You can't like Reutlingen. Only love it.

Developed by us, the campaign “Reutlingen kannst Du nicht mögen. Nur lieben.” (You can’t like Reutlingen. Only love it.) sparked significant media buzz with 150 posters and city lights featuring humorous slogans like “Nichts ist langweiliger als ein aufregender Tag in Reutlingen” (Nothing is more boring than an exciting day in Reutlingen.) and “Das Reu in Reutlingen steht für Bereuen,” (The Re in Reutlingen stands for regret.) displayed from June 10 to 20, 2024. All posters included the phrase “Reutlingen kannst Du nicht mögen.” Media coverage on platforms like bild.de, tagesschau.de, and ProSieben generated an advertising equivalence value of 4.5 million euros, while the media placement budget was only 25,000 euros.

OOH played out

The provocative OOH campaign, which humorously and self-ironically plays with clichés and prejudices about Reutlingen, achieved media coverage within 24 hours and was intensely discussed in regional and national media. The idea behind the campaign is to creatively present the unique and often underestimated aspects of Reutlingen, spark curiosity, and initiate an in-depth conversation about the city.

Reach: 190 Million

According to Landau Media, the campaign has achieved a reach of 190 million. Initially, there was speculation about the campaign’s origin. On June 17, during a well-attended press conference with national media representatives, it was revealed that eight citizens added “Nur lieben” to the phrase “Reutlingen kannst Du nicht mögen.” The website www.nurlieben.de now features eight authentic love stories from Reutlingen residents. At the following city festival, over 400 additional residents joined the campaign with statements like “Mein New-Home-lingen” and “Mein Ride-lingen.”

The campaign trailer

“The campaign launch is surprising, just like the city it represents: Reutlingen,” says Mark Pelzer, co-founder and managing director of DIE KAVALLERIE. “We can’t promise clients such media interest, but we knew the campaign’s initial phase would make waves, which was a central part of the strategy. Great recognition also goes to the responsible parties, like Anna Bierig, managing director of Reutlingen city marketing, who always believed in the idea.”

Kickoff: Citywide conversation with many onlookers

The main goal—to spark a citywide conversation, engage people in and around Reutlingen, and make them part of the campaign—has been achieved. Reutlingen has been positioned with high visibility across Germany and beyond. The brand essence of “surprising” has been communicated successfully. The next phase will address key drivers: downtown experiences, a strong economic location, and an attractive position in the Swabian Alb biosphere area. Until then, the campaign aims to visit other cities.

Curious? Visit the campaign website: www.nurlieben.de
And read the LinkedIn Post by Felix, our Head of Concept responsible for the campaign.