In May 2017, our client AVM, known in the Netherlands for the FRITZ!Box, invited us to its Berlin headquarters for an international PR summit. The visit offered much more than a chance to compare campaigns. It showed how a company’s people and culture can turn professional collaboration into genuine enthusiasm for a brand.
The three-day gathering brought together PR agencies from the European countries where AVM operated. Aurélie represented Belgium and I represented the Netherlands, alongside colleagues from Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Austria and Germany. Working together at the client’s headquarters gave us a better understanding of the business and plenty of motivation. There was also time for beer and schnitzel: getting to know one another outside the meeting room mattered too.
Sharing knowledge across borders
Each team presented a case. The Italian agency showed how a technology vlogger had connected a large collection of phones and computers to a FRITZ!Box Wi-Fi network without bringing it down. We shared our own examples, including the use of research to create newsworthy stories.
Comparing approaches was valuable. Different markets bring different media habits, expectations and opportunities. Hearing how another team tackled a challenge can give you a new perspective on your own work.
What excited me most, though, was seeing the company from the inside. We visited the communications and social response teams, then went behind the scenes in research and development. Watching someone assemble a motherboard for a router prototype by hand made the product development process tangible.
A closer look at the business
At the time of our visit, AVM had more than 700 employees and had grown into a major player in Germany’s router market. Its product developers and communications professionals were clearly committed to their work. The discussions also highlighted the company’s role in the debate about customers choosing their own routers, an important topic in its market at the time.
Inside the development facilities, attention to detail was everywhere. The team tested temperature changes around a router and interference from other equipment. A test apartment reproduced a home Wi-Fi network, complete with connected telephones and laptops.
In the basement of the historic building beside the River Spree, a special room allowed measurements without radio signals reflecting around the space. Seeing the care behind those tests gave us a deeper appreciation of the products we were communicating about. I had already been a fan; the visit strengthened that feeling.
Meeting the people behind the brand
I already worked closely with an enthusiastic and helpful contact at AVM. The summit introduced me to many more people behind the brand and gave me a sense of the wider culture.
From the communications director to a Dutch-speaking member of the social helpdesk, people took time to explain their work and the values behind it. That is valuable when you want to understand how decisions are made, why particular plans matter and how your agency can contribute.
For me, it was a strong example of employee brand love supported by internal communication. Brand ambassadors do not have to rely on a prepared speech: their interest in what they do can make the message convincing.
Bring your agency into your world
If you work with a PR agency, create opportunities to understand each other’s work and culture. A team day, a visit to the office or attending an event together can help. You do not need a three-day international summit to make a difference.
The goal is shared understanding. When a technology PR agency sees the people, processes and decisions behind a product, it can tell a more informed story. When both sides become enthusiastic about each other’s work, the partnership becomes more rewarding too.
Allard
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