NRW.INVEST Location Marketing

Consulting and concept development

Location marketing at its best

Task:

  • Concept development and implementation of an international location marketing campaign for investment in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW)

The intention behind the campaign is to win foreign investors for NRW as a business location and to position NRW as the No. 1 location for investment.

As many stakeholders as possible should be involved in order to facilitate alliances and cooperations that strengthen the location.

 

Realisation:

North Rhine-Westphalia is the most popular location in Germany among foreign investors. Nevertheless, this young federal state is – by comparison with more historically established names such as Bavaria or Saxony – relatively little known internationally. For this reason, DIE PR-BERATER wanted to focus on the strong “brand” - Germany. The agency consciously drew the connection between North Rhine-Westphalia and Germany, and presented the federal state with a new self-confidence: in many sectors, it is among the best of the best in the country. The campaign therefore adopts the “Germany at its best: Nordrhein-Westfalen” claim and promotes the best achievements in the state in science, sport, culture and industry.

Participation is a central theme: as many companies, institutions, personalities and members of the public as possible were involved in the campaign and showed just how true its claim – “Germany at its best: Nordrhein-Westfalen” – really is.

The resulting success stories are communicated during events in the target countries, in advertising, in press and media relations work, through online videos, on interactive maps locating the top achievers and on many other channels to address international decision-makers in business and politics.

It has been a great success: the number of companies setting up in the region has increased significantly since the start of the campaign in 2011, reaching a record of 434 in 2015.

 

Consulting and concept development

Location marketing at its best

Task:

  • Concept development and implementation of an international location marketing campaign for investment in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW)

The intention behind the campaign is to win foreign investors for NRW as a business location and to position NRW as the No. 1 location for investment.

As many stakeholders as possible should be involved in order to facilitate alliances and cooperations that strengthen the location.

 

Realisation:

North Rhine-Westphalia is the most popular location in Germany among foreign investors. Nevertheless, this young federal state is – by comparison with more historically established names such as Bavaria or Saxony – relatively little known internationally. For this reason, DIE PR-BERATER wanted to focus on the strong “brand” - Germany. The agency consciously drew the connection between North Rhine-Westphalia and Germany, and presented the federal state with a new self-confidence: in many sectors, it is among the best of the best in the country. The campaign therefore adopts the “Germany at its best: Nordrhein-Westfalen” claim and promotes the best achievements in the state in science, sport, culture and industry.

Participation is a central theme: as many companies, institutions, personalities and members of the public as possible were involved in the campaign and showed just how true its claim – “Germany at its best: Nordrhein-Westfalen” – really is.

The resulting success stories are communicated during events in the target countries, in advertising, in press and media relations work, through online videos, on interactive maps locating the top achievers and on many other channels to address international decision-makers in business and politics.

It has been a great success: the number of companies setting up in the region has increased significantly since the start of the campaign in 2011, reaching a record of 434 in 2015.

 

Publications

The best of the best in a book

Task:

  • Concept development, layout and production of a publication presenting the 100 best entries on the www.germany-at-ist-best.de portal

An extensive mobilization campaign had already ensured that around 500 of the highest achievers from all regions of the federal state had applied to the campaign’s online portal in the business and industry, science, technology and innovation, art and culture, and leisure and sport categories. Out of that number, a jury of eminent members picked the best 100 for a book.

 

Realisation:

“Germany at its best: Nordrhein-Westfalen – Deutschland von seiner besten Seite” is the title of the book published by NRW.INVEST in May 2013 in cooperation with Klartext Verlag. In German and English, the book presents the one hundred best companies, institutions and personalities from NRW. Cooperation with the publisher meant that DIE PR-BERATER were able not only to reduce the cost of producing the book but also have it marketed through the book trade.

To attract media interest to the publication, DIE PR-BERATER devised a showcase event for the book launch. Many of the featured best achievements were exhibited, and many of the high achievers and the Economics Minister as chairman of the jury were present in person to answer the media’s questions. This generated a lot of interest for the publication in the media. The book has also proved very popular as a valuable promotional material at NRW.INVEST events abroad and among international guests of the NRW state government.

