‘Du bist Deutschland’ Motivation Campaign Was A Success

The biggest social marketing campaign in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany has achieved its objective: It contributed to building a spirit of optimism about the future, as the protagonists of the campaign concluded yesterday at the final press conference in Berlin. Gunter Thielen, its initiator, summed up the results as the campaign came to an end: "I’m very pleased with the results. The mood in Germany has improved tangibly in recent months. ‘Du bist Deutschland’ clearly contributed to this. Now we can only hope that the momentum will be picked up on and continued." Everyone involved agreed that the sweeping campaign had been a success. According to surveys by GfK market researchers, the campaign reached 38 million people in the past five months, which translates to a 58 percent awareness rate in Germans over the age of 14. The survey also indicated that those who were aware of it have a much more positive outlook about Germany’s future than those who didn’t consciously notice the campaign.

The high level of public awareness for "Du bist Deutschland" is no coincidence. The campaign was the subject of more than 2,500 newspaper and magazine articles and mentioned on numerous TV and radio programs. For weeks, it was one of the most-posted topics in weblogs and online media. The initiative of the 25 media companies initially involved – headed by Bertelsmann AG and involving the support of Gruner + Jahr, Motor Presse Stuttgart, RTL Group and RTL Interactive – resulted in a very high density of ads and TV commercials. In all, the campaign had more than €32 million in pro bono media volume at its disposal.

"Du bist Deutschland" kicked off on Sep 26, 2005 with a one-of-a-kind TV premiere: A two-minute, celebrity-studded TV ad was broadcast nearly simultaneously on TV channels operated by the media companies involved in the campaign. More than 17 million people were watching when the spot made its debut on nine TV channels and all of Premiere’s pay-TV movie channels. A sweeping communications campaign followed, involving daily papers and magazines, movies theaters, online media and billboard advertising. The success of the accompanying website www.du-bist-deutschland.de was similarly staggering. In its first few minutes, it registered 20,000 hits per second. In the first hour of the campaign alone, the website had a million visitors – an absolute record at the time. To date, more than 8,000 people have posted their names on the website, along with a photograph and a statement.

"Du bist Deutschland" was a purely pro-bono campaign, stressed Gunter Thielen, and took the press conference as an opportunity to thank the media companies (whose number has now reached approx. 100), along with the more than 1,000 companies and the agencies for their support. The media companies had provided advertising space and airtime free of charge. The advertising agencies Jung von Matt and Kempertrautmann and the Fischer Appelt Communications press office had donated their time and efforts, like everyone else involved. The more than 30 celebrity supporters from Günther Jauch to Yvonne Catterfeld waived all fees. And Bertelsmann shouldered all third-party costs. As Gunter Thielen pointed out: "We have every reason to be proud and pleased about the effects of the campaign. It has helped to turn the mood in our country around. And it sparked an important and widespread discussion. ‘Du bist Deutschland’ very quickly became a catchphrase synonymous with upswing. This unprecedented joining of forces between 25 media companies showed that the media industry in particular is prepared to embrace its social responsibility."

Bernd Bauer, who organized the campaign for Bertelsmann as our media company’s former communications chief, was delighted at its results: "The response has exceeded all expectations. This was an unprecedented pro-bono joining of forces between media companies, agencies, production companies, celebrities and non-celebrities. The campaign came at exactly the right time. Now we know that Germans are ready to leave the valley of miseries behind them." Antonella Mei-Pochtler, Managing Director at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), agrees with him. A BCG analysis indicates that the Germans’ negative self-assessment is gradually giving way to a more optimistic perception, which will result in changed consumer behavior. This change in perception has been especially in evidence since the start of the "Du bist Deutschland" campaign, noted BCG in its analysis. Or, as Antonella Mei-Pochtler sums i t up: "We are slowly moving from a perceived upswing to a real upswing." 

As the campaign nears its end, new TV commercials produced from making-of footage are being shown. Celebrities talk about their reasons for getting involved. By airing these ten or more "extra" commercials, the campaign’s makers deliver a final point while also marking the onset of a new stage. Bernd Bauer provides an outlook into the future of the social marketing campaign: "We will be seeing a number of supporting campaigns in the weeks ahead, after which the campaign will be continued with the support of exclusive partners. We’ve already recruited Mercedes Benz as a sponsor; if other active supporters can be found, after the World Cup and the ‘Land of Ideas’ campaign we will pick up where we left off and continue with ‘Du bist Deutschland.’ There is still plenty of room for good ideas and campaigns to help bring Germany ahead," believes Bernd Bauer.