"Unboxing Hannover" Moves to the Former Horten Building

The former Horten building next to the Marktkirche will soon feature imagery from the “Unboxing Hannover” campaign. Hannover Marketing und Tourismus GmbH (HMTG) and Hannover-based entrepreneur Oliver Blume are thus promoting a temporary and creative use of vacant storefronts during the upcoming renovation work. 

Oliver Blume has acquired the approximately 50,000-square-meter property located between the Old Town and Kröpcke and plans to completely renovate the building, which will be known as “The Box,” by the end of 2027. The plan is to create a mix of uses including education, retail, dining, and residential space. The goal is to preserve this iconic building and revitalize it in a sustainable manner. In the meantime, Blume is making the large storefront spaces available to HMTG free of charge for at least one year.

The initial impetus for the creative temporary use of the vacant spaces came from the Downtown Management Office of the state capital of Hanover. Through further discussions, HMTG and the Downtown Management Office jointly developed the idea of using the storefronts for “Unboxing Hannover” during the renovation phase. This will enhance the value of the currently vacant spaces while simultaneously raising Hanover’s profile in a high-traffic downtown location.

“We want locals to stop and take a look around, and to identify with Hannover. At the same time, we want visitors to become curious and eager to return, because there’s so much to discover in Hannover,” says Christian Katz, CEO of HMTG. “With ‘Unboxing Hannover,’ that’s exactly what we aim to achieve: We’re unpacking the city, showcasing its many facets, and constantly creating new perspectives.”

 Owner Blume also sees the collaboration as adding value to the city: “The building is a landmark in the heart of Hannover. While the extensive renovation work is underway, we don’t want to simply leave the space empty; instead, we want to use it in a meaningful and creative way. I’m a big fan of Hannover, and I’m excited to be able to use the storefront windows to help showcase the city while also sparking curiosity about what will be created here in the future.” 

“Unboxing Hannover” as a Long-Term Communication Platform

In February, the HMTG launched “Unboxing Hannover,” a new flagship campaign aimed at retelling the well-known and lesser-known aspects of Hannover and the region and sharpening Hannover’s image both nationally and internationally in a contemporary way. The campaign focuses on a shift in perspective: the familiar meets new angles, and the well-known appears in surprising contexts. The campaign kicked off with a series of so-called “evergreen” motifs that highlight specific and distinctive strengths of Hannover—including well-known landmarks and attractions such as the Maschsee, the Stadtwald, the Herrenhäuser Gärten, and the Rote Faden. The second phase builds on this approach and expands it to include more specific themes and new perspectives. This gradually creates a diverse picture of Hanover that sparks curiosity and also reveals lesser-known facets of the city.

The new window displays combine confident messages with surprising facts, figures, and perspectives:
The Schützenfest display features the brightly lit chain carousel beneath the slogan “We’re world champions. At celebrating.” and pairs it with fascinating information about the world’s largest Schützenfest—such as the fact that its history dates back to the 16th century.
Hanover’s unique kiosk culture and high density of kiosks are highlighted with the slogan “Kiosks are a cultural asset here. And they’re even listed as historical monuments.” The design provides further context: there are nearly 400 kiosks in the city and surrounding region, one of which is even a listed historical monument. This makes Hanover one of the cities with the highest density of kiosks in Germany. 
The motif “Lowkey High-Tech: Our University” highlights Hannover as a center of academia. Around 50,000 students study and conduct research at Hannover’s universities. With Leibniz University, Hannover Medical School, and other universities and research institutions, the spectrum ranges from engineering and the natural sciences to medicine, art, and music.

Other new designs explore themes such as mobility, logistics, music, art, and the Steinhuder Meer, among others. The designs for the storefront windows were developed and implemented in-house by HMTG.

Beyond the current window displays, the second phase of “Unboxing Hannover” is set to continue expanding in the coming months. The plan is to collaborate with partners to highlight additional themes and strengths of Hannover and communicate them to specific target audiences both domestically and internationally. Other stakeholders from Hannover are also welcome to participate in the campaign with their own themes and ideas.