New flagship campaign in Hannover

The goal is to modernize Hannover’s image both nationally and internationally—moving beyond conventional stereotypes without reinventing itself. Today, the HMTG provided an initial look at the process, motivation, and objectives behind the new communication strategy and unveiled the first campaign visuals to mark the launch.

Only 37 percent of Germans currently have a clear image of Hannover. HMTG views this finding from the Brandmeyer City Brand Monitor 2025 as a strategic opportunity: where the image is unclear, it can be actively shaped. Against this backdrop, one central question arose: What associations and perceptions should be linked to Hannover in the future—and how can we do justice to their diversity and complexity?

The answer is “Unboxing Hannover.”

Hannover spills the beans!

The flagship campaign “Unboxing Hannover” focuses on a shift in perspective. Familiar motifs are presented from new angles, and the familiar appears in surprising contexts. The campaign uses a variety of pointed statements that pique curiosity and showcase strengths—bold, humorous, and to the point. The focus is on specific highlights of Hannover. These are brought to the forefront and confidently showcased—with the goal of positioning Hannover in a distinctive, contemporary, and effective way—without reinventing itself.

 “We see ‘Unboxing Hannover’ not just as a campaign, but also as a statement. We want to clearly demonstrate what Hannover stands for. We want to weave together powerful narratives and highlight what has long been a reality here: innovative spirit, quality of life, and diversity. We want to foster a sense of community and proudly shine a spotlight on our local strengths. Our goal is for Hannover to be perceived in the long term as one of the most beautiful and livable regions in Germany. Because that’s who we are,” says HMTG Managing Director Christian Katz.

Visibility starting in March – nationally and internationally

The campaign will be rolled out gradually starting in mid-March in public spaces, on digital channels, and through selected national and international initiatives. The campaign is modular in design and can be expanded to cover a range of topics—from culture, science, and business to lifestyle and local recreation.

“Unboxing Hannover” is not intended as a short-term promotional campaign, but rather as a long-term communication strategy for the city’s future positioning. The flagship campaign is designed to be flexibly adapted in the future to address a variety of themes, target audiences, and occasions.

Development with "internal" participation

The campaign was preceded by a Europe-wide call for proposals, which began in June 2025. In October, a consortium consisting of the agencies Pahnke GmbH & Co. KG, Brandmeyer Markenberatung GmbH & Co. KG, and Stadtmanufaktur GmbH was awarded the contract. The objective of the call for proposals was to develop a strategic and conceptual positioning for the location within the context of national and international competition.

Input from key stakeholders in the city and region was also incorporated into the development of the content. During a series of workshops, perspectives, experiences, and assessments were gathered and integrated into the strategic direction.

 “It was important to us not to create an artificial image, but to reveal from the inside what truly sets Hannover apart,” said Katz. “‘Unboxing Hannover’ translates this sense of identity into clear, contemporary language.”

New Opportunities in Location Marketing

The implementation of the flagship campaign was made possible by increased funding. After years of limited budgets, this opens up greater scope for the first time to pursue a strategic, long-term communication strategy.

With “Unboxing Hannover,” the city is positioning itself more clearly in the competition for visitors, skilled workers, businesses, and investment—and seizing the opportunity to actively shape what has previously been a vague image in a positive way.

“The fact that only 37 percent of Germans so far have a clear idea of what Hannover stands for shows one thing above all else: there is at least 63 percent potential,” says Katz.