Interns@AutoCom

Due to the fast-moving business these days, it is not so much a question for companies WHETHER to use Social Media, but HOW to use it. At first glance, communicating via Social Media channels might appear like a dream come true to businesses: there is no faster, more cost-effective way to reach people all over the world at the same time. Just as KONY 2012 recently showed, word-of-mouth and viral effects make it possible to rise awareness by almost 100 percent within a short period of time. However, companies have to be aware of potential challenges in order to achieve similar effects; it might be becoming more popular or increasing customer loyalty and identification. When communicating through Social Media, the first hurdle you have to jump is to make the customer actually read your updates and feeds. Therefore you should create some entertaining, catchy lines using no more than 140 characters in order to keep it short and simple. At the same time you have to make sure this brief...

Beginning today, AutoCom interns are starting a new practice on the intern blog! Every Friday the AutoCom interns will write a topical blog in which they relate current topics back to Public Relations. We'll keep you posted! Last week was the kick-off for one of the most romantic disaster movies of all times to flicker again on the world’s big screens after almost 15 years since the first release: Titanic. Rose and Jack, you jump I jump, the iceberg, the Titanic sinks – the story did not change. But how do movie producers expect the exact same movie that is already out for 15 years to attract millions of viewers into the theatres all over again? Well, the answer is easy: It’s in 3D! An old story, known by almost everyone can be perceived as completely new by changing only one detail with great effect. This is a very simple but clever concept that can also be seen in Public Relations. In an era of new technologies like the emergence of social media and the rising practice of electro...

I began my trip to the United States accompanied by my brother last Thursday. We expected to arrive in Royal Oak the same day - but didn’t keep in mind KLM’s booking procedure. The first flight from Frankfurt to Amsterdam went well, but as we were ready to hop on the plane to Detroit, we were denied boarding because the flight was overbooked. Being mad at first, that feeling dissipated quickly after we got our compensation which included free hotel accommodation, a three-course dinner and some money. So we spent a night in Amsterdam and set off to the United Stated the next morning. Things went more smoothly after arriving in the U.S. We got some administrative things done the first days - and by administrative I mainly mean grocery shopping as it took us ages to find our way through all the “2-for-1” -deals. Once we were finished, we did a bit of sightseeing in Detroit over the weekend: hopping on the People Mover, watching a Red Wings game and taking a walk along Detroit River were a...