 

Tools and Applications

Online boost for NRW success stories

Task:

  • To create a digital interface to give campaign partners access to the content pool

"Germany at its best: Nordrhein-Westfalen”, the international location marketing campaign, promotes the state with genuine success stories from NRW. The idea of participation is central to the campaign, with as many companies, institutions, personalities and members of the public as possible encouraged to get involved. Since 2011, more than 350 of the best achievements in the state have been generated in this way and make up the content pool of the campaign. The many success stories on a range of different themes are to be made available to the campaign partners for their communications, which will boost the media presence of the featured achievements even more.

 

Realisation:

DIE PR-BERATER developed a programming interface, also known as API (application programming interface), for the database, which is made up of the entries on the www.germany-at-its-best.de portal. The idea was for partners to be able, without any programming effort, to configure an interface to the database and integrate it in their own website. On a separate website, representatives from ministries, clusters or regions of the state of NRW can filter which best achievements they wish to incorporate by region or theme and which design they wish to use for text and images. The website then generates a code snippet, which simply has to be added to the relevant website through the content management system. The interface can now generate automatically changing content according to filter criteria on numerous NRW websites.

 

Design

Welcome to North Rhine-Westphalia

Task:

  • Concept development and design of a welcome campaign to greet international business travellers and tourists arriving in NRW.
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Realisation:

Since the beginning of May 2014, tourists and business travellers have been greeted by six different posters at the airports in Düsseldorf, Dortmund and Weeze and by a gigantic blow-up at the Düsseldorf Messe exhibition centre. The images are part of the “Germany at its best: Nordrhein-Westfalen” international location marketing campaign and depict some of the best achievements to come out of North Rhine-Westphalia. The images are representative of areas in which North Rhine-Westphalia excels and outstanding achievements are made. For example, a picture of Düsseldorf’s media harbour greets business travellers with the words “Business at its best” and “Welcome to North Rhine-Westphalia”. Another poster addresses tourists, showing the Externsteine rock formation in the Teutoburg Forest with a text reading “Nature at its best” and “Welcome to North Rhine-Westphalia”. A further image shows a close-up of a dessert and the words “Cuisine at its best”.

With these and other local initiatives in NRW, the campaign extends its reach from the initial contact with the target groups in countries such as Japan, China or the USA to their arrival in NRW.

 

Trade shows and events

Credibility goes digital

Task:

  • Positioning as a hot spot for digitalization among key international multipliers at federal level in Berlin

To be sure of getting noticed in the packed schedule of political life in Berlin, DIE PR-BERATER and NRW.INVEST together came up with an event on one of the most fascinating economic issues today: digitalizing the value chain. And they did so before everybody was talking about it.

 

Realisation:

When it comes to Industry 4.0, NRW offers outstanding investment opportunities and the brightest minds: a keynote by one of the fathers of the Internet of Things (Prof. Michael ten Hompel, Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics, IML) and two short rounds of talks with respected experts from science and industry informed an audience of around 90 guests at the NRW representation in Berlin. The focus was on how digitalization is likely to transform manufacturing and transport processes, and what investment opportunities will arise as a result.

Digitalization was apparent even within the scope of this small event format. DIE PR-BERATER used their own development, the Easy Event tool, to handle and monitor the entire invitation and guest management process locally as part of a digital chain. At the venue, the guests checked in with their QR code as they would for boarding at an airport. The name cards were printed automatically and guests were greeted by name on two monitors.

 

Website

Content creation made easy

Task:

  • To develop an online platform for top achievers to quickly and easily upload text and images and take part in the campaign

 

Realisation:

In developing the www.germany-at-its-best.de platform, DIE PR-BERATER were particularly conscious of creating a straightforward user experience. For example, when visitors come to upload their picture material, they can crop the images, choose the colour of the claim that best suits their material, and alter the picture detail. These and other functions are intended to prevent potential users from having to interrupt the process to re-edit their images.

By sharing their achievements in the upload, the top performers are simultaneously generating the visual and text material for the campaign. The platform is programmed so that text and images are already optimized for further use.

 

Consulting and concept development

Participation at its best

Task:

  • Concept development and implementation of a mobilization strategy

 

Realisation:

DIE PR-BERATER and NRW.INVEST together developed a dual mobilization strategy. Stakeholders in the state, for example regional location marketing initiatives and economic development organizations in NRW, were able to participate in international activities, particularly events in the target countries. NRW.INVEST assigned the partners exclusively to a specific theme or area in which the region genuinely produces top achievements. In return, the partners supported the campaign with their own marketing activities and mobilized the best of their region to take part. Naturally, each region was keen to have the strongest possible representation in the campaign. The prospect of appearing in an ad for the campaign was not the only incentive for taking part: every nationwide best achievement was awarded a certificate by the NRW Economics Minister.

