEO
Kelli Williams said in the news release. “Quad and the Quadracci family have committed their financial resources, along with their time and talent, to advance our mission and we could not be more grateful.”
