“You Are Germany”: Today starts unique motivation campaign of German media companies – initiated by Bertelsmann

Anyone who tunes in to Germany ’s public TV channels this evening at 7:56 p.m. will be greeted simultaneously on both channels as a two-minute TV commercial featuring 40 celebrities and non-celebrities kicks off the unprecedented motivation campaign “You are Germany .” 17 minutes later, the same spot featuring the same 40 celebs and non-celebs will address viewers on all commercial TV channels. Its message: a “manifesto” for Germany . A manifesto that will be heard, seen and read by Germany’s residents again and again across all media in the four months ahead, designed to address each one of them personally, by means TV and movie commercials, various posters and a number of ads in numerous magazines and newspapers.

“You are Germany” is a unique motivation campaign based on a commitment entered into by 25 major German media companies – including Bertelsmann AG, Gruner + Jahr AG, Motor Presse Stuttgart, RTL Group and RTL Interactive . Part of the “Partners for Innovation” initiative, it is designed to help foster a new get-up-and-go mood in Germany , to shift the country’s attitude toward more self-confidence and motivation. Bertelsmann initiated the campaign, pushed it along in a supervising capacity and developed it in partnership with Kempertrautmann and Jung von Matt, two famous German advertising agencies. Bernd Bauer, Bertelsmann’s former communications chief, has taken on the organization of the campaign. It was presented last Friday at Bertelsmann’s premises in Berlin .

“’You are Germany’ is the biggest social marketing campaign in the history of German media, the result of an unprecedented closing of ranks between media companies, agencies, production firms and celebrities,” declared Bernd Bauer as he welcomed the roughly 80 press representatives who attended last Friday’s presentation of “You are Germany.” Bauer told of how Bertelsmann AG Chairman & CEO Gunter Thielen had developed the idea for a campaign that would not just address select business groups, but every citizen in Germany , as part of his work for the Media Partnerships task group in the “Partners for Innovation” initiative. He recalled how, at a meeting between Germany‘s biggest media and publishing companies last October, the marketing campaign was agreed on, and how more than €30 million in media volume was provided free of charge for its implementation. “From the beginning, we have had only positive, even enthusiastic response. The willingness to commit to this campaign was immensely high among all participants,” said Bauer, commending the excellent collaboration between the partners.

Thanks to them, “You are Germany ” has become one of the widest-range campaigns in German media history. It will reach each resident of Germany about 16 times: in 40 magazine titles, eight nationwide and 13 regional newspapers, on 2.326 billboards, eleven TV channels and in 1.866 movie theaters – all of which translates to computed reach of 98 percent.