U.S. Digital Practice Chair at Burson-Marsteller; CEO at Proof Integrated Communications
Online Media | Greater New York City Area, US
Michael A. Bassik is Managing Director and United States Digital Practice Chair for Burson-Marsteller, a leading global public relations and communications firm. In addition to his role at Burson-Marsteller, Michael is CEO of Proof Integrated Communications, a full-service integrated marketing and advertising firm within the WPP Group, a world leader in marketing communications.
Bassik is an accomplished digital strategist with more than a decade of experience. He has built several successful online public affairs practices and has been honored for his industry-leading work by Yahoo!, the American Association of Political Consultants and POLITICO.
Throughout his career, Bassik has been a pioneer in the field of digital communications. He has blended digital strategy, public affairs and political communications to lead effective campaigns. He has worked with several high-profile clients including IBM, Google, Coca-Cola, Ford, the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton for President.
Most recently, Bassik was Senior Vice President at Global Strategy Group where he established and managed the full-service digital public affairs division. In this role, he developed and oversaw the execution of award-winning online marketing, reputation management and media relations programs for some of the firm’s largest and most highly visible clients.
Prior to Global Strategy Group, Bassik was Chief Digital Officer for the radio network Air America Media. Earlier in his career, he established America Online’s political advertising division, the first such division among the Internet portals.
Bassik has appeared on Bloomberg Radio and NPR’s Morning and Weekend Editions. He has also been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and Advertising Age.
Bassik received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania and his law degree from American University’s Washington College of Law.
Specialties: interactive marketing, contract negotiation, public speaking, mobile marketing, digital publishing, digital strategy, social media
Nov
2011 - Present
Chief Executive Officer / Proof Integrated Communications
Michael A. Bassik is CEO of Proof Integrated Communications, a full-service, channel agnostic, integrated marketing and advertising firm within the WPP Group, a world leader in marketing communications. Proof helps our clients address complex problems by deploying creative cross-media solutions rooted in evidence and measurable results. In addition to his role at Proof, Michael is the US Digital Practice Chair at Burson-Marsteller, a leading global public relations and communications firm.
Apr
2011 - Present
Managing Director & U.S. Digital Practice Chair / Burson-Marsteller
Michael A. Bassik is Managing Director and U.S. Digital Practice Chair for Burson-Marsteller, a leading global public relations and communications firm.
Bassik is an accomplished digital strategist with more than 11 years of experience. He has built several successful online public affairs practices and has been honored for his industry-leading work by Yahoo!, the American Association of Political Consultants and POLITICO.
Throughout his career, Bassik has been a pioneer in the field of digital communications. He has blended digital strategy, public affairs and political communications to lead effective campaigns. He has worked with several high-profile clients including IBM, Google, the Democratic National Committee, John Kerry for President, Hillary Clinton for President and Obama for America.
Most recently, Bassik was Senior Vice President at Global Strategy Group where he established and managed the full-service digital public affairs division. In this role, he developed and oversaw the execution of award-winning online marketing, reputation management and media relations programs for some of the firm’s largest and most highly visible clients, including IBM, Google, Al Jazeera English, Oprah Magazine, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Dan Malloy for Governor (CT).
Prior to Global Strategy Group, Bassik was Chief Digital Officer for the radio network Air America Media. Earlier in his career, he established America Online’s political advertising division, the first such division among the Internet portals.
Bassik has appeared on Bloomberg Radio and NPR’s Morning and Weekend Editions. He was also featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The International Herald Tribune, BusinessWeek and Advertising Age.
Bassik received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Spanish from the University of Pennsylvania and his law degree from American University’s Washington College of Law.
Dec
2009 -
Apr
2011
Senior Vice President, Digital Strategy / Global Strategy Group
For nearly a decade, Michael Bassik has been at the forefront of online politics and public affairs. He created the online political marketing division of America Online, started and ran the online political advertising division of MSHC Partners and served as the Chief Digital Officer at Air America Media, presiding over the company’s largest growth in online revenues and audience.
