Abstract:
The generalized crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic crisis forced an accelerated
adoption of online communication and virtual formats for events, replacing the traditional flow of
social, economic, and political life. The automotive industry as a major driver of innovation in the
economic field was among the first sectors to replace the old way tactics of offline engagement
with customers with social media solutions, promoted via multiple channels. The paper aims to
provide an overview of the public engagement strategies employed by Romanian automotive
industry in 2020-2021. Data are collected through content analysis of the major automotive
retailers and are supplemented with information obtained from communication strategists in the
field. The experience of virtual engagement is here to stay, and there are signs are that the strategy
will carry out in the “new normal” period, once the restrictions on in-person contact are over.
