Press Release | Gütersloh, 10/24/2022

Bertelsmann Launches Global Media Campaign: ‘Become a Digital Expert’

• Image campaign designed to get people around the world excited about Tech & Data and attract them to Bertelsmann’s international scholarship program
• A total of 50,000 scholarships for online study to be awarded by 2024
• Bertelsmann CEO Thomas Rabe is the protagonist of the TV commercials, print and online ads, and social ads

Gütersloh, October 24, 2022 – Bertelsmann’s new global image campaign “Become a digital expert” highlights the enormous opportunities that the digital future opens up for companies and society, but also for each and every individual. Starting today, topical TV commercials, print and online ads, social ads, and a special landing page, will underscore the importance of acquiring or expanding tech skills in order to shape the digital world. The image campaign supports a newly launched scholarship program by the international media, services and education group, which will award a total of 50,000 scholarships for online studies in the field of Tech & Data by 2024.

With the new media campaign, Bertelsmann is addressing people all over the world who are interested in emerging technologies and want to continue acquiring skills in this field, especially while continuing to work full time. The idea is to make it easier for them to access online learning opportunities. The cross-media campaign, which runs until November 3, includes primetime TV commercials, print ads in major German and international dailies, ads in leading German magazines and trade journals, spots in selected online media and posts on all relevant social networks, as well as a dedicated landing page on the internet. The focus is on the 50,000 scholarships being offered; the TV commercials also associates this number with viewers’ thoughts and questions about shaping the future with fast-paced photo and video sequences. At the heart of the campaign is Bertelsmann Chairman and CEO Thomas Rabe’s call to “Become a digital expert.”

Thomas Rabe said: “With our ‘Become a digital expert’ media campaign, we want to reach as many people as possible around the world and get them excited about the digital future, as well as recruit them for our upskilling initiative. Bertelsmann is aware of the enormous importance of this topic. On our way to becoming the technologically leading media, services and education company, we want to expand the digital skills of our employees and other interested parties. We have generated a tremendous response with this over the past three years.”

Karin Schlautmann, Executive Vice President Corporate Communications at Bertelsmann, said: “We are systematically advertising in international TV, online and print lead media to communicate our message in a contemporary and appealing way: Tech skills are the key to the future of our society – and anyone and everyone can become a ‘digital expert’. Our predecessor campaign reached 120 million people around the world, impressively demonstrating the kind of fascination that Bertelsmann generates for data and tech.”

The “Become a digital expert” image campaign was developed by the Bertelsmann subsidiary Territory in coordination with Bertelsmann Corporate Communications.

The more than 50,000 online courses over three years being advertised in the image campaign are focused on the fields of data management and artificial intelligence, software development and engineering, and cybersecurity. Applications for the “Become a digital expert” scholarship initiative will be accepted until Nov. 28 at https://www.udacity.com/scholarships/bertelsmann-next-generation-tech-booster  , with courses starting on December 15, 2022.

About Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann is a media, services, and education company that operates in about 50 countries around the world. It includes the entertainment group RTL Group, the trade book publisher Penguin Random House, the music company BMG, the service provider Arvato, the Bertelsmann Printing Group, the Bertelsmann Education Group and Bertelsmann Investments, an international network of funds. The company has 145,000 employees and generated revenues of €18.7 billion in the 2021 financial year. Bertelsmann stands for creativity and entrepreneurship. This combination promotes first-class media content and innovative service solutions that inspire customers around the world. Bertelsmann aspires to achieve climate neutrality by 2030.