Interns@AutoCom

As a matter of fact, it is hard to get the attention of people these days. Each and every single one of us faces a flood of information day by day – just as you leave the house, switch on the TV or pop over to check your E-Mails, tons of advertisements and offers for services, companies and organizations will be trying to convince you that THEIR offer is just what you have been looking for and the very best you can get. Some will even satisfy needs which you didn’t even know you had so far. I for example never knew how much it bothered me that I couldn’t use my arms when covered with a blanket until I discovered the Snuggie. Admittedly, getting through to potential customers really is a challenge. Imagine you really do have a brand-new, innovative product or service which would make peoples’ life so much easier. Now how do you let the publicity know? And even more importantly: In which way can you stand out from all the other offers/ advertisements/products that already hit YOU...

Hello Everyone! My name is Madeline and I am excited to announce I will be interning with AutoCom these next couple of months.   I just finished up my sophomore year at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and I am very excited to start my internship.   I am pursuing a joint bachelor’s degree in Art and Design and Communication Studies.   I focus on photography and graphic design, so I’ll have to see how that may come into play in my new position.   Now, that I am done with finals and beginning my summer I am eager to learn what truly happens behind the scenes at a PR company.   This is my first internship and not only will I be working with the members of AutoCom, but I will also be splitting my time working directly at Behr America .   This is great because I will learn, first hand, about the relationship between a PR firm and a client. In addition, I keep hearing about the many events that occur during the summer and I am excited to be help...

A very exciting and interesting week has come to an end. One of AutoCom’s bigger events, the SAE Annual Supplier Dinner was held successfully at Coach Insignia atop of the Renaissance Center Detroit. Additionally there were two client luncheons also held in the GM Tower. This past week I spent so much time in the RenCen that I already feel at home there. But even after struggling with exceptionally stuffed stomachs and getting lost in Detroit at night on the way home, which almost caused two young interns to have a heart attack, we got back safely to our regular office routine. Looking back at the previous week, a simple but important question comes up: What have I learned from this? Well, there are many points, but here are a few of them: #1 The direction signs at the Renaissance Center are.. let’s say improvable. #2 Getting lost in Detroit in the middle of the night is not fun. #3 I like food. But these insights are obviously not really related to our work here at 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...

I set out for my first big trip to the United States over one week ago. The 27 hour travel by train and airplane from Frankfurt via Dublin to New York was exciting and exhausting at the same time, so I was very happy when I finally arrived on U.S. grounds. Since it was late evening when I landed, I knew I wouldn’t really get to see a lot of the city when leaving the airport. Just before landing, though, I got a peek of the New York skyline in the distance with a sunset behind it. The scenery was stunning and really gave me a positive feeling of something new starting. After a few days in the hectic life of New York I was expecting a calm weekend in Royal Oak before my first day of work, however, I did not keep in mind that my arrival date was St. Patrick’s Day. Thus, my first day in Michigan was not as expected, but turned out to be a very green and fun experience with many new faces and great weather. Before my first day at the office I was a little nervous, as I didn’t know what to e...