He has worked on behalf of clients such as MoveOn.Org, US Telecom, NAACP, Human Rights Campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and Obama for America. A recognized leader in the field, he was named a “Rising Star” by Politics Magazine, a “Top 50 Politico to Watch” by The Politico and received the first-ever joint award for Excellence in Digital Media from Yahoo! and the American Association of Political Consultants.
Michael has an established track record of working across departments to train staff, expand product offerings, market successes, and bring measurable, profitable services to new and existing clients.
May
2004 -
Jan
2011
Contributing Editor / Personal Democracy Forum
Democracy in America is changing. A new force, rooted in new tools and practices built on and around the Internet, is rising alongside the old system of capital-intensive broadcast politics. Today, for almost no money, anyone can be a reporter, a community organizer, an ad-maker, a publisher, a money-raiser, or a leader.
The Personal Democracy Forum is your place to meet the people who are making that change happen, discover the tools powering the new civic conversation, spot the early trends, and share in understanding and embracing this dynamic new force.
Nov
2008 -
Dec
2009
Chief Digital Officer / Air America Media
Michael Bassik is Chief Digital Officer of Air America Media, the nation’s leading progressive media network. Michael is responsible for managing Air America’s digital strategy to drive traffic, grow listenership and generate profit.
Prior to joining Air America, Michael helped build the nation’s largest online political marketing firm at MSHC Partners, where he served as Vice President of Interactive Marketing. He previously worked at America Online where he directed political advertising strategy.
Michael has received numerous awards and honors, including the Rising Star Award from Politics Magazine and the award for Excellence in Digital Media from Yahoo! and the American Association of Political Consultants. He was named a Top 50 Politico to Watch by The Politico and was nominated to the Top 10 Changing the World of Internet and Politics by PoliticsOnline.
2008 -
2008
Chief Digital Officer / Air America Radio
Feb
2004 -
Nov
2008
Vice President / MSHC Partners, Inc.
Michael Bassik is Vice President of Interactive Marketing at MSHC Partners. A true political junkie who got his first fix accompanying his parents to the polls, Michael previously worked at America Online where he directed political advertising strategy since the 2000 election cycle.
Under Michael’s leadership, MSHC has executed more than three hundred online marketing campaigns on behalf of progressive advocacy groups, non-profit organizations and candidates at all levels of the ballot. Current clients include the Democratic National Committee, the United Nations Foundation, the Center for American Progress and MoveOn.org. MSHC Partners was also the online agency of record for John Kerry and the Democratic National Committee in 2004.
Originally from Great Neck, New York, Michael graduated cum laude from both the University of Pennsylvania and American University’s Washington College of Law.
Jan
2005 -
Jan
2007
Senior Contributing Producer / PoliticsTV.com
PoliticsTV.com is an Internet TV network for progressives, independents, Democrats -– or any American opposed to the radical agenda of the Republican party.
PoliticsTV.com was started by a group of bloggers, activists, and political professionals who believe that InternetTV presents an unprecedented communications opportunity to progressives. It is a media company under the Federal Election Campaign Act.
2000 -
2004
Media Strategy & Development / America Online
-
2005
-
2007
American University, Washington College of Law
JD
in
Law
-
2003
-
2005
Brooklyn Law School
Law
-
1997
-
2001
University of Pennsylvania
BA
in
Political Science, Spanish
Activities: - Chair, Undergraduate Association
- Political Platform Director, College Democrats
- Executive Board Member, Student Activities Council
- Secretary General for External Affairs, Univ. of Pennsylvania Model United Nations Conference
- Founding Member, Working Group on Alcohol Abuse
- General Assignment Reporter and Guest Columnist, The Daily Pennsylvanian
- Brother, Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity
-
1993
-
1997
Great Neck North High School
