Boston, May 05, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Skyword, a leading content marketing technology and services company, announced that Jad Abumrad, MacArthur Fellow and creator of popular radio show and podcast Radiolab, and Sarah Hill, founder and chief storyteller at StoryUP, will deliver keynote speeches at its annual conference Forward™ 2016. Abumrad and Hill join previously announced speakers Michael Brenner, CEO of Marketing Insider Group, Robert McKee, author and world-renowned screenwriting instructor, and Tim Urban, creator of the popular blog Wait But Why June 22-23 at the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel to explore the fusion of business and storytelling at the company’s annual event.

Abumrad Focuses on the Risk and Creativity Behind Radiolab’s Growth

As the closing keynote speaker, Abumrad will talk about his creative process and the challenges he faced while creating his award-winning show.

“Jad is a visionary in the storytelling community. His ability to combine unique elements of narrative and music to tap into the listener’s emotions is a true testament to his creativity,” said Tom Gerace, CEO and founder of Skyword, “Marketers have a lot to learn from his craft, work ethic and courage as a storyteller. Jad is at the vanguard of creating stories that people love and want to immerse themselves in. In closing the event, he will remind storytellers and brand marketers alike to strive for the same outcome—to create truly moving stories.”

Launched in 2002, Radiolab now attracts nine million monthly downloads and is syndicated on 524 stations across the United States. In the show, Abumrad combines his background as a composer and journalist to explore big questions in science, philosophy, and the human experience.  

Hill and StoryUP Team to Inspire Brands to Look Through the VR Lens to the Future

Sarah Hill is the founder and chief storyteller for StoryUP, a virtual-reality and native-media company. A 20-year veteran of the broadcasting industry, Hill founded the company on her passion for VR technology and its potential to change the way we educate, connect and inspire compassion. At Forward 2016, Hill will speak about the role of VR in the future of marketing and media and the human experience. Following her talk, the StoryUP Team will build a pop-up VR playhouse at the conference, allowing attendees to get a closer look at the groundbreaking technology behind immersive storytelling experiences.

The conference will bring together 350 marketers from across the world to explore the fusion of story and business and learn how to engage customers who are no longer receptive to traditional and interruptive advertising tactics.

Diverse Lineup of Marketing and Media Leaders to Inspire and Motivate

Skyword has already announced that Tim Urban, writer, illustrator, and founder of the popular blog, Wait But Why, will be the opening keynote speaker. Wait But Why regularly reaches upwards of 10 million monthly visitors, and has earned Urban famed readers including SpaceX and Tesla visionary Elon Musk.  

Other speakers include:

• Michael Brenner: CEO of the Marketing Insider Group and co-author of The Content Formula
• Jill Cress: Executive Vice President at MasterCard, responsible for leading the brand’s global consumer marketing strategy
• Melanie Deziel: Brand educator, consultant, founder of the Overlap League, a newsletter focused on native advertising
• Robert McKee: Renowned storytelling and screenwriting expert, author of Story, a book on the craft of screenwriting.
• Tim Urban: Writer, illustrator, and founder of Wait But Why, a popular website that combines long-form stories and stick-figure illustrations to bring new light to a wide variety of topics.

“Our lineup for Forward 2016 will help guide attendees into the future of storytelling and the role it must play within companies’ marketing and corporate strategies,” said Tom Gerace, CEO and founder of Skyword. “These individuals are creating completely new forms, techniques, and approaches to storytelling, and are pushing marketers to test their own boundaries.”

For more information on the conference, watch this video, visit http://www.skyword.com/forward/, and register here.  

Additional Information

Name: Forward 2016

Organizer: Skyword Inc.

Date: June 22–23, 2016

Location: Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel, 425 Summer St., Boston, MA

Registration: skyword.com/forward/

About Skyword

Skyword liberates brands from ineffective marketing practices and inspires them to create deeper connections with their audiences. The Skyword Platform makes it easy to produce, optimize and promote content at any scale to create meaningful, lasting relationships. Skyword also provides access to a community of thousands of freelance writers and videographers, an editorial team and program managers who help move clients’ content marketing programs to new levels of creative excellence. Skyword is a privately held company headquartered in Boston, Mass., with offices in Palo Alto, Calif., and New York, N.Y. The company’s technology center is located in Pittsburgh, Pa. Investors include Cox Media Group, Allen & Company, Progress Ventures and American Public Media Group.

Connect with Skyword

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skyword

Twitter: @Skyword

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skyword-inc-

The Content Standard: http://www.contentstandard.com/