Closing the front door and leaving the house is all homeowners need to do – the smart home does the rest. It turns down the heat to reduce costs and turns on the alarm system on its own. This example shows that billions of things are already communicating with each other, sharing information, and acting independently. And that’s not all: devices and technical hardware are also connected to one another via the cloud. The Internet of Things (IoT for short) is set to become a megatrend. For the Bosch Group, connectivity is a central part of corporate strategy and thus also a focus of corporate communications.
Just in time for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the leading trade show for connectivity, Bosch has launched a corporate content hub. “Connected World” pools all of the company’s IoT-related content at a single digital location. “With the ‘Connected World’ platform, Bosch has created an attractive content hub on all things of the IoT. We provide explanations, entertain, and offer access to the entire Bosch product catalog,” says Dr. Christoph Zemelka, head of corporate communications at Bosch.
Discussing the benefits and challenges of new technologies
The new Internet platform is geared to opinion leaders, media professionals, and influencers as well as interested customers. “We at Bosch not only want to pave the way to the connected world with technology, we also want to provide support through communication,” says Zemelka. “The benefit of IoT solutions must be emphasized even more. We must have an open discussion about the challenges of new technologies, while at the time demonstrating their potential.” In the coming months, “Connected World” will thus become a central online point of contact for topics related to the IoT. The platform will continue to grow, and it will eventually present a comprehensive overview of the Bosch portfolio of products and services. At the same time, external experts and thinkers will be invited to share their views as thought leaders on the “Connected World” platform. Moreover, the page will collate a number of discussions and posts from social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.
Tightening the links between communication and the IoT business
In designing the “Connected World” platform, special attention was paid to the content marketing strategy. A storytelling approach serves to attract users to the Bosch IoT universe while at the same time showcasing the company’s broad portfolio of products and services. “For the first time, we are offering a central overview of the Bosch IoT business. In so doing, we are highlighting the company’s connectivity expertise across spheres – from building technology and mobility to industry and connected energy systems,” says Florian Flaig, co-project manager for public relations and media communication.
Content marketing will also pave a direct path to the product. Customers and online influencers will be able to contact Bosch directly. “With the new platform, Bosch is making the links between communication and the IoT business tighter than ever,” says Katharina Sorg, who is in charge of the project in the “Digital Communication” department. To this end, the company is linking its entire product catalog to the “Connected World” content hub. Visitors and potential customers can thus access everything from the IoT story to available products and services in just a few clicks. The “Connected World” concept tightens the links between communication and conversion as much as possible, and shows how the digital transformation of communications can support corporate success.
About Bosch
The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 400,500 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2017). According to preliminary figures, the company generated sales of 78 billion euros in 2017. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. As a leading IoT company, Bosch offers innovative solutions for smart homes, smart cities, connected mobility, and connected industry. It uses its expertise in sensor technology, software, and services, as well as its own IoT cloud, to offer its customers connected, cross-domain solutions from a single source. The Bosch Group’s strategic objective is to create solutions for a connected life, and to improve quality of life worldwide with products and services that are innovative and spark enthusiasm. In short, Bosch creates technology that is “Invented for life.” The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 450 subsidiaries and regional companies in some 60 countries. Including sales and service partners, Bosch’s global manufacturing, engineering, and sales network covers nearly every country in the world. The basis for the company’s future growth is its innovative strength. At 125 locations across the globe, Bosch employs 62,500 associates in research and development.
The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering.” The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant up-front investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-two percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by the trust. The remaining shares are held by the Bosch family and by Robert Bosch GmbH.
Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com, iot.bosch.com,www.bosch-press.com, www.twitter.com/BoschPresse