Pioneers Wanted: First Global Management Seminar on Digital Brand Management at UdK Berlin Career College

BERLIN, January 31, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

- Unique Post-MBA Masters Course "Digital Brand Management around the World" in Germany, China, Brazil and the US

What particularities do brands have on the internet, on smart phones and in digital media? What differences exist from region to region? How will digital brand management evolve in the coming years? Our first international certificate course "Digital Brand Management around the World" answers just these questions. Course begin is September 2014. Berlin Career College of the Berlin University of the Arts (Universität der Künste) is hosting the course in cooperation with three internationally renowned universities: Shanghai (China), Los Angeles (US) and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). Further locations are planned. The certificate course for (digital) brand management is designed for corporate and organizational decision makers from all over the world. Participants obtain insight into the topic at some of the most pivotal locations for digital brand management during personal discussions with experts and as they peer over the shoulders of professionals. They'll see first-hand what works in digital brand management - and what doesn't.

Digital Brand Management is of increasing importance

Digital brand management has gained significantly in importance in recent years and will continue to do so: the number of brands on the internet is increasing-in part, because of new brands, but existing brands are also entering the digital space for the first time. Consumers are purchasing and ordering more and more on the internet and with their phones. They're recommending their favorite brands on social networks. Nevertheless, many brands fail on the internet because of cultural differences: Henkel, for example, used the national colors of the Ukraine for toilet cleaner advertising. Too often, the particularities of digital media go unused, especially the possibility to talk to consumers. Brands seldom offer experiences. Social networks are highly varied around the world and function differently according to cultural differences. If users from all over join together, they might boycott a brand and do it extensive damage: Guido Barilla, chief executive of the world's largest pasta company, made derogatory remarks about homosexuals and thereby unleashed a global storm of outrage across social networks. The environmental organization Greenpeace started an international social media campaign against Nestlé, which destroys Orangutan habitat during the palm oil production for its brand Kit Kat. Results: unused potential, improper action or crises on the internet cost companies enormous sums.

The globally unique, post-MBA course "Digital Brand Management around the World" seeks to open up the opportunities and borders of digital brand management on a trip to four locations and to make them useful to businesses and organizations.

Top managers from around the world come together right from the start in order to take part in the journey from Berlin to Shanghai and Tongji University; to Los Angeles and the Annenberg School; and to Rio de Janeiro and Fundação Dom Cabral. Visits occur about every three months. In the between time participants work on their own projects at their home locations or complete online projects together on topics of global, digital brand management.

Successful Examples from around the World

Events take place over seven days at each location: each day, there are late morning lectures with prominent academics and afternoon discussions with experts, as well as visits to companies, agencies and organizations. Participants are introduced to success factors and successful examples for digital brand management and they experience which business models could be successful for the future.

What uses do companies garner from participation in the course? They benefit from the newest insights born of theory and practice. They build their international network and connect directly to leading academics, practicians and universities on the spot and right from the start. They get a look into how they themselves might successfully and digitally manage a brand globally.

Internationally Renowned Organizer

The course's organizer is Professor Dieter Georg Herbst, PhD. He is an internationally recognized expert in digital communication. He is honorary professor for strategic communications management in the masters program "Leadership in Digital Communication" at the Berlin University of the Arts (Germany), guest professor for "eCommerce in China" at the JiaoTong University in Shanghai (China) and chief instructor for Corporate Communications and Social Media in two EBMA programs at the University of St Gallen (Switzerland). He regularly works and researches in the US, India and Brazil. Herbst is also chief executive of source1 networks GmbH and consults worldwide for companies, organizations and individuals. He was named Professor of the Year by the newspaper Unicum Beruf in 2011. He is a member of the Council of Internet Sages and has written 16 books on marketing and corporate communications. His current book Digital Brand Management comes out in late 2014.

The UdK Berlin Career College bundles the continuing education offerings of the Central Institute for Continuing Education at the Berlin University of the Arts. It provides a one-of-a-kind breadth of university course offerings in the German creative arts sphere. The UdK Berlin Career College serves all who wish to deepen their creative and artistic inclinations and connects them to theoretical topics with four masters programs and manifold certificate courses. In addition, the international Berlin Summer University of the Arts offers a highly-regarded program in English, directed at artists in all disciplines, culturati and creative professionals. The UdK Berlin Career College bases its program offerings on proprietary research as to the continuing education needs of the Creative Industries.

The Berlin University of the Arts is one of the largest art schools in the world and the only one that unites every artistic discipline with its corresponding science. Over forty artistic, art theory and art pedagogy programs are offered among the four faculties, Fine Art, Design, Music and Performing Arts as well as at the Center for Continuing Education. About a fifth of the 4,000 students are from outside the country. The Berlin University of the Arts has held its present moniker since 2001 and Professor Martin Rennert has been president since January 2006. With its more than 500 events a year, UdK Berlin is an essential part in the cultural life of the city.

Further information:

Prof. Dr. Dieter Georg Herbst
Berlin Career Center
Universität der Künste Berlin
Bundesallee 1-12
10719 Berlin

Tel: +49-030-236-279-71
Mobil: +49-(0)171-6372164
E-Mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.source1.de/home 

Kathrin Rusch
Pressearbeit UdK Berlin Career College
Tel.: +40-(0)30-3185-2835
E-Mail: [email protected]

SOURCE Universität der Künste - Berlin Career College