In the first four years, over 500 applications were received on the www.germany-at-its-best.de portal to be part of the campaign. After assessment, around 350 of them were awarded the “Germany at its best” certificate. Many of the top performers used the accolade in their own PR, amplifying the mobilization message in NRW.

This is furthermore the first time that all the regions in NRW participated as partners in an international location marketing campaign for their federal state.

 

Films and presentations

The best on film

Task:

  • As part of the location marketing campaign "Germany at is best: North Rhine-Westphalia", institutions, companies and personalities from NRW who took part in the campaign were to be staged and advertised for NRW. DIE PR-BERATER produced short video clips for this purpose.

 

Realisation:

The best performers were presented in a clip and explained why they deserved the title "Germany at its best: North Rhine-Westphalia". Between 2014 and 2015, 14 best-performer films were produced, which were used in a variety of ways in the campaign, at events and by the best-performers themselves. For example, films were made about the best performances of the premium fittings manufacturer Dornbracht, about the innovative startup Bitstars in Aachen or about the world market leader from Solingen: Zwilling.

 

Marketing

The best marketing materials

Task:

  • Concept development and production of marketing materials for the campaign partners

 

Realisation:

Different products were used for different regions. Around 300 years ago, the entrepreneur Johann Maria Farina created Eau de Cologne in the city of the same name. This is very much a best achievement and inspired DIE PR-BERATER to collaborate with Farina on developing a miniature perfume bottle as a marketing material for campaign partner Cologne. Future issues play a major role among the regional partners and in the campaign, too. One of the materials developed by DIE PR-BERATER was a USB stick in the shape of a robot for OstWestfalenLippe, the campaign partner representing intelligent technical systems. Together with Timo Boll, the campaign ambassador, the agency also developed a table tennis bat as another campaign advertising material, with “The best service” as its motto.

 

NRW.INVEST_Standortmarketing-Marketing_DiebestenWerbemittel
Design

Logo for a participatory campaign

Task:

Development of a logo and design for the international location marketing campaign of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia “Germany at its best: Nordrhein-Westfalen”

 

Realisation:

For the numerous advertising measures ranging from advertisements to promotional material, DIE PR-BERATER developed a design that is modeled on the corporate design of the campaign sponsor NRW.INVEST but leaves sufficient space for integrating partners. And so the campaign design relies on reduced visual elements and clear lines. The slogan “Germany at its best” is not only used as a logo but also as a recurring typographical core element of the campaign. The result is a consistent and uniform brand image that is maintained even when partners implement the campaign.

 

NRW.INVEST_Standortmarketing-Design_Logo
Marketing

Advertisements for an international location marketing campaign

Task:

  • Conceptual development and implementation of an international location marketing campaign for the investment location North Rhine-Westphalia

 

Realisation:

The dialogue marketing in the target countries utilizes a combination of classical promotional instruments, such as advertisements, as well as PR measures and marketing partnerships. A photographic advertisement line presents the best performances and their respective industry-specific location factor – focusing on sectors such as logistics, innovative materials, or renewable energy. A typographic design advertises – across all industries – the location’s international flair and showcases the names of foreign companies in NRW by displaying their names before the headline “Germany at its best”. The state’s numerous foreign companies are ultimately its best advertisement. All kinds of companies already based in Germany are represented by the slogan “Germany at its best”, according to each country. The design won the prestigious Nikkei Advertising Award 2011 in Japan.

 

Trade shows and events

Presenting the best

Task:

  • To present the book of “Germany at its best: Nordrhein-Westfalen – Deutschland von seiner besten Seite”
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Realisation:

“Germany at its best: Nordrhein-Westfalen – Deutschland von seiner besten Seite” is the title of the book published by NRW.INVEST in May 2013 in cooperation with Klartext Verlag presenting the federal state’s top one hundred.

To attract media interest to the publication, DIE PR-BERATER devised a showcase event for the book launch. Many of the best achievements featured in the book were exhibited, and many of the high achievers and the Economics Minister Garrelt Duin, chairman of the jury, were present in person to answer the media’s questions. Football freestyler Memetcan Örücü, the world record holder in the “360 crossover”, also impressed guests and press alike with his live performance. The event succeeded in generating a great deal of media interest.